Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-02-11
ROUTED BY A TIGER.

A sehooner's Crew Terrified and the Vessel
AinnlessIy Drifting-BOllfng Water Used
With Effect,
From the Philadelphia Times.l
Capt. Peter Hesly, of the tug-boat
Hercules, which came up the river last
night after towing the brig Helena
Morris as far as Lewes, Del, reported
having rendered assistance to the
schooner FL. L. Whitford, which had
gone ashore about mile this side of
Lewes under very exciting and unusual
circumstances. The Whitford was not
damaged and continued on her voyage
after she had been hauled off by the
tug-boat. Capt. Healy is bluff and
weather beaten old mariner, who, sever
al years ago, gave up deep-wster sailing
and bought controlling interest IN the
tug boat Hercules, because foreign voy-
ages took him too much away from his
family. He has always been noted for
his pluckiness and hardihood. Leaning
back in a comfortable chair in the coy
little cabin of his tug-boat last evening
Capt Hesly related his story:
II left the wharf here on Friday after
noon with the Helena Morris in tow.
I was to take her as far as Lewes, as
they were in hurry to get to sea. The
wind had veered from northwest to
northeast, and blew straight into our
teeth, Tt was 2 o'clock in the morning
before we got down to Lewes, SO after
casting adrift our tow-line from the brig
I decided to come to anchor and lie
there until morning, thinking perhaps
/ could get q vessel to tow MP to the
city. 1t was blowing pretty fresh, but
I gave the tug long range of chain,
put up al anchor light, and turned in,
leaving one man on watch in the pilot
house.
"I think it must have been about half
past o'clock when the man on watch
ran down to my bunk and shook me up
with the startling news that there was
schooner drifting down upon us broad
side to. slipped peal jacket on and
ran on deck, and sure enough there was
a Accommodation schooner bearing
down upon us with all her sails set, She
had her side lights up, but there was no
body at the wheel. What surprised me
was that she should drift almost broad
side to the wind with her canvas on.
The only way I could account for it
was that her anchor was down and drag
cling the bottom.
"She fortunately did not collide with
the boat, and, as she drifted past [
shouted in hopes of waking up the
people on board, for, to tell the truth, [
thought they had all turned in without
setting any anchor watch, and that the
schooner had simply drifted from her
moorings. You can imagine my sur
prise when at least half dozen voices
answered my shout. Some of them
came from aIoft in the rigging of the
schooner, and another answering shout
from the water. AS the schooner
loomed up through the morning mist I
made out the situation OF the men.
"There was one man standingson the
foretopmast crosstrees, with red hand
kerchief tied in the rigging above his
head; another stood up in the maintop,
shouting, and in the yawl-boat astern
were three men, one of whom stood up
in the bows of the boat with an oar in
his hand, as if he were waiting for some
body or something to show up over the
schooner's taffrail. As they drifted
past one Of the men in the yawl got up
and shouted:
"'Come aboard of us, for Gods sake
We are helpless!
"At first I could not imagine what
was the matter, except that the vessel
was in the hands OF mutineers. This /
thought probable, as there were only
five men to be seen. There were still
two or three men to be accounted for,
Judging from the Schooner's size. The
men in the boat still kept shouting and
waving at us, so called the tugs crew,
got our anchor up, and started in
chase of the drifting schooner. She
was not more than half mile distant
when we put after her, and the tug
gained on her very fast. She was drift
ing in shore, and by the time we got
within cables length of her she
grounded. By that time I made prepa-
rations to board the vessel, and capture
the mutineers who I supposed had pos
session of her. I shouted to the men
IN the yawl to cut adrift and come on
board of US, but they had only one oar
IN the boat. AS we got near the schoon-
er / mustered the five men on board
the Hercules, and counted our weapons.
We had three revolvers and shotgun.
"fNow let her go ifor the schooner
yelled to the pilot, as I reached up for
the signal rope, and blew three shrill
whistles. The last shrek had hardly
died away when terrific, blood-curdling
roar that almost took us off our feet
came from the schooner's deck. We
were almost along side, and I had barely
time to pull two bells to back her when
the vessels touched. There was a Jar,
the schooner trembled, and as the tug
slowly drew off another terrific roar
drowned the noise of escaping steam
A great monster of tiger sprang from