Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-12-23
WHOLE NO. 2464.

L D..
slowed there resting directly upon the
thin planking of the ship.
TO this place made my way, and
looked down. | heard the splsshing OF
water, and thought could detect faint
sound like the incoming of a tiny jet OF
stream. At first | saw nothing but as
soon as | became used TO the dim light,
could distinguish the faint outlines of
the bow st some distance from me. He
seemed to be sitting on the broken floor,
with his feet stretched out against cask-
called out to him and thought he look
ed up 5 -
Jack, are you there
Yes. help me! For heavens sake he1P
me. Bring men and lantern-the snip
has sprung aleak!
1 hesitated, and he added In more
eager tone. -,
Make haste-I'n try and hold it til
you come back
] waited TO hear no more, but hurried
on deck as soon as possible, and returned
with a lantern and three men. Three
timbera were completely worm eaten to
the very heart, and one of the outer
planks had broken and would burst in
sny moment the boy might leave IL
whose feet were brsced against the eask
before him Half-a-dozen little Jets Of
water were streaming in about him, and
he was wet 10 the very skin. | saw the
plank must burst the moment the strain
was removed from it, so / made my men
brace themselves up against it before
lifted him up. Other men were eaiied
down with planks and spikes, and adEes.
and with much care and trouble. we
g.. Ii 81
and ayerting the danger, The plsnk
which stove in was abOutsix feet long snd
eight inches wide: and would have let IN
a stream of water of that capacity. IL
would have been beyond our reach long
ere ws could discover it, and would have
sunk us in very short time. | knew II
must have been where the iceberg struck
US.
Jack Withers was taken to the cabin
where he managed 10 tell his story
Shortly after | put him in the hold he
erawled forward. aud when he became
used 10 the dim glitter that came from
the headlights he looked about Tor a
snug place to lie in, for his limbs were
sore. He went 10 sleep, and when he
heard faint sound, like water streaming
through q small hole. he went 10 the open
place in the cargo and looked down, and
he was sure he saw u small JET of water
springing up from the ships bottom, he
leaped down, ant in few minutes found
that timbers had given wholly away. and
the stream was increasing IN size. He
placed his hand upon the plank and
found il broken. and discovered that the
pressure OF the water without was press
ing it inward tie had seRse enough 30
see that If it gained an inch more il must
all go, and the ship would be lost, and
perhaps all hands perish. He saw, too,
that if he could keep the broken plank
in its place he might stop the incoming
food So be sat himself upon it. and
braced his feet against the cask, and then
called for help. But he was go far away,
so low down, with such dense mass OF
cargo about him. that his voice scarcely
reached other ears than his own. Some
men heard him but thought he was talk
ing to himself.
And there he sat with his feet braeed,
for four and twenty hours, with the wa
ter squirting in tiny streams drenching
him to the skin. He had thought sever
al times of going to the hatchway and
calling for help; but he knew that the
plank would be forced in if he left it, for
he could feel its heave beneath him, His
strength was failing him-his limbs were
racked with pain-but he would not give
up | asked him If he should not have
given up if had not come as l did. He
answered that he should not have done it
while he had life in him. He said he
thought not of himself-he was ready to
debut he would save the rest if be
oould-and he saved US, surely sayed US
from watery grave.
That boy lay sick almost unto death;
but nursed him with my own hands
nursed him through all his delirium; and
when his reason returned, and he could
sit up and talk. bowed myself before
him, and humbly asked his pardon for all
the wrong had done him He threw
his arms about my neck, and told me that
i'll would be goodlto him. hewould never
give me cause for offence; and he added
as he sat up again Il am not coward
Il could not be dog.
From that hour never forgot those
words. and from that never sIrnck
blow on board my ship. | make them
feel that they are men-that regard
them So, and that wish to make them
as comfortable and happy a. possible; and
have not failed 10 gain their respect and
confidence. give no undue license, but
make my crew feel that they have afriend
and superior in the same person For nine
years sailed in three different ships, with
the same crew. A man couldn't be hired
to leave save for an officers birth.
And Jack Withers remained with me
thirteen years He was my cabin boy;
one of the foremost hands; my second
mate; and the hast time he sailed with me
he refused the command OF new barque
because he would not be separated from
from me. But he is captain now, and
one of the best this country ever afforded.
Such gentlemen, is my experience in gov
ernment and discipline on shipboard-'