Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-04

Commodore William Is. Whltngi on
| the retired list of our navy, who now re-
sides at Delafeld, in Waukesha county
| Wisconsin. contributes to the Army and
Navy Journal the following interesting
| incident. which occurred during his SER
vice as midshipman on board the vessel
| in question more than forty years ago:
I'm 1888 the typhoon of the Northern
Pacigc was not as well understood as it
is now, and that sea was little known to
our naval vessels. In that year the Po'
tomac, commanded by Commodore John
Downes, was crossing its waters IN her
cruise around the world, Reuben ID.
Pinkham was third lieutenant, a tho
rough sailor, born in northern whaling
port, he had made several voyages to the
North Pacific as wbaler, and was COM
paratively familiar with that region,
where the other officers we're strangers.
He and Commodore Downes have both
been long dead.
"The day was drawing to close,
Pinkham had tho watch, and the Com
modore was walking the deck. The
wind, which before was fresh, had in
creased to gale; topgallant sails were
nanueu, aJOpSdlle Iecicu anu oponhOt
braled up, when all at once Pipkham
gave the order, Man the weather head
braces : weather main-brace-weather
main -topsail- crojeck (cross-
jack) braces What is that for, Mr.:
PjnkhamY asked the commodore. We
shall have the wind out here in a mo-
ment said Pinkham, stretching his arm
out and pointing to leeward. With that
the Commodore ran over to the lee rail
and looked anxiously out in the direction
indicated. Presently he returned and
said: i see no signs of it, Mr.. Plnkham;
let the men leave the braces. With that
a number Of the crew dropped the ropes,
aud Pinkham call out, Keep hold of
those braces, every man of you, when
they resumed their grasp. The Commo-
dore's face flushed with anger to find his
directions thus disregarded, and he called
out in peremptory tone, Let the men
leave the braces, sir Again the crew
dropped the ropes from their hands,
when Pinkham, shaking his trumpet at
them. exclaimed. Don't any of you dare
to let 90 of those ropesP AT that mo-
ment the wind did not die away, but
stopped, and the sells tapped against
the masts. Raising his trumpet to his
lips. Pinkham shouted: 'Haultantl haul
of all, and the ponderous yards swung
to a reversed direction. They had hardly
done so, when the wind came out from
the opposite quarter, and struck the ship
like a sledge hammer. She bent over
before it, but shaking the spray from her
bows, dashed forward unframed. Com.
modore Downes said not word, but
rushed into his cabin; and presently the
orderly came up to Mr.. Pinkham and
said the Commodore wished him TO send
TO the first lieutenant to relieve him for
a few minutes, as he wished to see him
in the cabin Entering the cabin, Pink
ham found the Comm odore seated by
table, with decanter OF wine and two
wine glasses before him. Pushing one
of the latter toward his visitor, he said:
Take a glass Of wine, Mr.. Pinkham.
Mr.. Pinkham, / consider myself indebted
10 Won for my own life and for the lives
of all on board this ship. Had you not
hauled the yards just when you did, and
had the wind found the ship unprepared
aud taken the sails abaek, not all the
power on earth could have moved the
yards. and the ship would have gone
down stern foremost But / tell you
frankly that had the wind not come out
as you predicted, ] would have put you
under arrest in two minutes. 'Commo-
dore Downes,' replied Lieut.. Pinkham,
L did not intend any disrespect, and l
shonld be sorry If you thong BIT did, but
| have been in these seas before, and am
familiar with these sudden changes OF
wind. | saw undoubtful indications OF
such a change then, aud knew that l had
no time fer explanation.