The Portland daily press., 1891-02-27
TALsoT's LAST VOYAGE.
louisville Courier-Journa'.l

LOUISVILLE COurler-Journa'.l
On surf fringed island of the Pacific,
where the smoldcring twin volcanoes
frown on flower strewn plains, and the
cocoanut palms nod drowsily to the
rhythm Of the sea, there is set memo
rial tablet which bears the legend;
"Greater love than this hath no man
that he lay down his life for his friend,
and the name above it is that of John G
Talbot, OF Kentucky.
His story is only one of duty done, ant
therefore is lost to the great public, al
though it still lives in the memory OF
his comrades and in the faithful records
Of Che navy department, but it has in il
elements of such heroism and pathos
that it must touch all hearts till Glory
forgets to honor Valor and Love lays
down his golden rose.
He was junior lieutenant in the
United States navy, and was one of the
officers of the United States steamship
Saginaw at the time she broke her back
en the reef of Ocean island in the Oc-
tober of 1870, which wreck was, curious
~ enough, the result of bit of practi-
cal humanity on the part of her COM
manding officer.
In the winter of 1859 congress ap-
proved bill for deepening the cut in the
harbor of Midway island, and for more
Sran twelvemonth after the appropria-
ton was made the work was carried on
by Capt. NOW COMMODORE Sicard and
Large force of men. The task, however,
was very thankless one, and as the ap-
preparation ran out before it was fin
ished, and the winter was setting in
early with unusually boisterous winds
and heavy rains, the dredges and cut
ting machinery were promptly taken up
and slowed, the engines fired and the
Saginaw's nose turned homeward. San
Francisco was the objective point, but
before shaping a course for the Golden
Gate Capt. Sicard determined to run
down to lonely island about seventy
miles to the westward Of Midway to
look up any castaways who might have
found refuge there. This island, or
rather coral reef, is so far out of the
track of vessels that such visits are made
not only with the approval of the de-
partment, but by its command, at inter-
walls of as few years as is practicable.
That the trip was fraught with the
usual dangers incident on navigating I'M
known waters is at once apparent, but
the first hour out developed new and
strange source of anxiety that proved
uncomfortable. The machinery piled
on deck affected the compass SO sensibly
that no reliance could be had upon its
accuracy, and the stars went out SO early
in the night that they had to run by
dead reckoning.
The sea was heavy and the set of the
current was so unusual that the captain
gave the strictest orders about the rate
of speed and the lookout to be main
tanned, and as the ship was due along.
side the island about daybreak he took
the deck himself at a. m.
At this hour, the log showing a dis
lance of thirty-fve miles made since
o'clock of the afternoon preceding, HI
ordered the mainsail close reefed an(
the engines to be kept just turning over
but as the dead reckoning shows twelv'
miles still to run the topsails were lief
standing, and this unfortunately CAV,
the ship decided Roadway, for she wa
running with the trade winds, and it wa.
q case of
The ship was lively and the wind was free.
Suddenly out of the night sprang 6
roar under our very bows, and wall Of
white fire barred the way. High in the
air played a spray of phosphoric bright.
ness, and the sullen boom of the surf was
like the ominous detonations of minute
gun.
1t was the reef!
The shrill cry of the lookout, Break
ers aheadr' seemed to deprive the men
Of both speech and motion. They stood
as if paralyzed, and it was only when
the officers leaped to the ropes, tugging
like madmen, that they followed; and
even then they moved heavily-'like in
dream" the captain said; and though
they hauled and reefed, mechanically
their eyes were fixed gloomily on th'
line of leaping surf, and their ears wer'
filed with the sound Of the death blow
raining on the ships sides.
The engines were reversed on the echo
of that awful cry, the watch tumbled
up, and all hands struggled and strained
at the topsails, while the air resounded
with the hoarse voices of the officers Civ
ing and transmitting orders, and the
piercing shrek of the bos'n's pipe cut
the air like a scinetar.
For few minutes the balance of
chances hung even. But the pressure of
steam was too light as against the pull
of the topsails, and just as the canvas
was clewed up she rose on the crest of q
great wave and fell on the ridge of the
reef.
In ten minutes she bilged-she had
flooded her holds at once-and vet SC
good was the discipline that not only
was every soul landed safely on the isl
and, through wind and rain and snatch
ing seas, but few stores were saved as
well.
Here was a cruel reversal of situa
tons. From rescuers they were becom,
objects OF rescue, ana OF inns last thu
chances seemed too remote to be enter
tanned. except as hope.
.rne island was absolutely sterile
There was neither wood nor fresh water
There was no place to shelter, and tn
nearest attainable land was 1900 mile
away, Midway being impracticable for
ssSIhoat at that season ON account of tn
trade winds.
But all this had to be-seen in glimpse
by the men, and recognized by the ON
cars only as it came up in the course 0
official routine, for no sooner did dal
dawn than the seamen were told OIL II
measee, water was distilled by means o.
an old boiler, two boats crews were de
tailed to travel between the wreck anc
snore to save whatever they could, az
eLpiosng party was sent out to do the
stand and charts were eagerly examined