Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-08-12
THE WATERBURY EVENING DEMOC1sAr, WE

uOuS SWOOp naQ C6rrloQ away the 1lDs boom and the foretop-gallant mast the one close against the bowsprit head, the other 8 few inches above the top-gallant yard. The mast, with the royal-yard upon it, hung all in heap against the fore-top mast, but fortunate ly kept steady, owing to the yard-arm having jammed itself into the fore-top mast rigging. The jib-boom was clean gone adrift, and was washing away to leeward.
 This was no formidable accident, though it gave the ship wrecked and broken look. I should have been well pleased to see all three top-gallant masts go over the side, for the weight of the yards, swaying to and fro at great angles, was too much for the lower-masts, and not only strained the decks, but the planking to which the chain plates were Dolted.
 My great anxiety now was for the foretop-mast, which was sustaining the weight of the broken mast and yard, in addition to the top-gallant yard. still standing, and the heavy pulling of the foretop-mast staysail.
 Dreading the consequences that might follow the loss of this sail, 1 called to the steward at the top of my voice, and on his thrusting his head up the companion, bade him rouse up Cornish and the boatswa ain, and send them on deck.
 In very short time they both ar rived, and the boatswain, on look ing forward, immediately comprchended our position and anticipated my order.
 ''The top-mast I'll go!' he roared in my ear. Better let go the staysail- halyards, and make a short job O it. '" Turn to and do it at once," I re- piled. Away they skurried. I lost sight of them when they were once of the poop, and it seemed an eternity be- fore they showed themselves again on the forecastle.
 No wonder! They had to wade and struggle through rough sea on the main-deck, which obliged them to hold on, for minutes at time, to whatever they could put their hands to.
 Iwanted them to bear a hand in get ting rid of the stay-sail, for, with the wheel hard down, the ship showed a tendency to fall off. But it was im- | possible for me to make my voice heard-l could only wave my hand; the boatswaln understood the gesture, and l saw him motion to Cornish to clear off the forecastle. He then ran over to leeward and let go the foretop- mast staysail sheet and halyards, and. this done, he could do no more but take to his heels.
 The hullabaloo was frightfnl-the laundering of the sails, the snapping and cracking of the sheets.
 Boom! I knew It must follow. It was a choice of two evils-to poop tho ship or lose a mast.
 Down came the top-mast, splinter ing and crashing with sound that rose above the roar of the gale, and in a minute was swinging against the snroud-an awful wreck to behold in such scene of raging sea and buried decks.
 It was only by the most desperate txertions and gallant efforts that the boatswain and Cornish succeeded in cutting away the ratfle that encum- bered the decks and threatened the inn mediate destruction of the ship. Bravel and better work than these two men performed was never seen. And yet only the day before one of these men was mutineer, blood-stained already, and prepared for new murders!
 Strange translation! from base Villainy to actions heroical! But those who know sailors best will least doubt their capacity of gauging extremes