Wakulla: a story of adventure in Florida

Late in the afternoon they passed the gray walls of Fort Knox on the right, and the pretty little town of Bucksport on the left. They could ju

ail was made on the schooner. The last thing Mark Elmer saw as he left the deck, driven below by the bitter cold

le himself, and did not care much for the supper, of which his father and Ruth eat so heartily. He said he thought he would go to bed, befor

's Vineyard, through Vineyard Sound, in company with a great fleet of coasters; but when they passed Gay Head, and turned to the westward into Long Island Sound, the Nancy was headed towards th

southward, and towards the warmth wh

ry mortifying to her brother; but "Captain Li," who went in to see him every day, comforted him by telling hi

"Come, Mark, I want you to turn out and go on deck to see the last of Hatteras Light. You know Cape Hatteras is one of the worst capes along our

e Bermudas

for Cape H

that one week's sailing southward had made in the general appearance of things. When he was last on deck, it and the rigging were covered with snow and ice. Now not a particle of either was to be

mother, and Ruth, who were all on deck, but

ight so far astern that it seemed to rest on the very waters. Half an hour later the captain said, "Now

said Ruth and

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer, also together, at which they

n, Mark being allowed to occupy the lounge on account

shipped in New York, early in December, on board the very prettiest craft I ever set eyes on, for a voyage to the West Indies. She was the hundred-ton schooner-yacht Mirage, and her owner had determined to try and make her pay him something d

getting a cargo for the home voyage. The delay worried our skipper considerably, for he had calculated on being home with his wife and baby at Christ

overboard. We all saw it in the water, swimming for the quay, which was but a short distance from us, and, quick as a thought, the skipper had jumped back into the cabin for his pistol, and before th

oubled him, for I heard him say to the mate that he never knew

us, it seemed as though we might make New York in time for Christmas, after all. Then there came a change-first a gale that drove us to the westward, and then light head-winds

ay to the mate that something was coming, for the mercury was falling faster than he had ever seen it. Things stood so until sunset, when the haze settled down thicker than ever. I was at the wheel, when the ski

an it looked when you came on deck, a while ago, Mark, and we were heading directly for it. When t

ind and rain, with thunder and lightning close after, as to hide the l

thought it was the effect of the mist, and tried to keep her headed for it. As I was getting terribly puzzled and fussed up by what I thought was the strange action of the co

Hatteras

ead, sir,

as though he saw something awful. He looked for half a minute, and t

like a ball of fire, along the jib-top-sail stay to the top-mast head, and the

er the sea, and in another minute a cyclone, such as I hope never to see again, laid us

masts went as she struck, and as they fell a huge sea, rushing over the poor craft, swept overboard the captain and two m

schooner was driven a good bit farther over the sands. Finally she struck solid, and began to break up. One of her boats was

way from the wreck in this boat, and were driven in to the

house, where we were kindly cared for, but wher

and a week from that day we took it and the ne

l astern, as we have for this time, at any rate. Well, there's eight bell

at warns people of coming disaster?" asked Rut

h as Cape Hatteras; and as it is generally accompanied by cyclones or hurricanes, sailors have come to regard it as an omen of evil. It is not alwa