The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-11-07
selected story.
Wrecked on the Goodwins

When the screw Grampus steamed out of
Boulogne harbor Tor the Thames she met
more than one damaged craft with shattered
spars and shivered sails bearing I'D for that
port, like crippled mallards making for the
shore. The three days storm had lulled at
last, but it had bequeathed It's legacy OF SIMS
ter black dots to the wreck chart Of the year,
Its supplies of drift hrewood to the cottages
by the Channel.
"We'Ve seen the worst of it, SIR, observer |
the captain as he descended from the gang
way, when we had cleared the piers; anu 10
tell the truth, Pm not sorry, with our deck
numbered with Breton cows, and our hold fall |
OF French machinery. Ius priShtehihg uoWn |
there to Windward."
1t might be Frightening to windward but |
although things looked hardly bad enough TO |
reconcile It 10 ones conscience to put off ones
voyage, yet IN common, doubtless, with all |
the other passengers,I should have been very
glad TO have found myself safely in the river.
Although there was no wind to speak Of, and
we were steaming whit the heavy swell that
came rolling up Channel, yet the long, mar
row-Halsted screw, deeply laden as she was,
pitched and rolled in way that said little for
her qualities as a sea going boat. 1t was still
early in the afternoon when the powerful
lights began to revolve on the heights OF Cape
GIis-nez; but already the shades OF winter
evening were closing around. Heavy black
snow-clouds came rolling up before us, and
massing themselves overhead: stray flakes
fell sinking through the air, when the wind
which had changed about, and risen little.
did not drive them in our faces in its fftjui
pufis.
wish there bean't more than snow in
them clouds, remarked an ancient mariner
- II the glass amt falling now, then the glass
is iiar,-and that's my opinion"
HIS torebodlngs were speedily verified by
the increasing violence of the wind, that
TO a landsman like myself seemed to be
blowing great guns, though possibly sailor
might have gagged its force by nothing big
ger than eighteen FOUNDERS. The word was
passed to see all secured, and soon dead
lights were up, tie matches on, AMI the cabin
door fast. 1t vas Only by dint of hard plead
ing that escaped Imprisonment. Discom-
forts on deck were pleasure compared to pas
sive wretchedness below. The sight around
us would have been grand one from Buu
iogne pier,-on board the Grampus, ones
personal interest somewhat interiered with
ones appreciation OF it. The wind, as it met
the long rollers, churned them up into short
chopping seas, and swept their surface in
binding showers of spray. BY this time, the
snow was falling thick, and snow and spray
were driven together in our faces, filling
mouths, and eyes, and nostrils, and covering
the deck with freezing, slippery paste. Now
we might have been sailing the Styx, for all
we saw of the lights on Cape Gris-nez; even
the lamps that swung on our decks twinkled
through the snow like glow-worms in mist
The chime OF the fog bell was lost in the roar
OF the gale, or only tinkled through it at in
tervals like spoon rafting in tea-cup.
From time to time, sea breaking over the
bows swept the ship to the quarterback, flood
ing the waist with foaming water, that went
spiashinS over into the enoine-room. Nor
we're even more exciting incidents wanting
To break the monotony OF our misery OF
sudden we were close upon lights twinking
in the gloom, and the next moment a huge
ship plunged past us, almost raSping our bull
warks. At the first glance, noises and lights
seemed to sound and sparkle in the air high
overhead; then tor one moment her lofty
sides, her inasts, and the pale faces of her crew
glanced IN the brightness as they sunk past
US; the next, we had lett them buried out of
sight, deep in the trough of the sea behind
1t was close shaving. A iathom or Two less
10 spare, and we should have been sunk
there loo, never to reappear; but though We
~ grateful Tor our escape, [ began to iearthat
the denoament was only deferred. Thanks
to that horrld iron the vessel was rolling more
deeply and recovering herself more slowly
than before. Some oil the startled cattle had
broken from their faters, and were making
wild confusion forward. Their below of ter
ror rose clear through the noise of the wind,
cut short and dying away ia a stifed gurgle.
as wave broke in their open threats.
"We must tighten her forward and the cat
tie must co. said the captain; $50 lend a
hand, men. 90 to work with a win, and
clear the decks" "a
Every one was willing enough to GET rid of
those dangerous passengers; but to do so was
service of both difficulty and danger The
bulwarks were high, apd the poor little Bret
ha1 wild Nxyitl tar, !
were, the going down among them was like
entering the amphitheatre to combat wild
beasts in the middle OF an earthquake. How
ever, we managed TO open the side of the
ship, and cut loose those nearest to it: and
the next roll beginning the work. two OF them
falrly tumbled out and disappeared in the
derkness and water And one bv one tbe
Channel received them all; and high time il
was, Tor although the vessel rose more buoy
antly to the waves, it had come on to blow
harder tnan ever,
Il we could but send the iron after the
Cattle" said the mate, breathing nara after
his exertiOns
'If wishing could pull US through it.nsbout-
ed back the captain, I'D wish for moorings at
Tower Wharf: but it'll be some time before
we weather the Foreland in the teeth of such
gale
As be spoke, tremendous sea fell on the
bows like the stroke OF a Nasmyth hammer,
and swept the fore deck with greater violence
than ever, tearing from their fastepinos the
cattle-stalls, and everything else that would
yield, and bufying us, where we stood behind
the tunnel, in torrents of spray. The Gram
pus iell off a little; and while drenched and
miserable, we were yet clutching like grim
death, to the rail of the engine-room, another
wave struck us on the quarter, dragging The
boat that was hanging there from one OF the
daVIts TO which it swung, and Shaving in its
hat off ba
STEADY at the wheelF' sung out the CAP
tain. as soon as he could articulate: and a
second man was sent aft to assist the steers
man.
would i; not be better to put her about.
and run down Channel before the gale 81 OBJ
served the mate.
The captain shook his head. 81 don't like
that con'ounded iron; it's not only that if
rocks the ship like an empty cradle till she |
feels like turning over on the other side, but |
you don't know where you are with the COM
pass. 1t 5 risky driving fifty knots before the |
storm, when it's as dark in the Channel as in |
the stewards locker"
Where DO you take us to be now, sr?"
"Of the south end of the Goodwins. as
near as can guess; and we may as well keen
the safe size, and give them a wide berth |
Tell them to keep her away point"
We had certainly excitement to keep us ON |
deck; put Tor anything we could see of what |
was going on around, we might Just as well |
have been cooped up in the cabin Unless we |
shouted them into one anothers ears. our |
words aeemed swept away by the gale, before |
they had well passed our lips We could see |
the iron stays OF the'tunnel move, as if grasp- |
eG and violently shaken by invisible hands. |
anu here and there shroud had snapped. and |
was streaming straight out into the air. The |
damaged boat, which, as it swung loose. |
threatened to beat in the bulwarks, had been |
cut away. The ship was fighting her way ON |
her altered course, although we began to tear |
That the wafer gathering in her waist MIGHT |
cripple her before long by drowning tae engine |
nres. All at once, the turmoil OF the sea below
seemed to grow louder, and drown for the
time the roaring and bowling OF the winds
above. The captain, who happenedto be near
Ine, spIanS TO the steamers side cencbipg
1t in bis hands, and clanipg his body forward
INTO the narkness, bis ear bali turned TO the
sea, and his lace, in the light thrown on him
by lamp behind, expressing successfully |
anxiety, doub> and horror. The next mo- |
ment he TUNED, and made rush toward tine |
men at the wheel, when violent shock for |
wand threw him on his face. myself rolled |
backward on The deck, while splinterino |
crash and piercing Shrek rose through |
the deeper roar of the elements
When staggered on to my feet, the vessel
q hnn III