The Republican journal., 1877-08-23
BELFAST, MAINE THURSDAY AUGUST %, 1877

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and swept him over the side to the lee
ward. The mate, TOO, who was in the
waist, was overtallen by the sea and
swept overheard II was a thrilling mo-
ment, and the disaster occurred in less
time than it takes me to describe it. Be
fore one could have arranged the details
OF the disaster, a hard ringing voice was
heard, in the direction Of the wheel,
screaming:
clay aft, all hands Some one slip
down and close that starboard compan-
ion way Lay aft here. tell you"
1t was the quiet cabin passenger, and
there he was, up to the waist in water,
hanging on to the wheel, which he had
managed to jam to starboard. Hatless
and coatlesS, every one within the sound
OF his voice knew that he was captain,
and good one, too, and his next words
confirmed the conviction.
Cut the main brace and unreaye it.
Lead it along fore and aft and haul taut
BE quick, boys; work lively; we have no
time to spare :"
When the brace was secured forward
and hauled as taut as it could be hauled,
the next order rang out hard and clear
Get an AK and cut the forward star
board lanyards-you will find one on the
| break Of the poop. Some of you find u
| hawser, bend on, then cut away. Take
the wheel, two of you
The Planet lay broad on the trough
and each passing wave pressed her over
more and more. What damage she had
sustained in her hull could not be just
then ascertained, but the shock that had
sunk the other vessel must have started
something forward. and the wonder was
she did not 90 down at once. After a
| painful suspense, the haWser was secur-
cd to the fore yard, and then one by one
| the lanyardS were cut, her sluggish heay-
inc snapped the fore mast close of. All
the top hamper lay to leeWan, holding
on by the leeshrouds and back stays,
and occasionally pounding. Presently
the order came:
Lay aft, you all, into the mizzen rig
ging Is that haWser all clear forward z"
The hawser was reported clear, and the
crew, or what was left of them, took their,
places in the mzzen rigging, and, the
wind acting on the resistance their bodies
offered, slowly urged the ship away from
the wreck forward, bringing a strain on
the gear attached. AS the strain grew
heavier, she began to head up to the sea,
and slowly righted. Then the lee rig
gingS was cut, the haWser veered away
until thirty tathoms stretched away to
the WindWard.
NOV, then, my lads, let us see where
we are hurt. Sound the pumps. We are
all right If she does not leak badly"
The pumps, being sounded, showed
nearly four feet of water in the well. So
the brakes were rugged, and some of the
steerage passenger, We're got on deck
through the after bulkhcad and set to
work. An hours steady pumping show
ed slight gain, which fact infused new
hope that her damage was not as serious
as might be expected. All night long the
pumps We're Kept going by relays Of pas
sengers, and by morning it was announc-
ed that the pumps were gaining on the
water.
Things looked badly bv daylight. The
bulWarks all gone, the deck swept clean,
and half the crew, the captain and mate,
swallowed up-all resulted from ''crack-
inc on"
But with her stout three inch hawser
fastened to the wreck OF her toreWard to
WindWard, she rode out the gale Us we'll
if not better than under canvas. The
captain rugged jury mo"te whom tho
weather moderated, and made sail to the
westward. The easterly winds favored
him, and he made good time to the Banks.
After clearing the fogs that prevail there,
he sighted large steamer one morning.
heading east. In an hour she was a ca
ble's length ahead, and slowed down to
speak the battered and rusty ship, whose
squat masts created considerable amuse-
ment on the splendid steamer. Then
came the hoarse hail
''Ship ahoy, "
AYE ave "
'What ship is that ?"
''The Planet of and for New York"
"Who is the Planet commanded by ?"
''One Of her cabin passengers Water
man, Of san Francisco.
"Watcrman =
"les, bully Waterman at your service"
The vessels drifted apart. The steam
ers bell rang to hook her on, and with Il
wave Of their trnmpcts the captains
parted.
Here, then, was the most notorious
bully that ever commanded a ship, a man
whose name was famous and on every
sailors lips from Singapore to the Gold
en- Gate every newspaper, almost, had
something to say about bully Waterman
and his ship Challenger, ana the ship
never loated that could outsail her, nor
the man ever breathed that could COW
the spirit of this gentlemanly man.
The Planet at last reached New York
and delivered to her owners, who did the
handsome thing by Waterman. The pas
sengers had a card in the papers prais-
ing the captain and ranking him with the
greatest heroes that ever lived 1t was
never known what vessel struck the
Planet, that terrible night, as there were
one large steamer, and dozen ships at
sea about that time which were never
heard from Who can tell how many
have been run down and run under thro'
this cracking on
Wax Works Experience in South America