LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 925, 12 June 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE BURNING SHIP,

It was verging upon sunset in the China sea The day had been unusually hot and oppressive, not a breath of air stirring to reNve the languid form.-'of the exhausted crew. he sea. glowed like molten lead, and the reflection o£ the noble clipper ship Amazon scarce trembled in the water.

John Preston paced the quarter dock, scanning the horizon intently, while his seaburned intelligent countenance was clouded by shades of anxiety and doubt. He was a young man, but lately promoted to the command of the Amazon, and in consequence was more than anxious to make a quick passage to Shanghai, that he might satisfy the expectations of the owners. But the ship was hopelessly becalmed, the barometer rapidly falling, and the mate who had long been in the China trade, gave it as his opinion that before midnight the ship would be scudding under bare poles. ‘ But she will boar it. Captain Preston,’ growled the old sea dog, as he glanced along the horizon. ‘ A finer ship never left the stocks, and I am anxious to see how she will behave in a lively breeze, such as are gotten up here at short notice ’ ‘ I am afraid you will have your wish, Mr Martin,’ rev-ended Preston, as he turned away to glance into the binnacle. A dark bank of clouds which had settled along the southerly horizon appeared to have started into sudden activity. Dark, ragged masses shot forth from the main body, stretching upward toward the zenith, writhing in fearful contortions as the gloomy canopy rapidly enveloped the entire heavens.

Gradually the stars disappeared one after another ; a stifled, oppressive heaviness was in the air; strange noises struck the ear, like the whisperings of evil spirits, and, like the work of magic, a heavy swell set in, causing the ship to pitch and roll, as helpless as a log on the inky seas. The canvas gleamed ghastly white against the sombre background, relieved at intervals by the sharp gleam o' lightning, followed by the low, ominous’ rumble of the thunder. All hands were now called to reduce sail, and in a short time naught but the tall, tapering spars of the ship was exposed aloft to the fury of the coming gale. A whizzing, rushing sound echoed in the ears of the hardy seamen as instinctively they clung to the bulwarks or rail, waiting for the dread battle to commence.

Suddenly the clouds along the horizon rolled no, displaying the well-defined line of white rushing foam. The ship trembled like a frightened steed as the first icy breath of the tempest surged through her taut rigging, and Preston’s word of warning wi s lost in the roaring of the waters which struck the ship well aft. Like a reed the ship careened before the resistless torrent, and darted forward with the speed of a thunderbolt The thick, driving spray swept like snow from the waves, completely enveloping the ship in a thick, dense mist.

The captain had sprung to the wheel to assist the seaman stationed there, while the remainder of the ship’s crew awaited in breathless silence till the first frenzy of the hurricane should he spent. The mate, envoi ped, iu his hard weather rig, was the only man on hoard who thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. All through the dreary hours of that long night he remained on deck, despite the sharp, vivid lightning, the deep, rolling thunder, and the shrill voice of the gale, solely to satisfy himself that the Amazon was all that she should he.

Before daylight the hurricane, short-lived but terrible in its anger, began to subside, and as the first rosy colors of sunrise began to gild the east, the Amazon was enabled to make sail and resume her course The sea gradually decreased so that before the sun again disappeared the ship was under full sail, heading for the Formosa channel, the tall, rugged outlines of the island having been sighted early in the day. As the Amazon closed in with the land, the snowwhite sails of a ship were seen partially enveloped in the deep haze surrounding the island; hut before the stranger could be definitely made out the gloom of night had shirt her out from view.

It was close upon eight o’clock in the evening, and John Preston, in a very contented frame of mind, was pacing the quarter-deck, smoking a cigar, while his thoughts wandered far away to the scones and associations’connccted with his boyhood days. He was alone iu the world, having been left an orphan at an early age, and a smothered sigh escaped him as he contrasted his lonely, solitary life with friends who uad wives and children to welcome and brighten their paths through life. In fact, the sailor was verging upon the sentimental, when a deep, gruff exclamation from the mate effectually dispelled the reverie into which he had fallen.

‘ What’s that ? Did you address me, Mr Martin ?’

* What do you make out of that, sir ?’ aud the mate waved his hand iu the direction of the land, which loomed up dark and forbidding against the clear, blue sky.

A bright, lurid glare was perceptible, which cast a dancing shimmer across the sparkling waters, at times .shooting up with unwonted brilliancy, and then partialiy disappearing, only to break forth with renewed vigor. ‘By George, can it bo possible ? .1 believe it is that ship on fire which we sighted just before dark,’ and in a quiver of excitement John Preston caught up the ship’s glass, while the mate, grim, grim as a statute stood by his side. * It is the ship, sure as fate, and the flames have the upper hand. Keep her oil', MiMartin, take a pull at the braces. Thank God, w’c can be of some service.’

‘ The wind is light, sir, and it will soon be a calm. Would it not be better to hoist the trig out ? It may be the means of saving life. 1 will pull in, sir ; and tho current, which sets in shore here, will drift tho ship in the right direction. The light of the wreck will attract the attention of the rascals ashore, who are always on the alert for any such catastrophe, and God help the poor fellow who falls into the hands of a Formosa savage.’ ‘ You am right, Martin. You may clear away the gig, but I will take charge of her. 1 could not remain passive here with yon ship burning up before my eyes. Do you look out for the Amazon. I could not leave her in better hands.’

A Hush of pleasure darkened the mate's face as he busied himself about the gig, the better to conceal the joy occasioned by the

compliment of his superior. He was a hard working, pains taking man, who, if he had received his just deserts, would have had command long ago ; but he lacked interest in the right quarter to represent his worth and claims.

The gig was manned by six of the best men composing the Amazon’s crew, and taking his place in the stern sheets. John Preston gave the order to shove off. 1 lie oars dipped simultaneously in the water, the men bent to their task with all their energy, sending the light boat over the smooth sea with the speed of a sword fish. As the mate had predicted, the light rapidly died away until scarcely a breath of air ruffled the surface of the ocean. The ship was soon le f t behind, while the. light from the unfortunate vessel increased with fearful rapidity - It was a fearful sight. The eager element shot along the rigging, ran swiftly up the foremast, and wrapping the hamp-r in a sheet of fire, streamed almost perpendicular upward a fathom above the truck. The lire had spread rapidly, and the enfre fore part of the ship was in the power of the fiend. (To he cnnfi.mird.'