The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-02-05
EBENSBURG. PA FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3. 1892

wraps wife and | lad down and tried
to sleep and forget how the gale was
shriclzing in the black night without
and how our boat was crcalling and
straining and tossing on the rough wa
terS.
The wind and the rocking of our
craft after awhile made rs sleepy, and
soon we Were slumbering as soundly
as the baby.
l was dreaming of shipwrecks and
drowning when suddenly awolle.
1t seemed as if our boat was pitching
harder than ever and being battered
and knocked about frightfully-
The noise of the hitting against the
wharf and the crcalling of the ropes /
missed. l got on my feet and man
aged to get to the little window and
peer ont through the frosted glass.
The city lights had vanished and
nothing but intense blackness met my
gaze
Something was wrong | knew.
Mounting the ladder stairs and open
ing our little hatchway door ! looked
out. We had broken loose from the
dock and we flying before the shricll-
ing gale and the huge waves to almost
certain death.
Where we were-what to do l knew
not j quickly reused my wife and
told her of our danger. How brave and
how calm she looked Her courage
made mine.
Leaving her to bundle things on the
baby and prepare for what was 10 hap
pen, ! stuck my head outside again to
try and discover 4 way to safety if
there was one.
We were drifting rapidly across the
bay, and so far, luckily, had not struck
an anchored vessel
Behind us | could see the distant and
disappearing lights OF New York city.
In front the lighthouse on Robbins
reef, and beyond that the lights on
Staten Island.
Ii we were not carried out on the
ocean through the Narrows-if we did
not collide with a ship or strike the
reef, we probably would bring up
against some docl, on Staten Island
providing our frail and clumsy craft
lived to get there
As soon as we struck anything, I re
allied too surely that in Il moments
time after the crash we must founder
and die.
Our only chance, then. was TO be
ready TO leap. if possible, on the object
we should dash against, and trust Prov
idence for the rest
The Sally had whirlcd around, and
was rushing stern foremost through
the laundering pillows, ard l hoped
when we struck that end on which
we were would hit first If it didn't,
no use lcaping. for we never could all
of us make our way over the icy. slip
perry two foot wide deck on the boats
sides TO its other end.
Passing large ship so close that I
thought our end had come, barely miss
ing the lighthouse reef, we were fast
approa ching Staten Island-and the
NarrowS.
For time il looked certain that we
would be swept scaward and surely
pcrish-then we switched around and
went before the wind straight for the
island docks. Five minutes / calcu-
lated and our fate for life or death
would be sealed
Getting rope placed our darling
baby, laughing and growing ut the ex-
citcmcnt. on its feather bed. rolled the
soft bed entirely around il, trusting IL
wouldn't smother for awhile, and bound
the precious bundle firlaly with the
rope. Taking it in my arms, bidding
my brave and quiet wife to hold me
and follow, | gained the stern. over the
slippery boats deck
Thank heaven, we were still stern
foremost-daShings straight on IA dock.
One more moment of suspense and
horrible drcad-thcn with a crash that
smashed the boat under us like an egg
shell we hit the wharf.
At the same instant. before the wreck
could rebound flung bed and baby on
the dock, seized my dear wife's hand
and lcaped for life.
We landed safely alongside of our
child-thcn down under the raging
water plunged our good boat, drown
inF the awful cries of the poor mules
left ca board
Cutting the ropes to give air to our
babe, blown along by the blasts be-
hind Us. We reached land and a house
and, sCon inside, found shelter and a
warm welcome.
We also found the Sally after the
storm was over, raised and meuded her,
and now she is as good as ever for
fresh water sailing, which she means
to stick To [Or the balance of her DAYS.
And this is why l am provoked when
land lubbcrS try TO ridiculc her, or her
captain, mate and crew-H. c. Dodge,
in IIOOlall'S sun