The Portland daily press., 1864-01-09

leak and averting the danger. The plank
which had been stove in was six feet long by
eight inches wide, and would have been be-
yond our reach long before we could have dis
covered it, and would have sunk us in very
short time. l knew it must he where the ice
berg struck us.
Jack Wthers was taken to the cabin, and
there he managed TO tell his story. Shortly
after put him in the hold he crawled forward,
and when he became used to the dim glimmer
that came through the headlights. he looked
about for snug place in which TO lie, for his
limbs were very sore. He went to sleep, and
when he woke he heard faint sound ike
water streaming through small hole. he
went to the open place in the cargo ana looked
down, and was sure that he saw small jet of
water springing up through the ships bottom.
He eaped down, and in few moments found
that the tipbers had given wholly away, and
that 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 forcing it inward. lie
had sense to see that if it gained an inch more
1t must all go, and the ship be lost and per-
haps all hands perish. And he saw, too, that
If he could keep the broken plank in its place
he might stop the incoming flood, So he sat
himself upon it and braced his feet against
the cask. and then called for help. But he
was too far away; SO low down, with such
mass of cargo about him, that his voice
scarcely reached other ears than his own.
Some of the men heard him, but thought he
was talking to himself
And there he sat, with his feet braced, for
four-and-twenty dreary hours, with the water
squirting all over him, and drenching him to
the very skin. He had several times thought
of going to the hatchway and calling for help;
but he knew that the broken plank would be
forced in If he left it. for he could feel it heave
beneath 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 10 him as | did He said he had not
thought of himself; he was ready to debut
he would save the rest if he could,-and he
had saved us, surely saved us all from wa
terry grave.
The boy lay sick almost unto death; but ]
nursed him with my own hands,-nursed him
all through his de!irium; and when his reason
returned and he could sit up and talk, ! bow
ed myself before him and humbly asked his
pardon for all the wrong had done him. He
threw his arms around my neck, and told me
If would be good to him, he never would
give me cause of oflense; and added, as he sat
up again, am not q coward, could not
be dog"
Inever forgot those words; and from that
hour have never struck blow on board my
sup. hiahc my inen lctl tiiat they are uen,
that / so regard them, and that L wish to make
them as comfortable as possible; and | have
not failed to gain their respect and confidence.
give no undue license but make my crews
feel that they have superior and friend in
the same person. For nine years have sailed
In three different ships, with the same crew.
A man could not be hired to leave me save
for an officers berth. And Jack Withers
remained with me thirteen years. He was my
cabin boy: one of my foremost hands; my
second mate and the last time he sailed with
me; he refused the command Of a new barque
because he could not be separated from me.
But he is captain now, and one OF the best
the country ever afforded. Such, gentlemen,
is my experience in government and discipline
on shipboard.-lR Rev. S. W. Hanks.