Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXI, No. 3, September 1847Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXI, No. 3, September 1847
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Sure enough! a second look satisfied Mulford that two mast-heads were
out of water, and that within a hundred yards of the place the boat was
running past. Standing on a short distance, or far enough to give
himself room, the mate put his helm down, and tacked the boat. The
flapping of the sail, and the little movement of shifting over the
sheet, awoke Rose, who was immediately apprized of the discovery. As
soon as round, the boat went glancing up to the spars, and presently was
riding by one, Jack Tier having caught hold of a topmast-shroud, when
Mulford let fly his sheet again, and luffed short up to the spot. By
this time the increasing light was sufficiently strong to render objects
distinct, when near by, and no doubt remained any longer in the mind of
Mulford about the two mast-heads being those of the unfortunate Mexican
schooner.
“Well, of all I have ever seen, I’ve never see’d the like of this
afore!” exclaimed Jack. “When we left this here craft, sir, you’ll
remember, she had almost turned turtle, laying over so far as to bring
her upper coamings under water; now she stands right side up, as erect
as if docked! My navigation can’t get along with this, Mr. Mulford, and
it does seem like witchcraft.”
“It is certainly a very singular incident, Jack, and I have been trying
to come at its causes.”
“Have you succeeded, Harry?” asked Rose, by this time wide awake, and
wondering like the others.
“It must have happened in this wise. The wreck was abandoned by us some
little distance out here, to windward. The schooner’s masts, of course,
pointed to leeward, and when she drifted in here, they have first
touched on a shelving rock, and as they have been shoved up, little by
little, they have acted as levers to right the hull, until the cargo has
shifted back into its proper berth, which has suddenly set the vessel up
again.”
“Ay, ay, sir,” answered Jack, “all that might have happened had she been
above water, or any part of her above water; but you’ll remember, maty,
that soon after we left her she went down.”
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