Tombstone epitaph., 1890-05-31
A VESSEL LEAVING TO.
A Nautical Operation Fraught with
 Great Danger.
The Psrils of . Storm on the Ocean-Lay ing AIOft in a Rowling Breeze-How Ship Weathers a GaIe-Cut-
 tinR Away the Masts.

tinR Away the Masts.
 The operations of-"heaving to-" per formed by nearly every sailing vessel caught on the coast during the recent storm, is never resOrted to by merchant vessels until it becomes absolutely nec- essary. The moment a vessel is ''hove to-" says the New York Times, she be- comes practically stationary, the object being merely to keep her "head to the seas." Among the many vessels caught outside during the gale was every type of craft known to ''deep-water voy- ages" There were East India clip pers, West India brigs, barks, barken- tines and schoOners, and few steamers.
 Many of the East India packets had been out over one hundred and twenty days. For many days prior to the storm the sky had been overcast. Only occasionally would the sun appear, and then for so short a time as to render even catch ''sight" we'll nigh out of the question. In consequence many ships had been running by ''dead reck- oning, making the supposed position of
 
 Under such conditions were vessels overtaken by the terrible northeaster. Wind and sea aided each other in mak- ing navigation periious, the seas threat ening at every moment to roll over on the decks of the fleeing vessels. Some craft, perhaps better able to stand the seas, held on, steering on a supposed true course for port. In laying of this course the base has been taken from supposed true position of the ship. In stead of sighting the entrance the look out is heard calling: Breakers ahead!" To one unacquainted with seafaring life the horror which accompanies such 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: All hands save ship"
 The vessel is on 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 every body with rush, ha,f-dressed, half jazed, but fully alive to the danger. The moment the seamen reach the deck the cutting wind makes wide awake all hands.
 Hand down the helm! 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 stations Round comes the great ship and up into the wind. The head sails flap with tremendous force, threatening to fly out of the leach ropes with every roll. Now the spanker is being hauled a-weather. She feels 1t, and, as the stern flies of, her head comes right up into the mass of seething waters.
 "Round in the lee head and main and weather cross-jack braces!' Already the men are at their places, and up come the weather yard arms into the wind. The vessel is now broads;ie to the seas. It is question of life and death whether she will stop. If she but con- tinues to come up all well. A drag has been got over from forward. To it is bent hawser leading through 8 quarter chock. The drag is we'll away from the ship. On to the hawser jump the crew, Away they go with crash. The drag hawser is run right to the bows, and at the same time the bow comes up rapidly.
 Not moment too soon. A great sea the next instant lifts the ship high into the air. Had it caught her "broadsije to" it would have plunged tons of green seas upon the decks. But the great crafts bow has met it. She rose as the wave advanced and plunged heavily for ward as it rushed under her.
 Now is the time to catch her. Sharp up go the yards from the head and main. The head sheets are hauled well aft, the helm carefully tended, the spanker eased up slightly; the ship feeis the canvas, small as the amount on her is; she reaches forward, staRgers for mo- ment, then slowly works her way of through sea after sea. As soon as she is far enough out to sea the vessel is brought up into the wind, of comes the foretopmast staysail, foresail. foretop- sail and spanker. A close-reefed main- topsail and main spencer alone hold her up, and all attempt to fall of is coun- teracted by the position of the rudder.
 SQOuiu LQ0 WlnU SIlll CODLiuuO to lu- crease in violence the topsail will be goose-winged. This latter sail is kept on as long as possible because of it's be- ing above the waves. Under a main spencer alone the ship has but little op- portunity to feel the wind, the waves serving as bulwark. Should, however, a goose winged topsail and main spen- cer prove too much, tarpauiins placed in the lee mizzen rigging may hold her up.
 If she still continues to heel over the crew will cut away the foremast by cut ting the weather laniards. If this will not right her away will go the m:zzen and main, and then trust to riding out to sea anchor. This alone can save the vessel. Let her once fall off, get into the trough of the sea, and the conse- quences will be expressed in the one word of the seaman, "Foundered."
 Gaming on the Hand.