The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-28
Where Pluck Counts.

Where Pluck Counts.
Yes, | know" said an officer of a
steamer yesterday, in answer to an ex-
preston of opinion as to the loss of life
in the recent accident; eff everybody
had kept cool and collected all the boats
that were not smashed would probably
have been safely lowered, and perhaps
not a life lost; but the trouble is, men
even the bravest-lOse their presence
of mind in the face of sudden peril, and
the instinct Of self-preservation masters
their reason. [ remember on one occa-
sion when | was mate in the steamer
Marmion, and was bound from Savan-
nah to this port, we had got up as far
as the Scotland light-ship when we
made the green light of steamer on
the starboard bow; and thinking she
would, of course, see our green light
and starboard her helm we starboarded
little and paid no further attention to
her till suddenly she opened both her
lights, showing that she had ported.
We Immediately put our helm hard a
starboard and blew TWO whistles to
warn the approaching vessel of our in
tentiOn to pass to the left. She, how
ever, adhered TO her original intention,
having at first been deceived BY red
lantern which we had hoisted at our
peak as signal for the telegraph oper-
ator at the Highlands, and which she
had mistaken for our port side light 1t
was at once apparent that a collision
was inevitable. We were low in the
water and the approaching steamer,
which afterward turned out to be the
General Meade, was very high. The
evening was dark but not at all foggy.
AS looked through marine glass and
saw her approaching her large bulk
doomed up so formidably that thought
she must inevitably cut our steamer
completely in two. In an instant be-
came convinced that the only chance
for life was to get on board that
steamer, and without thought other
than that | flung the glass on the deck,
sprang into the quarterboat, and before
the crash of the collision came was
upon her forecastle. Then, the instant |
knew it was safe, came the thought
that |, the chief officer of the ship, had
deserted her, and as she stopped after
having crashed half way through the
Marmion | at once sprang back to
where | had left deck, but which was
now a gaping wound, and down | went
into the sea. At this instant the in
rushing water reached the furnace
doors, and the fires, unable to escape
by these openings, were forced vio-
lently up the funnel, making for few
seconds, everything as light as day,
and enabling me to see my way up the
Jagged timbers with distinctness. | had
hard work to prevent being drawn into
the fire-room by the rapidly entering
flood of water, but | succeeded and
soon stood on deck again, and can
assure you that, although | confidently
expected that the steamer would 90
down at once, it was great relief to
me to think that | should 90 down with
her at my post. All this had occu-
pied far less time than have been tell
ing it, and not q soul on board had
missed me. Both of our starboard
boats had been smashed by the COLI
sion. One of the port ones was in on
deck in chOcks, and into the other,
which hung at the davits, had rushed the
tiremen, coal-heavers, and some of the
sailors, and neither orders nor threats
could Induce them to get out of her so
that she could be lowered; and when
they found that we would not lower
the boat unless they came out of
her, one of them, in his blind in
stinct for self-preservation, cut the
tackle fall. Fortunately there was stout
stopper around the davit or this act of
madness would have allowed this end of
the boat to drop, and those in her would
have all been spilled overheard, and
some of them probably drowned. The
necessary delay in renewing the fall
brought the vessels decks to the water
and but little lowering was necessary
when at last we were able to do so. BY
this time, also, two boats from the Gen.
Meade reached us with more than suffi-
cient space to carry us all, as we had
but one passenger, and we all got into
the boats except the Captain, who by
this time had become convinced that
the cargo of cotton would float the
steamer, and said that he should STAY
by her. The Second Mate, Engineer,
and myself at once went on board again,
and after getting on board the Gen.
Meade the crew willingly returned to
the Marmion, which it was evident was
as low as she was going to sink. A
hawser was then passed to the other
steamer and for time she lowed us in
toward the Hook. But we towed heavy,
being so water-logged, and the hawser
parted, and before another could be
got out it was discovered that the Gen.
Meade was leaking badly, and for her
own safety must abandon US. Then we
made sail upon the Marmion, and, wind
and tide being fair, sailed in to the