Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-01-10

chains and channels but many an anx
lous eye was turned towards the remain
| ing bolts, for upon item depended the
masts, aud upon the masts depended the
safety of the ship-for with one foot OF
canvass less, she could not live fifteen
minutes.
Onward plunged the overwhelmed frig.
ate, and at every surge seemed bent upon
making the deep the sailors grave, and
her live oak sides his coffin of glory,
She had been fitted out at Boston, when
the thermometer was ut zero Her
shrouds of course therefore slackened at
every strain, and her unwieldy mast
for she had those designed for the fricate
Cumberland much larger ship seemed
to jump out of her.
And now, while all was apprehension
another bolt drew-and then another
until at last our whole stay was placed up
on slngl bolt less than a mans wrist in
circumference. Still the iron clung to
the solid wood aud bore us alongside the
breakers, though in most frIghtful prox-
unity to them This thrilling incident
has never, | believe, been noticed in pub
lie, but it is the literal fact-which
make not the slightest attempt to embel-
lisb
As we galloped on-for I can compare
our vessels leaping to nothing ese-the
rocks seemed very near US Dark as
was the night, the white foam scowled
arounC their black heads, while the spray
fell over US and the awful knell that the
ocear was singing for the victims it was
eager to engulph.
At length the light bore upon our
quarter, and the bold Atlantic rolled its
white caps before US. During this time
all was silent, each man and officer was at
his post. and the bearing and countenance
of the captain seemed to give encourage
ment to every one on board. he relied on
his nautical skill and courage, and by
carrying the mainsail, which in any other
situation would have been considered
suicidal act, lie weathered the lee shore
and saved the Constitution.
The mainsail was now hauled up. bv
light hearts and strong hands TIE lib and
spanker taken in. and from the light of
the Scilly the gallant vessel, under close
reefed topsalls and main trysail, took her
departure and danced merrily over the
deep towards the United States.
:. Pipe down " said the captain to the
first lieutenant, - and splice the main
brace"
Pipe down! echoed the first lieuten-
ant to the boatswain.
Pipe down wFistled tne boatswain
to the crew, and ''pipe down it was
= How near the rocks did we go ? !"
said | to one Of the masters mates the
next morning.
He made no reply, but taking down a
chart showed me pencil line between
rne outside suoa, ard the 4.:4 1T House
Island, which must have been a small
straight for fisherman to run his smack
through in good weather by daylight
For what is the noble and dear old
trigate reserved
I went upon deck; the sea was calm,
a gentle breeze was swelling our canvas
from mainsau to royal, the isles of Scilly
had sunk in the eastern waters, and the
clouds of the dying storm were rolling off
in broken masses to the northward and
westward. like the flying columns Of q
beaten army
I have been in many a gale of wind.
and have passed through scenes Of great
danger, but never before nor since have
I experienced an hour so terrible rs that
when the Constitution was laboring.
with the lives of five hundred men hang
ing on single small iron bolt, to weather
Scilly, on the night of the llth of May,
1885.
During the gale. Mrs Livingston in
uuired of the captain. If we were not in
great danger, to which he replied as soon
as we had passed Scilly. Y ou are as safe
as you would be in the aisle of church p"
It is singular that the frigate Boston,
Captain McNeal, about the close of the
Revolution, escaped a similar danger,
while employed in carrying out to France
Chancellor Livingston. a relative of Ed
ward s and also minister TO the Court of
St Cloud He likewise had his wife on
board. and while the vessel was weather
ing lee shore, Mrs Livingston asked
the captain-a rough but gallant old fire
eater-if they were not in great danger
to which be replied" You had better
madam, get down upon your knees, and
pray God to forgive your numerous sins,
for if we DO not carry by this point, We
shall all be down in FIVE minutes
81 An old soldier feeling his end ap-
proachinc. and wishing to die like good