The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-08-30
and aiming the water where he thought


I could see all that he did-a brave fellow
and it was hot, too. You know was
taking the buckets as they were passed to
me, and sending the water in with regu-
lar splash as far as l could every time aud
the Captain nodded at me every now and
then, and swell done' he says, when it
was him as ought to have had the praise
1t was like looking down into the mouth
of furnace and as far as | could see, we
might Just as well have been playing with
couple of boys squirts; but | knew enough
of duty to feel what ought to DO; and
though I'd like to have been aside the wife
to comfort her, my duty was to stand there
pouring in that there water till couldn't
do it no longer and the more it didn't seem
no good, the more | warmed up-obstnate
like-and meant to try, for didn't see any
fun in being beaten off by few flames and
sparks, while the look as | got now and
then from the Captain went right through
me, and in went the water.
All at once lot of sailors stops pumping,
and one shouts out:
"'Tan't no good, mates Boats out ~
But he hadn't hardly said it before saw
the Captain dart back and then there was
a bright light as the copper branch Of the
hose pipe flashed through the air and then
down came the sailor on the deck.
Back to your work, men," sang out the
Captain land let man go to the boats if
he dare!" And then they stood hanging
about, muttering, and one Dutch chap pulls
out knife. Just at the same minute, too,
a couple of sailors as had been handing me
the buckets strikes work too, saying they'd
be hanged if they'd stop there and be friz-
zled.
| felt as if the men did as they liked, it
would be all over with us and that meant
regular rush to the boat while the poor
women and children were left to burn so
what did do but ups with the leather
| | had in my hand-rve often laughed since
and brings it down like a stingulsher
right on the top of number ones head as
! to 'other-he was a little chap, and I'm
foot and pretty strong-I gets hold Of him
by the scruff of the neck and strap of his
trowsers, and, afore, he knew where he was
| had him up in the air, and over the hold,
where the flames were pouring up, and SO
close, too, that he could feel the scorching !;
| and then-I amt given much to swearing,
but | popped out something fierce that if he
didn't work I'd hurl him in.
Lord, you should have heard what a
shrek there was, as the fellow twisted like
an eel to get away; and then put him a
little nearerSwhen he begged and prayed to
be put down, and he'd work till he dropped;
and then up comes the captain, for he'd
bolted off into the cabin, but now rushed
out again with a revolver in each hand
swell done, my man." he shouts to me,
for hac hot I nd ha
me one of the pistols, and swore he'd shoot
the first man as disobeyed, and I'm blest if
didn't believe he would, if they'd tried it
on; but they didn't, and began pumping
away like madmen again, and we two went
to work pouring in the water, while I'm
sure l heard regular groan from the Cap
tain, though his face was like bit o wood
This didn't take above five minutes, but
| believe it lost us the ship, though we had
seemed to make such little impression
when we turned on the water. But five
minutes at such time was ruin; the flames
rose higher, and the heat was awful so that
do what we could, We were beat back, and
instead of quiet, cracking fame now,
there was a perfect roar, and the wind set
towards the great fiery tongues i'll a fierce
draught.
''Stick to it, my man." said the Captain,
in low voice. ''lt's our only chance"
'Aud | wouldn't give much for it, sir,
says in the same tone,
''Hush y he says; and then to the men
pump away, my lads"
They pumped away hearty enough, and
kept trying on cheer, but it soon could be
seen with alf-an-eye that the ship must go,
for the flames darted up, and, almost before
you knew it, the rigging was on fire, and
the tongues leaping from rope TO rope till
the tarry thing blazed furiously. right up to
the mainmast head, and little fiery drops of
burning Tar kept falling on to the deck, Or
sissng into the sea; while far enough off,
out into the dark night, the great flaky
sparks went flying along for all the orld
lige beautiful golden snow storm
There" says the Captain, throwing
down the copper branch with which he had
played on the fire, and shaking his fist
right in the flames so that they must have
burnt It'll ere, " he says, savagely, live
fought it out with you, and you've beat.
Now for life saving!'
And then quietly and coolly be had one
boat lowered down, with the first mate in
| and crew of sailors. and the shrleking
quiet ones he kept back Then there was a
water-cask, and lot of biscuit bags thrown
| in, and that boat, we'll loaded, pushed off
to the calm sea, and lay to. watching u.s.
! Then the second mate was ordered into the
second boat, with crew of sailors water
and bags of biscuit were thrust in and
then, well loaded with women and children
and one or two of the men passengers, tn at
was carefully lowered down, unlocked and
pushed off.
The other two boats were not swung
over the side, but lay between the masts of
the ship, right in the middle of the deck,
and were full of stores and odd things put
there to be out of the way but the captain
and men left soon had tackling fastened to
the boat that was right in front of the fire,
and it was hauled up, swung clear, and
lowered down with couple of men in, and
they rowed it back to the hinder part of the
ship, while we who had been launching
it had TO make a regular dash right through
the flames, which extended nearly across
the deck. One man, however, didn't dare
come through, but plunged overheard, and
swan after the boat till he was took in
'Now, then" said the Captain, and the
rest of the women were slung down.
did not mean to go so long as could
help the captain; and then half a dozen Of
the men passengers were lowered down, and
they were just going to shove of, when
shouts out
'Stop!" and tie Captain turns round an
grily to me; and says, mo water!'
Sure enough they had none and a Iittlt
cask that stood on the deck was sung dowr
and they were going to shove off again,
when heard a shrek as went through and
through me, and l saw bright glare the
man at the wheel leaned over, while at the
same moment there was roar aud rusl
, of fearful light, and the great mainmast
, blazing from top to bottom, and covered
with burning rope and canvass, came top
a ping over towards where the boat lay. 70
f the fire had been eating into it below deck
e for long enough. 1t was all in momen
taF, Il II n