Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-09-01
For the Ellsworth American.
4 Hurricane at Sea in 1861.

n
We left Boston September 9th, bound
to San Francisco in the ship Electric
Spark. Some forty ladies and gentlemen
us off who were to return TO town in the
tug. We took caterer with US who
served a collation. for our guests and all
enjoyed the occasion and, as some eX-
pressed it, had an elegant time" We
set all sail We proceeded down the har-
Dor, the wind being light and fair, and
when We reached Minot's Light our guests
wished us a short and pleasant passage,
inside of three figures" shook US hv the
hand, hade Us goodbye and went onbosrd
of the tug. The tug steamed around our
ship, our friends gave three cheers which
were answered by our crew, and the tug.
with her bow pointing downward. ssluted
Us with three blasts OF her whistle, We
dipped our ensign. handkerchiefs were
waved. hats were lifted as final adieu.
and We kept on our course seward.
There was 8 heart-sinking within us as
we parted, and made an entry In nv
journal as follows. Friends, farewell
and when next we meet may It be with the
War Of the Rebellion ended, our country
happy and united under the folds OF the
stars and stripes, and the hydra of seces-
sion crushed by the heel of our nations
power"
We had light winds and due weather for
three days, but At the end OF that time in
the Gulf Stream We encountered hard
gale from south southeast accompanied bv
4 rough sea and rain. Then the wind
came out from the westward and cleared
up, TO that We congratulated ourselves
that we had encountered "the line gale.
and that We should then get along into the
trade-wind region with the ordinary wealth.
er. But on Sunday. the 18th, the weather
Vas stormy again, the thermometer fell
fast, and there was bad swell from T. S
T.. with the wind from that quarter Iu
the afternoon We took In all the light sails
and al L. NJ. took in the upper topsals,
mainsa. and ji5- For a few hours the
ship sailed along under three lower top
sails furesail foretopmast- staysail and
spanker but with wind and sea gradually
increasing. AT 10 O'Clock 7. NJ the man
on the lookout came aft where the mate
and | were standing and said that the lib
was working atrift from the boom to
which il was furled. The mate went
forward and sent six men of his watch
out to secure Il. The men started with
out hesitation and had just got into place
upon the boom W hen the ship made ter
rible plunge, put the boom under the water
and Immediately thereafter there arose the
dreadful cry of "a man overheard" |
ran to the lee side of the poop, seized
rope and held it ready to throw TO the men
in case they were seen near enough to do
50. The other men who were upon the
jib-boom at the time, with the rest of the
watch and the mate, ran aft on the other
side Of the deck and seized ropes to throw
10 them in case they were seen or heard
as the ship sailed past them. In short
time, which seemed almost an age, they
were seen upon the weather quarter and
ropes were thrown towards them, but it
being against the wind, they scarcely
cleared the side of the ship as she swept
past, leaving them in the inky darkness
astern. | ran over TO the other side of the
deck and caught a passing glimpse of
them through the rain and darkness strug-
Cling in the water, and once heard their
despairing cry for help, which came to my
ears through the storm. That died away
and we were left with the narrowing
thought that our shipmates must perish
almost within the sound Of our voices,
while We were powerless to rescue them.
1t would have been folly and madness to
attempt TO lower boat on such night as
that for no boat could have got clear of
the side without being stove, and. if she
had, In the gale and darkness she would
never have reached the ship again.
All hands were mustered aft and count
ed, when it was found that the missing
set, Me-, and James II. Archer, of Fair
Haven, Mass. They were young men of
good promise and were highly esteemed
by all onboard. My feelings on that night
can be better imagined than described, and
from my heart there went up prayer to
Almighty God "for the rest of their souls,
and that He would receive them unto Him.
self, to that haven of safety where they
OF eternity"
| The storm still ragged and there was lit
tie time to weep and sorrow over our lost
shipmates. for the ship and her crew need.
ed our best thought and action, as the gale
was increasing and there was work to be
done. The spanker was then furled and
the men went forward to haul up and furl
the foresail. In doing that some of the
ropes parted and 1.-The fiuttering canvas
strewed the gale" leaving nothing but
the bolt ropes and a few pieces of duck.
The foretopmast-staysail blew away about
that time leaving the sheets and bolt ropes
as it had been set. Then it was midnight
the wind had shifted from E. s. E. to E.
N. E. and blew a very hard gale, the ship
having three lower topsails set heading up
by the wind.
| | should have taken In the lower fore
and mizzen-topsails had thought it pru
| dent to start the sheets. which I was sure
if they once shook in the wind there would
be no canvas left to them. So we let them
stand, hoping they would hold on until the
Gale abated. Ats O'Clock A. NJ. of the
10th the wind hauled to N. N. E. and blew
with terrific violence. blowing away ouI
lower fore and main-topsails. The miz
zen-topsail, being smaller than the others,