The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-10-06
A SHIP HEAVING TO.
How Seamen Accomplish this PerilOus
Feat i'm a Storm.

The operation of "heaving TO-" per-
formed by nearly every sailing vessel
caught on the coast during the recent
storm, is never resorted to by mer-
chant vessels until it becomes abso-
lutely necessary. The moment a YES
sci is shove to" she becomes practic-
ally stationary, the object being
merely to keep her ''head to the seas.'
Among the many vessels caught out
side during the gale was every type of
craft known to deep water voyages" !"
There were East India clippers, West
India brlgs, barks, barkentines and
schooners, and few steamers.
Many of the East India packets had
been out over 120 days. For many
days prior to the storm the sky had
been overcast. Only occasionally
would the sun appear, and then for
SO short time as to render a catch
''sight" well nigh out of the question.
In consequence many ships had been
running by dead reckoning" making
the supposed position of the vessel a
most uncertain one
Under such conditions were vessels
Overtaken by the terrible northeaster.
Wind and sea aided each other in
making navigation perilous, the seas
threatening at every moment to roll
over on the decks of the fleeing YES
sells. Some craft, perhaps better able
to stand the seas hold on, steering on
a supposed true course for port. In
laying off this course the base has
been taken from a supposed true posi-
ton of the ship. Instead of sighting
the entrance, the lookout is heard
calling, Breakers aheadr To one
unacquainted with a seafaring life the
horror. which accompanies such a
sound beggars description. Let it be
night time and the horror is increased.
There Is but one thing to do, and that
quickly-to call, "AH hands save the
shipr
The vessel is in lee shore, the gale
is blowing her right on, and unless
she can be made to beat up in the
wind, head of, and clear the coast
she will beach. Up comes everybody
with a rush, half dressed, half dazed,
but fully alive to the danger. The
moment the seamen reach the deck
the cutting wind makes wide awake
all hands.
Hard down the helml Let fly the
head sheets, lee head and main and
weather cross-jack braces! Spanker
sheet~ As fast as the orders fly from
the bridge the men jump TO their sta
tons. Round comes the great ship,
and up into the wind. The head sails
flap with tremendous force, threaten
ing to fly out of the leech ropes with
every roll. Now the spanker is being
hauled a-weather. She feels il. and
as the stern flies off her head comes
right up into the mass of seething
waters.
Round In the lee head and main
and weather cross-jack bracesp' AL
ready the men are at their places, and
up come the weather-yard arms into
the wind. The vessel is now broad
side to the seas. 1t is a question of
life or death whether she will stop.
Ii she but continue to come up all is
well. A drag has been gotten over
from forward. To it is bent hawser
leading through a quarterback.
The drag is well away from the ship.
On to the hawser jump the crew.
Away they go with rush. The drag
hawser is run right to the bows; and at
the same time the bow comes up rap
idly.
Not moment too soon. A great
sea the next instant lifts the ship high
into the air. Had it caught her broad
side to" it would have plunged tons
upon tons of green seas upon the
decks. But the great crafts bow has
met it. She rose as the wave ad-
vanced and plunged heavily forward
as it rushed under her.
Now is the time to catch her. Sharp
up go the yards on the head and
main. The headsheets are hauled
well aft, the helm carefully tended.
the spanker eased up slightly; the
ship feels the canvas, small as the
amount on her is; she reaches forward,
staggers for moment, then slowly
works her way off through. sea after
sea. As soon as she is far enough
out to sea the vessel is brought up
into the wind, off comes the foretop-