The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-11
CHASING A STEAMSHIP.
a Belated Passengers Successful Expedient
for Overtaling an Outward-BOund
VESSEL
New York Herald.


two carriages dashed through the gateway of
the Pavopia ferry-house Jersey City, from
which the steamers of this line sail. Six eX-
cited gentlemen jumped out and asked for
the vessel. "Gone," laconically answered
the gold-laced official in charge. Great
Scott but must catch her; my friends are
aboard" cried the most excited of the party.
To his question, what, then, must he do,
the official suggested that the PASSENGER
should hire a tug, and one that was putting
by was hailed, the necessary arrangements
were made, and the entire party got aboard.
Can you do it2' was eagerly asked of her
captain when the situation had been ex-
planned Don't know; p'raps SO" was his
hon-committal response.
Is was twenty minutes since the steamer
left her wharf Allowing her a speed of ff-
teen miles an hour she would have been five
miles away. But then considerable time
was lost in getting Strengthened out after she
left the wharf. And then, again somebody
makes the comforting suggestion that until
Sandy Hook is reached steamships do not
make full speed. Down about Governors
Island, mile and a half away, is "a small
forest OF masts and unique collection of
many colored tunnels. The game" how
ever, IS quickly spotted, She is just to the
north of the island, and as she turns to
round it her four masts are clearly outlined.
A short distance ahead of her is three
masted steamer and astern is another three
master. The Monarch is not going at full
speed In fact she seems to be crawling
along, while under the bow of the tug the
water boils and bubbles and sweeps back
astern in q seething foam. She is undoubt-
eddy a. fast one and there is little doubt that
she will overhaul the steamer before the
Narrows are reached. This optimistic view
of affairs is suggested to the captain. He
simply says:
"P'raps So"
With their anxiety much relieved the
party prepared to enjoy the sail. The sun
Is shining brightly and there is a balmy soft
ness in the air The small unduating waves
created by the rapid motion of the bow
through the water curl past on either sde
their tops almost on a level with the low
rails
This is quite an adventure" says the
gleeful voyager. It'll just write few postal
cards about it," and utilizing the smooth top
of an iron post IN the stern he indtes brief
tlotes to friends, telling OF the exciting chase.
Ond concluding. II will go through the Mar
lows aboard the steamship" Past Gov
lrnor's Island the tug sweeps. The steamer
has made long detour, and appears to be
heading for the Kill Won Kull. We've got
aer now" says deck hand. "You see she
mas to follow the channel and thus take q
iong conrSe, while we can take Il short cut
'lcross lots, as it were, and head her off at
headed straight for the narrow outlet
10 the lower bay, while the steamer,
lightly shifting her course, seems bent
0n running into the northern end of Staten
island. Again she shifts, however as she
reaches the point, until she runs parallel
with the shore. The two three masters still
maintaiu their relative positions ahead and
hStern of her, and another has been added to
the procession, while two more have left the
mouth of the river and are coming up rap
idly
They're maxim for the bar" explains the
deck-hand when appealed to- they've got to
get over at high tide or they'll get left.
Ketch her? Well, there's 10 telln' what may
happen"
Not more than three-quarters of a mile
now separate the tug and steamer, But to
all appearances the distance might just as
we'll be ten times as great, for the steamer is
just about to slip throug the Narrows. A
long, hoarse blast, followed by another and
another, awakes the echoes on the Bay Ridge
shore. The little party gathered on the bow
of the tug awaits with breathless suspense an
answering signal. A minute passes, and then
puff of white steam is seen from the
steamers whistle, followed by dull, muf-
fled sound, But there is no stacking of the
steamers pace, and moment later the sig
nal is seen to have been intended for pass
ing vessel.
Past the ruined battlements of Fort Lafay-
cite and the frowning guns of Fort Hamil-
ton into the broad expanse OF the lower bay
the steamer sweeps. The jig is up" re-
marks one of the party, dropping in a dis
heartened moment into slang. The pros
pective European visitor has ceased writing
postal-cards. and concludes to inform his
friends in person OF his adventure. But the
tug keeps on and half an hour later the
steamship is stretching away off toward the
New Jersey shore. while the tug, which has
passed through the narrows is skirting Co
pxvb ln no oh inc
has departed The balmy air has been sue.
ceeded by chilling. misty atmosphere, and
instead of the placid waters OF the river and
upper bay there is now heavy chop sea,
upon which the little tug is tossed like
she'll More than one OF the party begins to
look suspiciously white. One sitter another
retres to the stern of the tug, where there is
less motion
.No, we're not agoin to try to head her off
in the English Channel" the deck hand ex-
plains. YOU'D think now. by the way she's
headin', that she was agoin' TO fetch up some
where in Jersey. Well, she amt. Shes in
what they call the main channel; that's the
only way she can get out; the water amt
deep enough for her here On the Romer
Shoals, where we are. When she gets close
to Sandy Hook she's got to turn sharp to the
left, round the Sou west Spit, and come right
across our bows in the Swash Channel, if we
get there soon enough"
As he speaks the three MASTER which still
maintains her lead, veers to the left The
four-master follows suit and bears down at
night angles to the course OF the tug
That means she's dcin' her best" ex-
plains the deck hand, as the hoarse putting
Of the tug changes in tone AMI comes with
4 muffed sound. 1t is certainly touch and
CO." Less than quarter of mile separates
the tug and steamer. but the latter has
reached her outward channel She is about
to turn her head out to sea, and once more
the tn. sounds three long hoarse blasts
while at the same moment her flag is dipped
A minute Of suspense and then three white
pulls go ND from the steamer. Her propel-
fer ceases its revolutions, and curious ewes
peer over. the rail as the tug ranges along
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