The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-02-01
For The Mirror.
Across the Atlantic.

We leave the Canada dock, Liverpool
England, not in one of our large and COM
Portable mail steamers with its modern con-
veniences, but in one of our old Philadel-
phia packet ships, the Saranack by name
Mr.. Ives, master. 1t is late in the autumn.
a cold, dreary day with steady breeze from
the eastward which gives us a splendid run
until we are past Cape Clear and the broad
Atlantic lies before us. AS it is near Win
ter and the prevailing winds are from the
westward we expect long and weary pas
sage, and are not disappointed in our ex-
day we encountered one of our wellknOwn
westerly gales which is the beginning of a
trip OF hardship and suffering. After three
weeks of cruising against contrary winds
with an occasional run of few hours. we
arrive on the banks of Newfoundland and
are surrounded by a few of the late fishing
crafts that are plying their vocation on the
banks. 1t is evening. the descending sun
and gathering clouds announce the APP
prOach of stormy night, and before eight
bells strike at midnight it blows terrible
gale from the w. n. w., and our old ship
is drifting Snugly under her gOOse-winged
maintOpsail. 1t is night of misery, every
one standing like statues in their water
soaked clothing, holding on for their lives
to the surrounding rigging. Wave sue
ceeding wave breaks over our decks and car
ry all before them. Slowly the night
passes and the lOnged for day again makes
its appearance and as the first glimpse of
light breaks over the waters the loud call of
''Sail-a-hOy" Comes from the man on the
InnEnnf thorn n indy rd MO
see craft bearing down under her fore low
ertOpsail with Il flag OF distress tied in her
fore rigging, and as she draws nearer we
discover that both her main and miZen
maStS were gone and all hands standing to-
gether Oh the quarterback frantically wav-
ing with their arms to draw our attention.
1t was unnecessary. Long since had we
observed the trouble our fellowmen were in
and were preparing to aid them to the best
of our ability. A few moments more and
we are at speaking distance. We learn
that our companion is from Lieth. Scot
land. bound to some port in Nova Scotia;
that during the preceding night she was
struck by one of the westerly squalls and
dismantled and was now in sinking con-
ditiOn, expecting to go down at each mo-
ment. What terrible night those men
must have passed through and low must
with the break of day they saw help near
at hand. But although help was near it was
almost impossible to be of use to our fell
lows in distress because it was blowing .fll-
-rlOuSly and the waves were running noun
talnS high. Now came the call for vOlun-
teerS to man the boat and soon six and the
second mate presented themselves as will.
ling to risk their lives for their fellowmen
in peril. After many efforts we at last Sue
ceeded in launching the boat safely and get
ting clear of the ship, which is always at
tended with great danger when there is a
heavy sea running, and the least mistake
will send boat and crew to destruction. We
are aflOat in boat. but with the best will
in the world it is impossible for us to row
along side of the barQue, but are compelled
to drop astern of her; and here began our
saving OF lives. AS it was impossible for
us to draw near enough we were compelled
to use an eXpedient that is much in use
among the Norwegian pilots in bad weather
and it is simply to tie a rope around the
breast below the armpitS and jump over
board. 1t is a rather serious affair, even for
a man to do in a gale of wind, but when a
lady must undertake it, 1t is harder still.
Such was the case in this instance. Among
the crew OF the barque was lady, the stew
ards wife. and at least twenty times she
walked across the quarterback until at last
her husband was compelled to push her
over the side. and with heartrending
scream she sunk for moment beneath the
waves. For moment only. and then she
was safe in the sternsheets vf our little
boat. Thus. after laboring hard for two
hours we were enabled to save the crew,
but were compelled to leave the barque
and all she contained to her fate-a play
ha for the pIpmnntS tO VOrly their nrov nm
on. 1t was only after this that our own
misery began. gale succeeding gale from the
westward, snow and hailstones, short of
provisions and water, ship that was leak
ing so badly that only by constant pumping
we were enabled to keen her atnat Wins