The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-08


er. So. at about four bells of the after
noon watch, we took in the stunsail and
main to-gallan' sail, and put couple OF
reefs in the fore and mizzen and single
reef in the main-topsail, the wind as far
forard as south, and she headin East
and goin' about eight and half ornlne
knots | had the wheel that AFTERNOON,
in the last dog watch, and l heerd the
skipper a talkin' to the mate about some
captain what he knowed as had said
as how he had seen the Three Chin
neys.'
II always know'd says the skipper,
that he were big liar, but when L
hcerd that. / said 20 him. Thompson.
ii YOU hedn't told me that, Jda Deileved
cverv,hin else YOU ever told me-" but
he sill suck TO it, and swore by all hat
was an inch high and an hour old, that
he'd this shoal. Now. continued our
old man. I've been right over them
rocks scores of times, and we're goin'
right over 'em tonight, cause | knows
for sarian that there amt no sich there.
Jewell, sir, l gifts relieved at eight
bells. and goes for'ard and turns IN, aud
never shouldn't have give this here talk
any notice only for what took place an
forwards. Our side come up ut twelve
o'clock. and found the southefly wind
RIGHT in its furry, the big-drop rain
comm down in solid sheets, and it n
BLOWN like great guns from about SOU
west. They had got the spanler in and
the main-sal hauled up, and the
main-topsoil yard clewed down, and
the gear Of the maip-topsail hauled out,
and when we come up we was ordered
to lay up on the main-topsa,l yard and
put the second reef into that topsail. |
were at the weather-dogs ear with fell
low called Limpin Jimmy,-'cause his
starboard leg were two inches shorter
than his port one-at the EARN, and
we were iist lightin' ont to wind'ard
when She fetched up with most ire
meDdous shock, and I kpow'd nothin
more till / picked myself ND alongside
of the cooks funnel, which L had
knocked over as come down.
Il were good deal shook up, and 1t
were some time afore ] could reckon up
what had happeped; and to tell the
truth, II BODY didn't know rightly what
had tool; place till next .nornin', but the
fust thing | made out were the old man
sngin' ont for the carpenter to sound
the pumps. Then | heerd the mate II
singin' ont for all hands for TO come for
ard and clear away the wreck. So L
gifts down on deck off of the galley
where | were lvin', and shook myself
up, for to see that no bones weren't
broke. and / come to the conclusion
that [ were all right, and feels my way
forard on the port side, where l heerd
the mate, for it were so dark that you
couldn't see haud's breadth afore your
nose, and still it was rainin' fearful. As
/ come for'ard on to the lee side, the lee
leech of the foresail lifted, and afore
the helrl could be ported to keep it full,
the norwester come howlin', the fore
sail give one or two tremendous shakes,
and then went out of Che ropes alto
gether.
''Tbat were all the sail we had left,
sir, for, if you'll believe me, sir, all
three of the topmasts had gone over the
side when the ship had struck, and yOu
can jist imagine what snarl of q wreck
stuff there were better than 1 can tell
you. Here were all the weather back
STAYS stretched across the deck, the
main-topsail yard were strikin' through
the fore risgin', and all the rest was n
hangin' over the port side, all mixed up
in one grand snarl. AS l was a gOin'
fOr'ard stumbled over chap lynn on
deck, and l tried to rouse him up, but
it weren't of no use, and found out az
forwards that it were this here Limpin'
Jimmy as had been to the weather EARN
with me, and he'd come down ONTO his
head and broke his neck the same time
nc TIL 1rnta tha cook'e funna1
""There's only one way, my lads,
says the mate, and he were a quiet man,
were Cocky, as weren't afeared of any
doesn't think nothin' about till they gifts
in tight place, and then they comes
out in blaze of glory. There's only
one way for it,, says he; its sharp
knife and clear conscience tonight,
and the Lord for the whole of us. Just
cut right along the lee rail, men, and
git rid of this trash, and then we'll see
to riggin her up agin.'
"' You see, sir, all this stuff was
snarled and hitched together, and there
were danger, if we didn't get rid OF it,
that it would stave a hole through the
plankin', and so we turned to cuttln'
it adrift. We hadn't done much at it,
however, afore we heerd the old man II
singin ont for to man the pumps.
"'Go aft there, some of you, says
the mate, and clap onto the pumps, and
me and two or three more goes aft and
claps onto the pumps. The carpenter
had rugged both pumps and shipped the
double brake, and the old man had got
the cook and steward for to take spell.
"'Now, them says he, start her up
lively. and as soon as she sucks We'll
splice the main brace All this while