St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-09


of pilots, had worked we'll down to the
BASTARD before the first steamer hove in
sight.
A small blue peter flying at the steam
er's masthead sent a pilot in the yawl in
hurry, and in few moments he was
waving his adieuS from the steamers
bridge.
The black pipe of the ocean courser
and its long trail of smoke behind had
hardly disappeared before the lookout
had sighted another steamer and large
ship, both of which were boarded, and
with only two pilots left the Hope
headed for the track of the White Star
steamers, one of which was expected.
The next day the monster raft which
was in tow of the steamer Miranda was
spoken, and shortly afterward one of the
remaining two pilots was put on board a
heavlly-laden bark.
The day was fine and continued so
until nearly nightfall, when small
patch of dark clouds in the southwest
began to spread over the heavens, and
in an almost incredible short time but
one or two twinkling stars were to be
seen.
Even they in short time disappeared,
and with an increasing speed the little
schooner plOughed her way through the
growing larger and larger.
The New York Telegram reporter,
who had never seen such sight before,
remained on deck until the hunger and
the cold drove him below, where a
bright fire and a tempting meal for a
time drove all thoughts Of the turbulent
ocean from his mind.
THE TOSSING VESSEL.
they soon returned, however, as the
little vessel seemed to toss like cork,
Jumping from one wave to another, first
on her side, then on an even keel, and
at other times seeming to stand on end.
The night wore on, the storm seeming
to liner ease in violence, and amid the
the rigging and the cannOn-like reports
of the Tapping canvas, the reporter at
last sought his bunk and tried to sleep,
For four hours he did more ground
and lofty tumbling than an ordinary
circus performer would do in week,
and, after having successfully stood on
his head several times, spun on one ear,
with his feet around the back of his
neck, and picked himself up from the
floor of the cabin dozen times, he
dressed and sought the deck.
81 In the few short hours he had spent
below a wonderful change had been
wrought in the scene, and as it lay
spread out before him in the early morn
ing light, it formed subject worthy
the brush of Raphael or an Angelo.
Dawn was breaking in the East, and
the dull leaden sky which had taken the
place of the inky pail of the night be-
fore seemed to lower on the little vessel
as lit plunged its way through a sea of
foam when stretched its way on all
sides as far as the eye could reach.
TWO MEN dashed TO THE WHEEL.
The wind was blowing a gale, and
Pilot Cullenan and one of the men.
lashed to the wheel, had all they could
dol to keep the vessels head to the seas.
The latter literally ran mountains high
sometimes carrying the vessel up until
the bosom of the ocean looked 100 feet
below, and at other times sinking it
until the green walls of the valley in
which it rested seemed about to close
over it as though anxious to shut out the
awful scene.
Sea after sea brode over the bows
with terrible force, and the grooming
and swapping of the vessels timbers as
she struggled through the foam testified
to the intensity of its battle with the
angry ocean.
The pilot shouled an order to the men
below, and in few moments one of
them made his appearance, carrying a
canvas bag about foot in length with
great care.
He made his way out on the bowsprit,
and after tying it to one end of a rope,
to which the bag was attached, he drop
ped the latter into the sea and watched
its effect on an advancing wave.
1t was marvellous in one way and in
another only practical illustration of
tina old saying about oil ON troubled
waters.
The great green wall of water adj
vanced, threatening to swamp the little
We sci, but just as it seemed about to
fall on deck it struck the little bag, and
in a second it welled away in easy curves
under the bow, and the sea for fifty feet
ON either side was still.
Wave after wave advanced ps though
anxious to avenge its predecessors de-
feat, but each in its turn met the little
bag and also the fate that its cOmpan-
ions had met.
For several hours the little bag did its
duty well, and when the sky cleared
and the sea again quieted down the re-
porter had chance to examine it. The
bag was about foot in length and also
in width or thickness, and was filled
with Oakum which had been soaked in
sperm oil. The same oil filled the rest
of the bag and OOZed through the pores
of the canvas bag on the sea. quelling it
in every instance, and without doubt it
had saved the vessel and the lives of its
passengers.
These bags are used on nearly all of
the pilot boats, and Mr.. Cullenan, who
was the first to introduce it on the Hope,
says he never will go to sea without
first making sure that the bag is among
his stores.