Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-19
THE l.lFesOAT IN SERVICE.
A Sketch uf the Work Performed on the
English Coast.

We will imagine the watch set and all
the other good Caster folk IN bed. The
niEht wears away, until a. day begins to
break a longer look than ordinary is taken
through the glass anC n discussion ut bear
Ing~, etc. cnsueS, with the result that "A
vessel is deserted fast aground ON the
Cross sand with heavy sea breaking
over her.
out dash the men on to tn" staging
One laws hold Of the cord attached to tie
Clapper Of the bell and the other ruSheS at
hreakneCk pace down the steps and up the
gap. shouting and hammerinG at the
doors as he goes Then breaks out "A Babel
Of sounds Men rush from every door and
side road. some Of them with their trouS
crs ON. pulling ON their shirts as they run,
stumbling in the dark, through the heavy
sand, but ali making for one point, the
shed There. h my up I" the rails at the
roof. are their oilers, sou wester-. and boat
stockings. under the benches their big seq
boats In IA twinkllng the men have
duuned their seagear, and are making
bee line across the sands for the llfcboat
The surf is smashing on the beach in tons,
and the wind Is howlng across the beach
and up he gap, bringing with it clouds of
sand until the air seems almost solid with
il The red tanned lugsails are carried
down and placed in the boat ready for
Lui~timg and the skids laid down forward
Of the boat, the legs which kept the boat
on an even keel are taken away and re
placed 10y the broad backs of the sturdy
bcachmen, amid shouts of Hold her up
the hauling-oT warp which is anchored
out TO seaward, is taken in over the pulley
IN the bow, and the boat begins to move
on her pOrpoiSe- oiled skids.
As she goes over and clears the one at
her stern it Is caught up by the side hand
les by tNo beaChmcn and taken to her
bows, and placed in line ready TO pick her
up again as she comes steadily on
down the sand Then the men tumble on
board and haul at the warp.
Then the remaining men keep her
moving over her skids until she dashes
her bows into a mass of water just
breaking and laundering on the beach,
and shipping tons Of 1t and giving her
crew the first smother of many they will
have before they return, she moves
slowly on. Another breaker catches her
ere she has fairly gathered way and she
looks almost like coming back, but the
heachmen on shore have had the sett
ready. They ship IT on To the stern and
shove her Oh INTO the smother l p goes
the foresail with a run; up goes the mz-
zen, and the boat thrashes through the
broken water; overheard goes the haul
ing-of warp and She is clear of the beach
and fighting her way through the heavy
sea to the wreck: sea after sea breaks over
her until they can see nothing of that
boat only feel it under their feet, hang
like grim death to the ridge rope and take
a breath when the sea gives them chance.
over the Barber they thrash, then over
the SCroby. They have to make long
leg TO fetch the wreck, and As they rise on
a wave they can sometimes make her out
dimly with Seas spoutlng fountains over
her. She is a small schooner. and her
Crew-twO men and two wretChed, half
starved looking boys and an equally
wretChed looking mOngrel Cur-are hud
died together in the weather shruudS of
the fOremast; the mizzenwast has already
gone over the side The lifebOat fights
her way to windwari, then anchors, and
lowering her lugs veers down to the
wreck, drops alou gside and takes in the
poor half drowned wretCheS and their
poor dog. hauls back to the anchor, then
up sail and away to the beach, where the
rest Of the company Is awaiting them
English Illustrated Magazine