The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-02-08
Man Overheard.

Man OVerDOdIu! bdiu III oiu Soalai-
ing man to reporter yesterday. do
you want to hear the storyY They are
only two words, yet l doubt II there Is
any cry that sends such thrill through
eyery one on board of ship as does this.
The cry of fire or of breakers ahead is
no doubt sufficiently alarming, but
neither can be weighed for a moment
with this cry, which tells of one of the
ships company left behind to struggle
for his life in the wide waste of waters.
eff tits in tine night that man falls
overheard, the chances of his recovery
are yery remote; and in the daytime, il
the breeze be fresh and the sea rough,
the odds are fearfully against him.
Much, then, depends on the coolness OF
the officer of the deck, for ii he lose his
head the man is gone.
"I was a passenger once on packet
ship bound from New York to Liverpool,
when one afternoon about three o'clock
that cry was heard. The wind was about
north, fresh breeze, and there was
considerable sea on. The ship was head
ing east by south, carrying all three
royals and top-mast and top-gaiiant
studding-sails, going about ten males an
hour.
"Iwas sitting on deck reading when
the cry was heard. The mate had charge
of the deck, an old officer, whose eequa-
nimity no emergency could disturb.
can see him before me now distinctly,
and hear his rapid orders. Down with
the helm = said he, to the man at the
wheel, and as he himself sprang to the
tafIrail and cut away the life-buoys his
orders came continuous. Jump up in
the rigging there, one of you, and keep
your eve on him; let 60 the royal
halliards, fore and aft +; let 60 the top
mast and top-gallant studding-sail tacks;
hard lee; there, forward rise tacks and
sheets main-bowlings; get att here now
to your braces, quick; mainsail haul
and as the ships head came round to the
westward, the after-yards swung around
and the mates voice was again heard,
LET the head-yards stand leave your
hcad-sheets flowing clear away the lee
quarter boat, and, Mr.. Jones, jump into
her there with four good men: Now
then, stand by to lower. Steady ana
mind what you've got hold OF. NOW
then, lower away! and, as the boat
touched the water. Hold on to your
forward tackle let 60 aft unhook let
90 forward. Now then, give way rignt
out on the lee bow; that's where youh
find him = and the boat was OIL, not over
ten minutes having elapsed since the
first alarm was given.
"Only those who have passed through
similar experience can properly ap-
preciate the anxiety with which we
watched that boat. Now we would lose
sight of her entirely, as she sank in the
trough of the sea, and again, as she rose
on its crest, the men were laying their
whole weights upon the oars in their ef-
forts to reach their drowning ship-mate.
Every minute or so the mate would hail
the lookout at the masthead: Can you
still see him.? and the answer would
come back, Can see his cap, sir, once In
a while as it rises on the sea, but can't
tell whether the head is in it or not
"Soon the masthead hailed again
'The boat has stopped, sir; they're
pickin' up something and the next
minute we saw her heading towards the
90 Now, then,' said the mate, get a
whip on that davit, and stand 6y To run
him up quick when they get alongside,
Nearer anu nearer CaIuo eho uo"', CIV
sood rounded to under the quarter OF the
ship. In the stern lay a limp mass, but
whether alive or dead we on board of the
ship could not tell. Bend onto him
careful said the captain, and two o,
three of you Jump over the side and
steady him up In thrice the second
mate had passed couple of turns of the
whip around the mans body, and as the
| word was given, the men on deck walkeo
away and ran him up to the davit, tn
men over the side steadying him careful
to prevent his swinging in against tn
t ship on his passage up. AS he came II
+ on deck he feebly opened his eyes, an,
. the steward, who was standing near witt
J. a glass of greg, put little of it betwee1
s his lips. Rousing up, he took down al
: that there was in the tumbler, good
: three finger nip He'll do said tn
8 captain I'll risk him now hook on tn
f boat and hoist her up AS she came ou
T. of the water, he shouted, Put up you
!, helm fill away the head yards; stand b
: YOUR after bracesl' and away the shi
went round on her heel, and fiftee
minutes later was going OIL on ne
course again at the rate of ten knot
: with studding-sails allow and aloft."