The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-02-01
A VESSEL HEAVING TO.
A Nautical Operation Fraught with
Great Danger.
The PeriIs of "a Storm ON the O~ceRn-Lay-
ing Aloft In IA Howilng Breeze-How
Ship weathers IA Gale-Cut-
ting 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 1t becomes absolutely nee
essary. The moment a vessel is "hoye
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 briggs, banks, barken-
tines and schooners, and u few steamers.
Many of the East India packets had
been out over one hundred and twenty
days. For many days prior to the
storm tho sky had been overcast. Only
occasionally would the sun appear, and
then for SC short n time az to render
even a catch sight" well nigh out of
the question. In consequence many
ships had been running by dead reck-
oning," making the supposed positiono of
the vessel u most uncertain one.
Under such conditions were vessels
overtaken by the terrible northeastern.
Wind and sea aided each other in max
ing navigation p%erilous, 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 Il supposed
true course for port. In laying of this
course the base has been taken from q
supposed true position of the ship. In
stead of sighting the entrance the look
out is heard calling: breakers ahead!"
To one u~nacquainted with q ~seafaring
life the horror which accompanies such
q 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
shipr"
The vessel is on q lee shore, the gale
is blowing her right on, and unless she
can be made to beat up in the wind,
head off and clear tho coast, she will
beach. Up comes every body with a
rush, half-dressed, h~alf-dazed, 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 bracesl Spanker
sheetr' 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 it, and, as the stern flies of,
her head m 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 tho wind.
The vessel Is now broadside to the seas.
1t Is q question Of life and death
whether she will stop. II she but on
tinues to come up all we'll. A drag has
been got over from forward. To it is
bent a hawser leading through a quarter
chock. The drag Is we'll away from the
ship. On to the hawser jump the crew.
Away they go with q crash. The drag
hawser is run right to the bows, and at
the same time tho bow comes up rapidly.
Not a moment too soon. A great sea
the mex instant lifts the ship high into
the air. Had it caught her ''broadside
to" 1t would have plunged tons Of green
seas upon the decks. But the great
crafts bow has met 1t. She rose as the
wave advanced and plunged heavily for
ward as 1t 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 feels the
canvas, small as the mount on her Is;
she reaches forward, staggers for a mo-
ment, then slowly works her way of
through sea after sea. As 1901 as she
Is far enough out to sea the vessel is
brought up into the wind, oil 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 off Is coun-
teracted by the position Of the rudder.
Should the wind still continue to in
crease in violence the topsail will be
goose winged. This latter sail Is kept
On as long as possible because OF its be-
ing above the waves. Under q main
spencer alone the ship has but little op-
portunity to feel the wind, tho waves
serving as a bulwark. Should, however,
a g~oose-winged topsail and main spen-
Ger prove too much, tarpaulins placed
in the lee mizzen rigging may hold her
up.
IL she still continues to heel over the
crew will cut away the foremost by cut
ting the weather laniards. II this will
not right her away will go the mizzen
and main, and then trust to riding out
to q sea anchor. This alone can save tho
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."