The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-02
TRUTHFUL TARs.
Some Pretty stin Yarns Concerning Foa
from the Fo'cas'le Chest.

some fretty sun Yarns concerning Io1
from the To'cas'le Chest.
was sitting on the stun'sails secured
on the starboard side Of the to'gallan.
focas1e one night during our run from
Cape Horn, when the trades blew stead.
ily, and the watch had nothing TO DO but
spin yarns. We were homeward bound
from three years cruise in the orient,
and had settled down to the mouoionous
life Of q run up the trades. Yarn spin.
ming was the principal occupation Of tie
men. and they let no moment that could
be filed with this pass unimproved,
their great endeavor seeming to be tc
reach the height Of the improbable.
Three Of the most inveterate yarn
spinners Of the crew were seated on The
focasle chest, just opposite me- Thev
were Jack Kelley. the captain OF the port
fo'cas'le watch; Tom Hutchins. the chief
5oatswain's mate, and Bill Williams. the
Ei.-2l 2usrtermastor Il was diamond
cut diamond with them always. when
yarns were being snapped, and knew
had q treat in store the moment VIII
Jams said.
"Well, boys, well be on the coast ir
time for the March fogs Hope the5
won't be SO bad as bad them once 10
the gulf, when 7 was on the blockade, in
the Tiogl."
"And you had fox experience in the
gulf, did your Wen, let us hear about
it, said Kelley.
at was In June, said Williams; "we
had left Key West. bound for Mobile,
with important dispatches, so we could
not hold up for anything, and the morn.
ing after we sailed the fog metus. Well
it was so thick that we had to have o
man with a shovel at the pinnacle &c
scoop the fog away, SO that the wheels
man could see how TO Keep his course"
"And you call that thick fog. said
Iiutchins. with "a tone Of contempt I'm his
voice. "Well, it don't compare with one
met coming from the Mediterranean,
in the Brandywinc. in the foriies.
was an apprentice then, and it was my
first cruise, and. OF course, 1 was anxious
to get home, SO every day I got the
reckoning. Well, we We're going along
about ten knots, with the wind OF the
quarter and all sail set, when, just after
meridian. we bucked up against fog
The wind kept fair, however, and the
sails were full, so we thought nothing Of
il, though we did not get a sight of the
sun for five days. Itcleared off about ! ]
in the morning, and the sailing master,
as we called the navigator then. came az
and took the noon sight, and III be oter-
nally smashed ii we were not exactly in
the same place we werea noon five days
before. That COMPOUNDED fog was So
thick that it had just held ms fast, and
we with all sail set, and a fair ten knot
breeze 70 help us"
"Ihat was something Of a fog" said
Kelley, "and yet ! don't know- that it
can quite come up 10 one that made the
acquaintance Of when / was sailing in
the merchant service just before the war
I had been home, mp the Kcnnebcck, and
they had just finished now 3,o00-ton
clipper for the New York tea trade She
had taken IN ice to carry as ballast, and
l was asked 10 help take her round We
set sail, with q strong north wind blow
ing down the river, and Just before we
got 10 the mouth we met q fog. Om
skipper was an old cruiser in that lati-
tude. however, so hs kept on. noticed
the ship had o curious sort of bobbins
motion, but the fog was so thick you
couldn't even see the water. and as the
sails ke9t full, though the wind slack
ened, and we kept going ahead, why, ]
didn't pay much attention 90 it.
"Well, we sailed along for nearly a
week, with the fog as thick as pudding,
and then all 'at once we gave o dive aad
dropped nearly fifty feet. The ship
swavcd and cracked, and we were all
Knocked of our feet Luckily She was
new craft and the damp weather had
kept her rigging taut or her masts must
have gone by the board. When she
ouieted down and we could get on our
legs once moro We looked back, and
there was q thick wall Of fog, that we
had tumbled from, and You can believe
it or not, just as you like, but that ship
had been sailing on a fog bank for q
week, and when she reached the edge OF
it she jumped of and dropped.
"Its time 1 hove the log said Will
Jams. and with that the party broke mp.
and Kelley. with am air Of great satisfac-
ton, walked over % tho rail and gave
the iib sheet q critical examination
Ocean.