The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-03
VENT MAD ON A WRECK.
GRANGE STORY OF THE OCEAN
mn BY A NAV AL OFFICER.

l.
Dsrel;ct Henrietta end Leaped to
"a. Dsath in the Sea-His Mates
r-,ed to save Him, But Re Refused
70 be Rescued.
From, the Ne.0 York World,
"sail ho"
{" u here away9
Fl "Tyyo points OF the westher-bow, sir"
"Caa YOU make her outT
40, sir"
REPORT to the captain, orderly" said
h. officer of the deck to the marine
a,ioned at the cabin door. "that sail has
a, reoortei from aloft two points off the
raether bow, but that the lookout cannot
snske her out yet.
Meantime a little group of officers had
Auetbered aft. and the men on the forecastle
al crowded close TO the weather-rail, and
IN eagerly scanned the horizon, for q sail in
ret portion of the western ocean was no
rounon thing to see.
"a Il was a dull, threatening afternoon in
lime. and the sloop-of-war Croydon was
Bowling along close-hauied on the port tack,
sl,,u. two hundred miles to the west ward
of the Azores.
" Hail the lookout again" said the cap
tain. ''if he can make anything out of her
now"
1T looks like a wreck, sir" came back
the answer from the topsail yard.
Now we could plainly make her out as
she swashed and wallOWed ia the waves
8 She had been bark-rigged. but the foremost
had been carried away close to the deck while
the towsprit and haadbooms. held by tan
81 ged mass Of rigging, tralled from her bow.
q The upper masts Of the main and mi2zen
nj Of
& sail that could be seen were the tattered
rags that streamed from the main topsail
q yard>srms.
She was very deep in the water, and now
4 an then, as she fetched a heavy lurch, a
d sea would plunge across her deck and Gush
and gurgle from the scuppers, and the only
sign Of life was the sea birds that, fright
enea from their perch upon the vessels
masts, circled round and round aud with
sbrill cries uttered their displeasure.
The Croydon was hove to a short distance
to leeward. and boat at ones despatched
to the deserted vessel. The officer in charge
was ordered TO make thorough search, and
70 gain all the information possible concern
ing her. aud if he should find That the ship
hal been abandoned, as seemed probable, he
waJ to blow her up with the torpedoeS fur
hished to the boat, as in her present condi-
ton she was danger to navigation.
Keep good lookout for your recall
shouted the captain, as the boat showed off,
for it looks as if we might have some bad
weather before long"
1t was a hard pull to reach the wreck and
difficult matter to board her, but by cara
full management the boat was shot under
the counter, aud one Of the crew seeing a
ropes end that hung over the side, quickly
raised himself upon her deck, aud then
throwing line to those in the boat she was
soon secured aud one by one the men clam
bered over the deck.
A scene Of desolation met our eyes. For-
ward, the forecastle house had been swept
away and one Of the anchors, torn adrift
from its lashings, had pounded an ugly hole
IL her bow. Aft, the waves had smashed in
the cabin bulkhead and broken into frag-
meatS the cabin fittings, while overhead the
sphntered wreck Of masts, held by rigging
Whltened by the spray, thrashed to and fro
with every roll of the ship.
Across the stern in tarn shed gilt letters
was her name ''Heurietta." She was lum-
Der laden, and that wns why she was still
afioat But why and when was she aban-
qonedi The ouly places we could search
for eny clew as to the mystery were under
the topgallant focecastie aud IN the wreck
OF the cabin, for down below everything
was wash We could flnd nothing IN the
cabin to show that it had oncs been the
abode Of human beings, but a torn and
water-soaked peajacke5 under a pile of
debris in one corner. It was a gruesome
thing to handle, this discarded garment OF
its absent owner The pockets were
searched, but the only thing they contained
was fiat piece Of wood foot long, per-
haps, and or inches wide. But on this,
scratched with some sharp instrument, pos
lbly nail, were these words: Sprung a
leak in gale, May 10th. Pumps choked:
water.logged. Abandoned ship 18th. lati-
tude A. 10 north, longitude 80 p west; nine
men provisions for two weeks"
That was all. The words had been dug
into the wood in the most lasting way in
which could be preserved the record of their
disaster and placed in the pocket Of the coat,
since this would most likely be one OF the
hrst things to attract the eye of search.
=, Wen, B" said the lieutenant in charge of
Inc boat, after we had examined the writ
ing, there is nothing mere for US to do but
20 dow her up, so get the torpedoes ready" .
lhe recall is hoisted, STRIP cried the man
VINO had been stationed to keep lookout
on the ship, and sure enough q blue flag
win white center streaDed out from the
mlZzenroyal masthead Of the Croyden.
Very well. Look alive and man the
boatl' shouted the lieutenant as CHANGING
70 wlndward he saw heavy squall of wind
ana rain sweeping down upon US. fit had
oeen difficult matter to board the vessel it
was much more difficult to abandon her.
out one by one we managed to let ourselves
uo"n the line into the plunRing boat be-
Heath, but not without many q scratch and
oruise' Quickly the men took their places
Su ths thwartS, and the bow oarsman stood
oy 70 cast Off the line that held US,
An I'M" asked the lieutenant
All but Thomas, sir.n replied the cox
swain, ElRnclnp AT the Craur
here is heidi ANYBODY see ThomasT,i
inquired the lieutenant anxiously.
=, plpg OUT Tor him one of you ;" and one of
L we men standing up in the boat put his
.nuS 70 MS mouth and shouted through
Inem, Ihomasl ThomasI"
u as US old SO lnan came rushing aft
saoil tne 1orecastle house, but with SUCH a
. 20 VI terror on his blanched face that few
~ 20 ieco gnized him as our shipmate
al .t skeleton! skeletonr he screamed,
Su !. eneh iel headlong on the deck.
Tho bon Aoieeon = cried the lieutenant. "Pull
~" u, poat III little and will see what it is
me bow oarsman stopped to do 40. bnt as
tIa uiu SO heavier sea than usual tore under
49,, 'eSSeiS stern. The line that held us.
worn and chafed, stranded under
o, auueu strain, and the binding squall
Inc upon US and carried the boat far
way to leeward.
ba sIiy Tue oarsmen struggled TO regain
sup nut the boat was too small and the
daui"net e neavy, and the wind was now
HIM. ~ lurlousiy, and slowly at first, but
Fbm ha ,s ana faster, we drifted away
IN nef. We could see the unfortunate
IN 1n' now, now running back and forth on the
~ nAe. some Gagged animal and now stand
hsea. - 0Doue 10 plunge into
u lump, and we'll pick Won mp sbouted