The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-20
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was at his post. moi aWoro was spoken De-
yond the orders given repeated, aud the
'aye, aye, sir, " in response. Slowly, steadily,
and calmly sails were furled, rigging made
taut, fires extinguished, boats lowered aud
manned lead thrown, blue lights burned, and
examination made by the carpenter aud his
men of the damage sustained aud the danger
awaiting us. l..f .,....- ...t ..r..r-L
Meanwhile the passengers, male aud female,
steerage and cabin, whose slumbers had been
rudely enough disturbed by concussion that
had thrown the sleepers from their berths at
the risk of limb If not of life, were orowding,
hslf-oad, upon deck. The frantic cries of our
rrima donna and her Italian maids, imploring
the aid of the Virgin, pierced through the
ship. Anxious questions were asked OF each
other as the group thickened about the stack
pipes, which none could answer. No one was
bold enough to make an inquiry of an officer;
and every sailor was needless Of all save the
authority which kept him up to the duties OF
the moment. Just over our bows, at distance
of two hundred feet, more or less, the huge
bulk of the Europa kept appearing aud
disappearing in and out of the fog her paddle
wheels moving back and forth to free her
pumps-for she was leaking badly-her boats
unshipped from their dsvits in readiness to
lower TO the water, and bluelights flashing up
and dying away from her amidships. Outside
of the frightened, semi-nude crowd on our
own deck, were the measured march of the
sailors manning ropes and hawser, the shouts
of the under officers to men in the rigging,
and the quick CHEEKY reply, the hoarse con-
yersation carried on between the two cOmman-
ders from the paddle-wheel boxes, the noisy
rush of steam blowing off through the pipes,
and the unlashing and swinging OF the boats
over the side, the pulleys and tackle made
sure to run free from knots and kinks.
For more than an hour and hree-quarters
We stood upon the deck without being able to
learn one word of the real nature of our dan
ger. To those of us who knew anything of
seamanship there were orders continually
given by the captain which indicated that the
good ship must be in a sinking condition, and
yet we hoped they were provisions, as they
proved to be, rather against contingency
than certainty. ...t.
Just as impatient remarks about the unne-
cessary delay in giving us information as to
the state of the ship began to be overheard,
the captain descended IRON the wheelhOuse
and came towards us. All eyes were bent
upon him. He was man of cold tempera-
ment and few words; but what he said was
usually to the purpose. 1t was Enthusiastically
so now. ... ... ..
"Passengers, the Arabia has collided with
the Europa. This ship is not injured. The
Europa leaks, and will put into st. Johns.
We shall follow her. You can go to bed"
"Can our lamps be lighted ?' asked pas
senger-for, by ships rule, the lights once
out may not be relighted.
eyes Steward, light up for fifteen
minutes" '. ....,.....t ~.
'Can we have the saloon for prayer7meet-
ing % asked an active Connecticut parson,
who, having been busy distributing tracts with
| very hopeless results during the voyage,
looked upon the opportunity now presented
as Providential.
''Prayer-meeting !" exclaimed the captain,
| using an inter lection that showed he, at least,
needed to be prayed for; ''prayer-meeting
why, bless your soul, it's past Two IN the
morning. Better go to bod, and hold youl
prayermeetiDg by daylight"
The Europa put into st. Johns. The Arabis
did not; but made her way in a disabled con
dition for New York, it having been asoer
tanned, after the steam was got up, that hel
machinery was damaged by the concussiOn
and it would need the help of the Novelty
Works to fit her again for sea.
This is not the place to discuss nautical
rules. Nothing can be more abstruse. No two
pavigatOrs ever agree upon their application
They are not unlike metaphysics, as defined
by the Scotch dominie:-"He that's listening
does ma ken what he that's talking means,
and he that's talking does ma ken what ht
means himself" ...
'You should have put your helm a-star
board, and not a.port, Mr.. Jones, and ther
this cursed misadventure would never have
happened" said the captain of the Europa
when our boat boarded her. -
'lf had," replied the officer, "your bows
would have struck the Arabia smidships, and
every soul of us gone to the bottom.'
The Cunard Company was too wise to have
the question argued in the courts. By the
admiralty rules each ship should have put
her helm hard a-starboard. By the higher
rule of self-preservation, the order "Hard a.
polt" on the Arabia could not have beer
wrong, since the ship and those on board were
saved. The Cunard Company pocketed the