Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-01-30
A VESSEL HEAVlNG ~.
A Nautical Operation Fraught with
Great Danger.
Tho 2erils OF q Storm on the Ocean-Lay-
ing Aloft in u HowllnE Breeze-lIow
Ship yeathers a Gnle-Cut-
ting Away tho 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 nee
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 briggs, barks, barken-
tines and schoorers, and few steamers.
Many of tho 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 q time as to render
even a 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
the vessel a most uncertain one.
Under such conditions were vessels
overtakcn by the terrible northeastern
| Wind and sea aided each other in max
| ing navigation perilous, the seas threat
ening at every moment to roll over OH
tho decks of the fleeing vessels. Some
craft, perhaps better able to stand the
seas, held on, steering@o on a supposed
true course for port. In laying off this
course the base has been taken from g.
supposed true position of the ship. In
stead of sighting the entrance the look
out is heard calling: breakers ahead!'
To one unacquaintcd with seafaring
| 1,n Nuhi rh nj
Il 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 q lee shore, the gale
is blowing her right on, and unless She
can be made to beat up in tho wind
head off and clear the coast, she will
beach. Up comes every body with a
rush, half-dressed, half-dazcd, but fully
( alivo to the danger. Tho moment the
seamen reach the deck the cutting wind
= makes wide awake all hands.
Hand down the helm! Let fly the
d head-sheets, lee head and main, and
weather cross-iack braces! Spanker
Sheet" AS fast as the orders fly from
the bridge the men jump to their stations.
Round comes tho great ship and up into
tho wind. Tho 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 tho stern flies Off,
her head comes right up into the mass.
of seething waters.
Ground in the Ice head and main ana
weather cross-jacll braces. Already the
men are at their places, and up come
| ~, i,,f,, Ahn yiY,.t
The vessel is now broadsido to the seas
1t is Il question OF lifo and death
whether she will stop. If she but con-
tinuos To como up all we'll. drag has
been got over from forward. TO it is
bent u hawscr leading through q quarter.
chOck. The drag is wall away from the
ship. On to tho haws"r jump tho crew.
Away they go with a crash. The drag
hawser is run right to the bows, and at
tho same time the bow comes up rapidly.
&c Not Il moment TOO soon. 4 great sea
the next instant lifts tho ship high into
the air. Had it c..l.ght her ''broadside
= 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 so the yards from the head and main.
The head sheets are hauled we'll aft,
the helm carefully tended, tho spanker
cascd up slightly; the ship feels the
canvas, small as the amount on her is;
she reaches forward, staggers for a mo-
mcnt, 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 tho wind, off comes the
forctopmast staysail, foresais, foretop-
sail and spanllcr. A close-reefed main
topsail and main spencer alone hold ne,
up, and all attempt to fall off is coun
W tcracted by the position of the ruddcr.
90 Should the wind still continue to in
- crease in violence the topSail will be
on goose winged. This latter sail is KEEP
on as long as possible because of it's be
no ing above tho waves. Under n mair
Is spencer alono tho ship has but little op
~ portunity to feel the wind, the waves
serving rs n bulWacl1. Should, however
a goose-wirge6 topsail and main spen
Ger prove too much, tarpaulins placed
in the leo mizzen rigging may hold hel
up.
If she still continues to heel over the
crew will cut away the foremost by cut
ting the weather laniards. II this viii
AZ not right her away Will go the miZze1
and main. and chen trust to riding GU
to sea anchor. This alone can save the
vessel. Let her once fall off, get inte
the trough of the sea, and the conse
- quenccs will be expressed in the one
- word Of tho seaman, "Foundered."
Gaming on the Hand.
i,n A father sued an English school