Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-26
FOUR HOURS OF MORTAL TERROR
swept Overheard I'm a Storm at Night
Out of sight of Land.

IL,
| from Baracoa, made fast to the pier next
south of Fulton ferry on Saturday evening,
and the first thing that Captain McDade did
was to call for q coach. A helpless sailor was
| then taken to his home. This was First Mate
ODonnell, whose father owns the schooner,
and whose brother in-law is her captain. The
Louis Walsh sailed from Baracoa, Cuba, on
the twenty of April, with cargo of
bananas and cocoanuts. She is a trim little
vessel and rides a rough sea like a nautilus.
The weather was fine until the third day out
but just after they had passed Castle island
it began to blow up from the southwest
rather fresh. When Mate O'Donnell made
his appearance on deck that morning he was
rather gloomy and his old friend Patrick
Downey, the steward. who had been around
the world with him, asked MN what was the
matter.
Something is going to happen" he re-
Piled 81 had a terrible dream last night.
Downey tried to cheer him up, but when,
few hours later, ne saw two sharks SWIM
ming after the schooner, he remembered
what O'Donnell had said, aud began himself
to feel apprehensive. The wind stiffened and
became a gale, but the little schooner being
fixed for it, scu3ded along at twelve knots an
hour. In the early evening the wind abated
little, and there was some rain, but shortly
before midnight a gust from the southeast
caught the schooner unprepared. Then the
wind seemed to blow from all portions Of the
compass, the sea ran very high, and the
darkness was SO Intense that it looked Ike
black wall, illuminated now and then by
flashes of lightning. The crew could not
Sleep and made their way to the deck, and
when O'Donnell stepped on deck for his
dream and the storm being associated in his
mind, that he asked Downey to keep him
company during his watch.
At one clock the storm was at Its hight.
The captain ried TO jlbe, so as to get out OF
the trough Of the sea, but gust of wind
whipped the main boom around, and piece
of the tackling snapped one of the spokes of
the pilot-wheel, and whistled by Captain
NJ 'Dade's head with the force of a cannon
ball. The men could not see an arm length
in front Of them, and could hardly hear the
captains orders. Another blow on the sail
belIied it out and strained the tackling
Something had got to give or the schooner
was over, and the iron Traveller" an inch
and half thick, did snap, and the main
boom was adritt.
Mate O'Donnell knew what had happened,
and crawling along the deck with the second
mate, John Peterson, they caught some of
the main boom tackling. O'Donnell threw it
around Delaying pin near the main throat
halyards, hoping thereby to hold the main
over.
"Lower sail, John, the mate said to Peter
son, as he tried to secure the bIght to the be-
laylng-pln.
Peterson felt for the main throat halyards.
If he could only lower sail and ease her off
the danger would be lessened. Just then
there came gust that made the timbers
creak and sounded on the sails like cannon
boom. Peterson heard a sharp, swapping
noise and knew that the Delaying pin to which
O'Donnen had fastened the tackling had
broken.
The cordage turned around one of O'Don-
nell's legs so tight that he was lifted clean
from his feet as the wind slapped the main
boom around and threw HIM against the gun
vale. He struck on the small of the back and
was thus drawn along to the stern. There
the rope uncoiled and he dropped into the
sea.
"Cap'n, I'm overheard, Captain M'Dade
heard his brother-in-law scream. 1t was a
trying moment for the captain. His wifes
brother in the sea, and his main boom whip
ping back aud forth, his vessel careening,
and his control over her almost gone. If he
tried to save the mate his craft was gone
sure.
Hes dead; it's no use, capt'n - Peterson
shouted.
Captain M 'Dade did not answer, for lust
then, as the vessel lurched, the pinnacle light
went out, and an instant afterward flash of
light shone from the cabin windows Stew
ard Downey saw that flash. '.My God" he
cried to the captain, the ships afre." He
leaped into the cabin. The three oil-amps
we're on the floor, and the fire was well un-
der way. Downey sptang through the flame
to the captain state-room, seized the blank |
cts from the bunk, and throwing them on
the fire, stamped it out.
Meanwhile the crew had got the maiusail
lowered, and the schooner was eased Mate |
Peterson, however, had heard O'Donnell |
shout, and without waiting for orders. groped |
his way forward and lowered the yaWl into |
the water, and then Captain NJ Dade heard |
him shouting away behind in the schooner's |
wake. Adrift In the boat, without an oar. |
and the schooner making ten knots an hour |
He could not even see the schooner torch.
the waves ran SO high. Suddenly he heard |
family, away off in the darkness:
Look sharpl'
1t was poor O'Donnell, whom Peterson sup
posed to be at the bottom of the sea. Just |
then he saw the schooner's light. She had
tackled and was almost sweeping over him.
he made fast to her as she scudded ALONG
and shouted to the captain he was safe
Just then they all again heard a CRY out in
the darkness. Downey seized the oars,
jumped INTO the yawi. and with Peterson
rUwed toward the voice.
When ODonnell struck the water he sank
only few feet, and On rising to the surface
shouted TO the captain, and then tired to
swim lie could not use his legs Then he
the blow that he had received
IN Inc small of the back. He thought his
BACK was broken, and that he might as well
de- He padded little with his hands, and
saw that it kept him afioat, although his legs
hung like lead in the water Almost in de-
SPAR, he was about to cease padding. Then
ne saw the light of the vessel, and that kim
lied hope. The light disappeared, and he
feared that the captain could net stop to pick
him up, bat he kept up gentle padding.
thus ne kept his head above the water and
'ode out the great waves. He was able 10
Ieep himself afoat with little exertion, but