The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-12-10
A CAPE HORN INCIDENT I

bound from a New Zealand port, was
approaching the meridian Of the Horn,
but on parallel more southerly than
it is now the custom OF steamships to
take in rounding that stormy, icegirt,
desolate and most inhospitable Of all
headlands.
The chief officer was on the bridge;
the first breakfast bell had rung and
the captain, smart as naval officer,
in buttons and lace trimmings, quit
ted the chart-room and joined the
mate to take a look around before 60
ing below. This skipper was a man
of eagle sight, and instantly on direct
ing his eyes over the ships bow he ex-
claimed:
'What is that black object yonder?"
The chief mate peered and the cap
tain levelled a telescope
"a ships boat" said he, seemingly
full OF people,
The boat, when sighted, was some
three or four miles distant, and the
speed of the steamer was about thir-
teen knots. In a few minutes the
alarm in the engine room rang it's re-
verbatory warning, sending a little
thrill OF wonder throughout the ship,
so rarely is that telegraph handled on
the high seas. H..
81 count eight men, SIR" cried the
chief mate, with a binocular glass at
his eye.
Again the engine-room alarm rang
out; the pulsing that for days had
been ceaselessly throbbing through the
long fabric languished, and IN few
minutes, to another summons Of the
metal tongue below, ceased, and the
great steamer foated along to. her
own impetus slowly, and yet more
slowly, till the boat was within the
toss OF a biscuit off the bow, with the
passengers crowding to the side to
look, and the sailors and walters and
steerage folk blackening the rail for
ward. r.-.
The occupants of the boat consist
ed Of eight wild, hairy, veritable scare
crows of men, dressed in divers fash
ions-Scotch caps, yellow sou westers,
sea boots, toilworn monkey jackets
and the like.
"Boat ahoyr' hailed the captain, as
she slowly washed alongside. "What
is wrong with your
A fellow standing up in the stern
sheets cried back in a strong Yankee
accent:
"For Gods sake sir, take US aboard.
Our waters almost given out, and
there's nothing left to eat
"Look out for the end of a line"
bawled the captain. care you strong
enough to get aboard without he!p?"
FAY, sir, we'll manage it,
A rope was thrown, and one after
another the fellows came swinging and
scrapping and scrambling up the
clean side OF the steamer. The pas
sengers crowded around and gazed at
them with curiosity and pity. Their
sympathetic eyes seemed to find fam
inc painfully expressed in the leathern
countenances that stared back
through mats Of hair.
"We must bet your boat co." said
the captain.
Can't help it, sir; thankful enough
to be here, reckon answered the
follow who had called from the stern
sheets and who acted as spokesman.
'.Anythin2g belongingto you to come
Nothing, by the Etarnal! Let her
60, sir. If sailors sea blessings can
freight craft, she amt going to float
long"
The boat was sent adrift, the engine
bell rang out, once more the great
mail steamer was thrashing over the
long, tall heave Of the Cape Horn
swell. ....
allow came you into this mess?"
inquired the captain.
The man who had before spoken
made answer: u.s.
'We're all that's left of the crew OF
the Boston bark George Washington.
She was a whaler, l84 days out 1t
were four days ago. was the first to
smell fire some while arter 2 o'clock in
the middle watch" ~.
1T wanted ten minutes to six belis,'
exclaimed man, and a general, en-
phatic, hairy nod followed the inter
ruption. =
II was the first to smell fire." con-
tinued the other, "call it what hour We
like. I gave the alarm, and all hands
turned to with hoses an buckets: But
there was a deal Of oil in the hold,
and the ships planlzs was thick with
grease besides, and that gave us no
chance. BY ten o'clock in the m orn-
ing the flames had bursted through
and was shooting up mast high, and
then we calculated it was time to look
| to the boats.' sE
The others stood listening with
hard, solid, leathery faces, generally
| gazing with steadfast eyes at the
! speaker, but sometimes glancing
askant at the captain and the>crowd
! of others which stood round.
"There was an ugly sea running, y
the man went on, 'and the wheel be-
ing deserted the ship had fallen off and
lay in the trough, and the lowering OF
the stern boats, whalemen though
they was who had the handling OF 'em,
cost our company of twenty eight
souls the loss OF all hands saving them
as stands afore We"
| "a bad job, measly, erueI, bad
/ job!" here broke in a long jawed, man
whose brow and eyes were almost
| concealed by a quantity OF coarse red