The Republican journal., 1883-01-18
An Incident of the Sea.
SHIPWRECKED-FOURT HOURS dashed
NJ A Ii

City of BrOtherly LOVe-Phlladelp hia-With a
desire to get north. My companion was an
elder brother, and together we had passed the
winter at sea. Cruising about the wharves at
the northerly part of the city, a small coal laden
schooner named the Joe Turner, of Portland,
bound to Portsmouth, n. H., was found which
wanted two sailors. Here was the chance
sought and we decided to try the little collier.
The Joe Turner was il small. two masted
schooner of 100 tons. commanded by an old man
named Soule The mate was the captains son.
Capt. Soule was a fair sample of the Old time
down east skipper who. in the matter of duty
always Disseminated in favor of his relatives
and against the stranger. He was like another
skipper whose son John was one of the crew,
who gave an order like this Stranger. YOU
90 out and furl the tlyi ng jib. John you coil up
the down haul, and I'll 90 down below and see
what time it is. then We'll all have Il Job.
We left behind us the beautiful city of Phila-
dclphia, with its broad. checker-board like
streets, its fine buildings. its tecming wharyes
and We're soon in the bro al river below. As
is usual in leayin g fresh water river, the
casks were filled from alongside and Jack sup
piled himself with enough to wash his clothes
for salt water was never intended for laundry
purposes. The wind being unfavorable anchor
was dropped off Bombay Hook among large
fleet of vessels. Late in the afternoon of April
10Th. the wind came off from the northwest in
piping gale. A small, old and deep laden
collier is not Il very comfortable vessel in which
TO buffet the waves. but our captain decided to
start. ours was the only vessel in the fleet to
get under way. Putting double reefs in the
sails we started Just as the night came on. Be
ger, upon which our captain once lost vessel.
And rs a burned child breads the fire our skip
per gave Joe a wide berth, keeping we'll over
to the Jersey side. Presently light was made
which the captain pronounced the Brandywinc
ilght>hlp. and our course was shaped for it.
The writer of this was at the wheel. The APP
pearance of the wa'cr indicated that ii was
shallow, which was verified by the lead show
ing but three and half fathomS. The next
east of the lead found but three fathoms. Our
captain was bewildcred, for he supposed HIM
self in mid channel. And half two" shout
ed the leadSman. What was to be done must
be done quickly, but before many minutes the
vessel >trucl, heavily on a sand ,hoa known as
Ben DayiSeS. eight miles off the New jersey
coast. Just imagine for moment a vessel
bowling off before the wind under double reef
ed sails. gongat the rate of nine or ten miles an
hour, and have her bring upall standing against
reef. Ine conclusion was terrible. 1t was
ten o'clock at night and intensely dark. All
that could be seen We're the crest breaking
waves as they came tumbling toward the YES
sci to eXpend their fury against her si,le. The
gale increased TO a hurricane. The >itua-
ton was not Il pleasant one, but was such as ali
sailors are liable TO encounter. The tide was on
the ebb,w which kept the vessel quiet until the next
flood. when She began to pound. The seas rolled
higher and higher. at last carrying away the
boat and driving AL hands off the quarter deck
The schooner began to make water rapids and
it was soon evident that she must become 4 to-
tai loss. How TO save our lives WIS the qup>-
ton, and it was not an easy one to answer now
that our boat was gone and the schooner rapidly
filling with water. 4 consultation was held
and it was decided to Lex 20 the anchor, to hold
her where She was 50 that She might sink in
Sheal water. Before the anchors could bn clear
ed away til" schooner tloated and wltcr-loggol.
wa rapidly driving before tie gae more like
an enrascd animal than an inanimatc thing. Ii
Wa- an awful moment to the five mon On That
sinking vessel. The schooner rose on sea and
staggering like drunken man mallv le.lprd
forward pnnging her bows beneath the sur
face. At the same moment she carcened on hrr
bcaln-end> laying her masts flat in the water
With an impulse that needed no urging tine
sailors Sprang into the weather rigging 4, the
only means of saving their lives. Capt Soulc
was a rheumatic invalid and for >iX weeks prc-
viou, had only walked with the aid Of crutchrs
When that vessel went down he threw aside Iii,
wooden legs and spranS into the rigging a,
nimby H. the Youngest The schooner sank
rapidly, the men climbing The rigging rs fast rs
possible. Would she strike bottom before her
mast-heads went under was the question: If
50 we had 4 chance for our lives; if not a wa
terry grave awaited Us. Thank GOD the vessel
did strike bottom, with her mast-heatl> lust
above the SETTLING and angry waves. Three
men were ciinging to one mas t-head and TWO to
the other. | was with the three With the
@atltopsail tack we iashrd ourselves together
and to the masthead and patiently waited for
morning. At daylight we could discover Our
true situation. Eight miles 10 the east we could
see the New Jersey coast and never did land look
50 dear. With daylight came another discovery
the vessel was breaking up. The house came
up followed by the ScImen's chests and other
I1lA val, Mo in :
life now was for relief before the vessel could
go to pieces. We prayed for Succor and be-
lleved as the poet Dibdin so sweetly sang
"Ihere's Il sweet little cherub that sits up aloft
To keep watch for the life of poor Jack.
Can describe the anguish of that day? How
slowly the hours dragged along. Would the
sun that so brightly shonc down on those wet,
half frozen men, ever again rise to their view:
one of those sailors INDUCED in secret prayer
and then and there registered vow that if his
foot ever again pressed the land he would quit
the sea. We know that the VOW has been kept.
-Four O'Clock that afternoon steamer came
past, saw our signal of distress and attempted
our rescue. a boat with ten men pulled to-
wards lis, but the wind and seas were stronger
than human power. They could not re; ch Us,
and returned to their vessel. The steamer an
chored and set u flag OF distress il her rigging
with the intention of remaining until the gale
subsidized.
The steamers movements were watched by i
fleet of bay eystermen in shore. Just before
nightfall one of the vessels came out and took
Us off the wreck more dead than alive In Il
week we We're landed in Philadelphia, penny
less and with but Il poor suit of clothing upon
our backs. My brother died from the effects Of
that exposure, as did my aspirations for the
life of a sailor. R.G.D
Among the opponents of the bill to extend
the bonded period for distilled spirits-the
ultimate effect of which we have seen it stated.
would be to give the whiskey manufacturers
$50 900 000-was Senator Hale, of Maine. In
the course of his remarks he said he believed
this demand of the distilers has its root and
substance in the determination to press Con-
gresS at the next session for Il decrease and
partial repeal of the tax on this product. and
that all the whisky in bond shall have the ben
eft Of that rcduction.' And of the successive
and successful appeals of this interest to Con-