Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-30
SAVED FROM SHIpWRtCK.


The method of saving lives from
shipwreck at present in use In our
United States Life.Saving Stations
NAV be best understood by suppOs-
ing an actual ease and describing
the operations of the surfmen. II
the sea will permit, the people on
the vessel are brought ashore in
the 'surf.boat.' If a high sea is
running, however, this is rendered
impracticable, and recourse is had
to the 'Breeches Buoy When
the discovery of a wreck is announ-
ced at the station, all the appara'
tus is at once carried along the
beach to the point nearest the
wreck. The Lyle gun, a small
brass cannon, which weighs III
pounds, is loaded with powder.
Then into its mouth is slipped a
long steel 'projectile,' to the outer
end of which is attached light
but stout line, called the 'shot line.
Then the gun is aimed and fired.
The projectile, followed by the long
cord, flies out toward the wreck,
passes over it and drops into the
sea, and the shot line falls on deck.
Thus the first means of communi-
cation is established between the
wreck and the shore.
The crew of the vessel now pull
in this 'shot line,' until they draw
on deck a pully block, which the
men on shore have tied to it.
Through this pulley block is run
ming an 'endless line that is long
line which is called endless, because
the two ends have been fastened to-
gether. 1t runs also through an
other pulley block, which has been
kept on shore. The sailors then tie
their pulley block well up on the
mast, and the men on shore fasten
theirs to a sand anchor, which
they have firmly buried in the sand
You have often seen the double
string which children, living across
the street from each other, run te-
tween their houses and call tele-
graph 1t is long, endless line,
running through a pulley, or a
staple, at each end, and when a
basket or other article is tied to
one side of the double line and the
other side is pulled in the basket
ofcourse moves off across the street.
This is like what has now been
rigged between the vessel and
shore. So now the men on shore
can tie anything to the endless
line, running through a pulley block
at each end, and starting the circu-
lar motion OF the line, soon send it
out to the vessel. What they do tie
on is the end of a great hawser, or
heavy rope, and when this haw-
ser is drawn on deck, it is at once
fastened to the mast a few feet
above the pulley block. Then the
other end of the hawser, which has
been kept on shore, is hauled in as
tight, or 'taut, as possible, and
also fastened few feet above the
pulley block, which has been tied
to the sand anchor. Now the
'breeches buoy is brought out by
the men on shore. This is circle
or large ring of leather stuffed, of
perhaps two feet IN diameter.
Hanging below it is u pair Of stiff
canvass knee.breeches. IL is now
hung from the heavy hawser so that
it can slide freely to and fro upon
it. Then 1t is securely fastened to
one part Of the endless line, the
other part of the line is hauled
steadily in, and away moves the
buoy, slipping along on the hawser
from which it hangs, and drawn by
the small endless line to which it is
secured.
One person is dropped in through
the circle, with one leg in each side
of the canvass breeches. The clrcu.
lar line, which has been described
is fastened also to the buoy, and is
again put in motion, and the buoy
retraces its course to the shore.
The rescued person is taken out,
and again and again the buoy
makes the journey until every one
on board is brought safe to land
Youths Companion.