The North-Carolinian., 1859-04-02
NO. 1896.

- -, iaf from encouraging. But there was q
1sInr Cush;n charm In the steady voice of Captain
SH cushing as he issued his orders, that filled
every one who heard him. with the same confi-
oence he manifested himself
Inc ihan-mast had snapped off as short as q
carrot almost even with the Poop-deck. and
as IL feli directly aft, il camel contact with
the mIZzen-mast which latter broke short off
just under the top, the mizzen topmast fa|l;nr
over the tafirail, knocking into splinters. tho
boat that hung then On the davits. Tie main
i top mast, on striking the mzzen had canted
over the iarboard side of the ship, staying all
to pieces the quarter boat cutting the bul-
warks down to the main deck, and now oated
along side held by the rigging and humping
violently against the side OF the ship. The
maintop had cut its way clearly through the
Poop-deck, the points of its timbers coming
within six inches of the first officers breast as
he lay in his berth, and as he afterwards de-
clared, it was the advent of this strange visitor.
that gave aim the first intimation OF the catas-
trophe that had befallen US.
The head Of the mainnast pinned to the
deck in the manner we have described, could
not move OF course, but the butt swung back
wards and forwards from side to the other
with the tremendous rolling of the ship which
having lost oil her after canvass, was complete
ly beyond thre CONTROL Of the helm, and had
fallen aft into the trough of the mountainous
sea, rolling gunwell under at every lurch.
First ordering every thing to be cut away
I
turned his attention TO securing the safety Of
the house Oh deck, the continual swaviur Of
the ponderous mast, having loosencd il from
the main deck, and rendcaing it next to certain
that should we unluckily ship over the
quarter, the whole would be be carried away
Accordingly the spaIS towering
overhead had been cut adrift two half bitches
of the bght of stout line were passed over
the butt of the broken mast, and the ends
veyed to either rail over the top O. the poop.
when watching a good opportunity bot, were
made fast, thus temporarily preventing the
mast from sliding across the deck from starboard
to port, and back again. and at the time
securing the house from being washed over
board, should it happen to be struck by the
seas that were now making clean breach over
the vessel
AS easy as these operations may appear
paper it was daylight before they were com
peted And when for the first time in iyo
hours, during which time we had been engaged
with the rest, rendering all the assistance "e
could, we had sufficient light to see, the pros
pect dismal i'll the extreme The tempest
Still ragged in nnabated fury, and The drifting
see twenty yards from the ships side.
Now the fore tcp-sa-the only sail that re-
mained set-was bgaced sharp ap, the fore top
mast-stay y-sai! set, the sheet hauled to wind
ner helm, Ils5i seu, ~ ~~e~u, eonr,eoasly
bowling to her mighty antagonist, fcIl Of before
the gale, when the head yards were again
squared, and away she bounded on Z" the wings
of the w;nd,' leaving broad streak Of white
and seethihg foam on the tops of tie Ange bill
lows that apparently maddened with disappoint-
ment, at having lost victim, dashed after her,
desperately endeavoring to engulph the stannch
ship that had come eff victor from unequal 4
contest
All hands now to breakfast and to rest for
two hours" said our noble Captain, who had
Il lic,Iox l,p tnrrih ,i.rltJ oil tl,fs
traits that constitute the gallant and experien-
ced sailor.
About ten o'clock we again made our ap-
pearance deck, and found Capt Gushing
preparing jury mast to be lashed to the stump
of the main-mast, with but eleven Of our whole
crew able to do duty, the remainder were so
exhausted from excessive labor and constant
exposure, as to be completely unfit for service.
In this position, volunteers from amongst the
passengers were called for, when wonderful to
tell, although dozens of them were peering Gu
rously over the combings Of the hatchways,
gazing in abject terror on the wreck by which
they were surrounded, some praying, some cry
ing, and some begging the Captain TO put
them ashore run into the nearest port, not
one of the stalid miserable wretches could be
prevailed upon to venture on deck, and lend
hand in securing their own safety
Down with you, you contemplate set"
exclaimed the Captain, angry at the stupid i'll
difference and pusllanlmity exhibited by these
creatures, bearing the resemblance of men,
& and don't let me see one of you again for
week." and as he concluded, lie shook his
speaking trumpet at them in such significant
manner, that every head disappeared in an
instant beneath the hatchway.
On the first intimation that volunteers we're
required, every man in the Poop cabin except
the gallant (?) Evans and O'Shang ghnessy, re-
qnested to be permitted to assist i'll any way in
which he ceud be made useful.
But this time the wind had gone down con-
siderably, the rain had ceased, and the clouds
had so far broken away as to enable the Cap
tain to determine, by solar observation, that
we were On the tail Of the Grand Bank but
the sea still continued high, though less liable
to break than heretofore and so we'll did all
k-cheerfulness and willingness making up
in many Of Us, what we lacked in ski!l-that at
sunset that evening, we set spare topSail on
our jury mast, the spanker on the stump Of the
mizzen-mast, and amidst three cheers. the
sheets were hauld aft, and the good old " Rap
pahannock +" lay nearly up to her course again.
On toe following morning we attacked 'he
main-mast, as it lay the top Of the Poop,
with axes, and cutting it into lengths OF about
ten or twelve feet, rolled the pieces by means
Of skids placed upon the lee raj. overheard;
ard clearing up the decks, which were stre"eu
with plonEs hos rfs e,nt,ty casks, :nu wreck