The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-16
NAVAL DISCIPLINE.

| Com. William B. Whiting, on the retire,
list OF orr navy, who now resides at Della
| ield, in WauSesha county, Wis, contribute
to the Army and Navy Journal the following
interesting Incl ent, which occurred during
his service as a mid ,hipman on board the yes
sci IN q estion more than forty years ago:
in 1888 the typhoon of the Northern Pa
chic was not as well understood as it is now
and that sea was little known to our nava
vessels. In that year the Potomac, com
manded by Com. John Downes, was crossing
It's wa 'ers III her cruise around the world
Reuben X. Pinkhum was her Third Lieuten
ant, thorough sailor born in Northern
whaling port, he had made several voyages to
the Northern Pacific as a whalar, and was
comparatively tam lar with that region,
where the other Ulcers were strangers. He
and Com. Downes have both been long dead.
:" The day was drawing to close Pink
ham had the watch and the Commodore was
walking the deck. The wind, which before
was fresh, had increased to gale; topgallant
sails were handed topsails reefed, and spank
er bralled up, when all at once Pinkham gave
the order, Man the weather head brace
weather main brace-weather main topsail
bace-lee crojack (crossjack) braces what
IS that for, Mr.. Pinkham? asked the Commo-
dore. we shall have the wind out here in a
arm out and pointing to leeward With that
the Commodore ran over to the lee rail and
looked anxiously out in the direction indi-
Gated Presently he returned and said: L
see no signs Of it, Mr.. Pinkham; let the men
leave the braces With that a number of the
crew dropped the ropes, and Pinkham called
out, Keep hold OF those braces, every man of
you,' when they resumed their grasp.
The Commodores 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 bands, when Pinkham,
shaking his trumpet at them excla med:
Don't any of you dare to let go of those
ropes. At that moment the wind did not die
away, but stopped, and the sails tapped
against the masts. Raising his trumpet to his
lips, Plnkham shouted: Haul taut 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 slip like a sledge ham,
mer. She bent before it, but shaking the
spray from her bows, dashed forward I'M
harmed. Com. 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 relie We him for a few minutes.
IS he wished to see him in the cabin Enter
ng the cabin, Pinkham found the Commo-
lore seated by a table with decanter of wine
md two wine-glasses before him. Pushing
me OF the latter toward his visitor, he said |
Take glass of wine, Mr.. Pinkham MIR.
'lnkham, l consider myself indebted to you
or my own life and for the livesot all on board |
his ship Had you not hauled the yards inst !
vhen you did, and had the wind f. nd the |
hip unprepared, and taken the sails aoack,
lot all the power ON earlh could have moved |
he yards, and the ship would have gone down
tern foremost But tell you frankly that,
ad the wind not come out as you predicted,
wonld have put you under arrest in two
llnutes Com. Downes,' replied Lieut.
inkham, did not intend any disre-
pect, and should be sorry if you thought /
ID, but have been in these seas before, and
m familiar with these sudden changes OF
Ind. saw undoubted indications OF such
lange Their, and knew that / had no. time for
splanatiOn -