The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1892-01-30
MAD ON A WRECK.

1Wo poihts ou Tue WeatneT-ooW,
SIR"
Can you make her ou,P"
No SIR"
Report to the captain. orderly"
said the officer of the deck to the
marine stationed at the cabin door,
'that sail has been reported from
aloft two points off the weather-bow.
but that the lookout can not make her
out yet"
Hail the lookout again" said the
captain IF he can make anything out
of her now"
1T looks like wreck. sir" came
back the answer from the topsail yard.
Now we could plainly make her out
Is she swashed and wallowed in the
waves. She had been bark rugged.
but the forcmast had been carried
away close 10 the deck. while the bow
spirit and headbonms held by a tangled
mass of rigging. trailed from her bow.
The upper masts OF the main and
mizzen We're also gone. and the only
remnant of sail that could be seen
we're the main topsail yard-arms.
The Croydon was hove to a short
distance to leeward and "a boat at
once dispatched to the deserted vessel.
The officer in charge was ordered to
make a thorough search. and to gain
all the Information possible concern
ing her.
Keep good lookout for your re-
call. !" shouted the captain, rs the boat
showed of. for it looks AS if we might
have some bad weather before long"
1t was "A hard pull to reach the
nd tf,h hnu uy.l
her. but by careful management the
boat vas shot under the counter, and
one OF the crew. seiZing ropes end
that hung over the boats side. quickly
raised himself upon her deck. and
then. throwing line to those in the
boat. she was soon secured and one
by one the men rlambered over the
stern.
A scene of desolation met our eyes.
Forward. the forecastle house Rad been
swept away. and one of the anchors,
torn adrift from its lashings had
pounded an ugly hole in her bow.
Across the stern in taruished gilt let
tiers was her name. Henrietta" We
could tiud nothing in the cabin TO
show that il had once been the abode
of human beings but IA torn and water
soaked peajacket under IA pile Of debris
in one corner. 1t was grewsome
thing TO handle, this discarded gar
ment of its absent owner. The pock-
cts were searched. but the only thing
they contained Was fiat piece Of
wood foot long and six or eight
inches " ide. But on this scratched
with some instrument, possibly a nail,
were these words: Sprung a leak in
gale. May 10Th. Pumps choked; wa
terlogg~d. Abandoned ship l5in. Ia'i-
tude IA. 10 north. longitude 39. - west.
nine men. provisions for two weeks.
We'll. said the Lieutenant in charge
Of the boat. after we had all examined
the writing. there is nothing more Tor
us 10 do but blow her up. SO get the
torpedoes ready"
The recall is lioisted. sr!' cried the
man who had been stationed to keep
lookout on the ship, aud sure enough
blue flag with white center stream
ed out from the mizzen-royal mast
head of the Croydon.
Very we'll! Look alive and man
the boai!' shouted the Lieutenant. as
glancing TO windward he saw neavy
squall Of wind and rain sweeping down
upon US.
'Ali IMP" asked the Lieutenant.
''Ali in but Thomas, sir" replied the
coxswain, glancing al the crew.
Where is he - did anybody see
Thomas?" inquired the Lieutenant aux-
iously.
Sing out for him one of YOU" and
one Of the men standing up in the boat
put his hands TO his mouth aud shouted
through them. Thomas! Thomasm
And rs he did so a man came rush
ing aft from the forecastle house. but
with such look of terror on his
blanched face that few of US recog-
nized him AS our shipmate.
"A skeleton! a skcleton! he scream
ed, and then fell headong on the deck.
"A skeleton" cried the Lieutenant.
Pull the boat in llltle and | will
see what il is"
The bow oarsman stopped to do SO.
but as he did SO heavier sea than
usual tore under the vessels stern.
The line that held US. already worn aud
chafed. stranded uuder the added
strain and the binding squall broke
upon us and carried the boat far away
to leeward.
Bravely the oarsmen struggled to re-
gain the ship. but the boat was too
small and the seas were heavy. but the
wind was now blowing furiousIy. aud
slowly ut first. but soon faster and fast
er, we drifted away from her. We
could see the unfortunate man, now
running back and forth on the deck
like some Gagged animal aud now
standing on the rail as if about to
plunge into the sea.
Jump and we'll pick you 'up!'
shouted the Lieutenant. but the wind
caught the words aud bore them far
away aud he did not hear them or j!