The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-01-13
THE WRECK OF THE SALLY.
BY II. c. DODGE.


"Sally-No. 452," my wife is first mate
and our baby is the crew. The screw"
ISN'T big enough to steer the mules vet
OF throw stones at them when they stop
to dine on the bushes along the tow
path, but he can do his share of yelling,
and, as the mules think the yells are for
their benefit and start up little when
they hear the disturbance, the 'crew''
earns his salt.
The cargoes we carry are OF coal from
the mines, and our trips often extend to
the seaboard, where we see the ocean
blue in the distance, while the Sally lies
moored to the dock.
Sometimes, in late fall, while anchored
that way in salt water, the canal will
freeze over so we cannot get back, and
we are then forced to spend the winter in
or on the edge of the city, for we, of
course, live aboard our boat, as we own
it.
My first mate enjoys this hugely, as
she has been told 1t is quite fashionable
to spend the cold weather in town. 1t
also gives her an opportunity to go a,
shopping, hear the opera, aud attend
scientjc lectures-Same as city women do.
take much pride in sailing our mule
yacht, aud many race I've run and
won with her by sneaklng past the boats
ahead of us while they were heaved to
for the night.
Folks think canal boat sailor is
sometl ing to make fun Of, and they
always like to get off their little Jokes
about getting wrecked in storm on
the raging canal. They take delight in
speaking of the larboard mule and the
starboard mule, and like to ask If we
have had spanker-boom on deck when
ever they see the baby.
They like to call out "Breakers ahead''
when the mules stop to kick at a dy,
and ''Low bridge and "All hands to
the pumps" and "Let go the main
sheet" and "Weigh anchor, and other
ridiculous things.
1t makes my first mate mad when
The Sally is treated with disrespectful
levity, and sometimes l lose my patience.
toe, but the baby don't mind it, SO
after all, what difference does it do.
If the small boys catching catfish out
OF the canal think it is smart to display
their ignorance of seamanship in those
ways, or if the grown up people attempt
to show off their nautical knowledge in
such silly manners, they can. But if
they knew that The Sally had really
been to sea in raging storm and prop
erly wrecked and that those aboard only
saved their lives by thorough under
standing of what is required in such
emergencies, the laugh would be on
them and not on the captain, first mate
and crew of mule yacht.
Two years ago we were spending the
winter on The Sally moored alongside
one of the great coal docks of Jersey
City opposite New York.
Our small cabin lpas handsomely deco
rated by my wife and in it we were as
cosy and comfortable as possible. The
baby was then about ten months old,
and in his hammock enjoyed life i'm
mensely. The mules were snugly
stabbed in the forecast after the coal had
been taken out and extra planks laid on
the floor to prevent their kicking Il hloe
in the bottom, and everything looked
favorable to all hands leading a serene
and happy existence aboard till spring.
But "Man proposes aud God dis
poses," as the saying is.
About the middle of January a terrific
wind storm set in, blowing great guns
from the northwest and every day get.
ting worse.
The cold was intense, the mercury
going to fifteen and twenty degrees be-
low zero.
Forty degrees below in the Western
States was hot along side of it, for the
damp, chilling air of the coast eats right
into the vitals and freezes the very mar
row in the bones.
Keeping warm was out of the ques-
ton. If we could keep alive was enough
to be thankful for.
The ever increasing aud colder grow
rales had week without