River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-09-22

the confederate cruisers was then cut
ting a pretty wide swath for herself
out upon the ocean. and sailing ships
that flew the American flag gave
/ strange steamers plenty of room to
swing around in. All, il was exciting
| times then. my boy.
much of it consisted IN the i'm
Promptu races between steamships and
sailing vessels. Many are the ones
have witnessed and taken part in.
There was something TO test the sailor
Talk about seamanship! Let me tell
you some of the people who go to sea
nowadays and call themselves sailors
don't know a jacllstay from dolphin
striker. l can point out to you at
least half dozen steamships in this
very port to-day that have not a man
1 forward of their smolzestacks who can
but began to tell you Of those unex-
/ pected ocean races"
An unconcerned and impartial
listener might have said that he
started to tell of something far diff
/ fercnt. but the ancient and somewhat
garrulous mariner was already outside
OF Cape Hatteras and going south
a-humming before the young man who
was engaged in making hieroglyphics
in his notebook could interpose a re-
minder OF the original topic
I'VE were bound to the Brazils," con-
iinued the old man of the sea, carry
ing a general cargo and few passen-
gers. Our ship had full steam and
auxiliary sail power, and there was
something about her appearance that
suggested a man-Of-war. As / said be-
fore. strange steamships were not de-
sirable acquaintauceS in those DAYS,
and we were not at all surprised to see
every sailing ship take to her heels the
moment we were sighted from the
masthead.
Early one morning. when well off
the Windward islands, the lookout re-
ported full-rigged ship little off the
port bow and standing on the same
course as we we're. The voyage had
begun tn grow a little monotonous, and
we concluded to try our heels with the
stranger, Just for amusement. As soon
as it was dawn we saw from the way
she was piling on canvas that she
thought our appearance too suspicious
to warrant close acquaintance. We
were willing to humor the joke, and the
increased volumes of black smoke that
came pouring out of the tunnels con-
firmed her belief that she had fallen in
with one of the dreaded confederate
cruisers.
''She was clipper-built, however. and
a very fast sailor. aud for several hours
VIC found it as much as we could do to
hold our own with the winged racer.
The wind was blowing in heavy gusts
from the northeast, but the pluclly
skipper held on to his studding sails,
although the frequent squalls threat
ened to carry all his spars over the side.
Toward evening the wind grew
lighter aud suddenly died away to n
breathless calm. Then came the tri-
umph of steam. We were rapidly near
ing the towering pyramid OF canvas,
Hopping idly against the masts, when
suddenly the southern horizon grew
livid from wind-whipped foam, and the
next moment the big clipper was envel-
oped in what is known to seamen as a
white squail.'
Tier sails were taken fiat abaclx, and
in less time than il takes To tell it every
spar went over the side, the masts
swapping short OF above the deck. For
the next few minutes we had plenty to
do in looking out for ourselves, but as
soon as the force OF the squat was
spent, we headed our vessel for the
crippled chase. We felt in a manner
partly responsible for her mishap and
hailed her as soon as we came in speak
srrr- al zx-fFf. hss Snganff,u - 81
fering a tow to port
ship ahoyr yelled our first officer
from the bridge. There came no an
srer to the hail. y second effort was
made with like result We waited
until close alongside, and then hailed
again.
What do YOU want?' shouted a red
faced man. throwing down a marine
glass. through which he hal been de-
ciphering our name. lie had discov-
cred our peaceful character, but the dis
covery did not seem to put him in a
very good humor.
The mate replied with a civil offer
to tow the dismantled clipper to port.
- No you don't cried the red-faced
man. getting still redder in the face.
You don't play any of your salvage
Jobs on me-
The result of the brief conference
was that we finally steamed away,
leaving the hulk wallowing in the
trough of the sea. A few days later
the breaking of a small part of the ma
ehinery compelled Us to steer for the
nearest harbor. which happened to be
that OF Port Of Spain, Trinidad. Well.
would Won believe it. while we were
there that identical ship which we had
left a dismgsted wreck ten days before
came sailing into harbor with every
spar erect and royal yards across.
There Is a specimen of seamanship
for you We didn't admire the man.
ners Of the captain much. but l must
confess that the shipping of the three
spare lower masts which she carried on
deck and the getting of the other sticks
back in place was one of the best
pieces OF 'sailorizing' have ever heard
of.
1T don't require a great deal of skill
to ride out 4 gale. or make your way
from port To port, but let a ship meet
with an experience of that kind and IL
y AaA RE0FG " neither >AAG - ludUufu DN
seamen or landlubbers. faint much
Of job To talk about. but you try To
upright a heavy spar without tackle
above to do it with. and you viii real
ize what an undertaking it is.
The narrator finally found a period.
and his listener. who was more inter
ested in the fate of the man who was
in danger of being hanged for killing
himself than in the details of seaman
ship. asked if the case had occurred on
that trip.
No. that took place on my next
voyage across from Boston. ! will tell |
you about it now. II was my first COM |
mand- The second officer of the vessel |
his name was Williams-was consid- !
erably mixed up in the ease, so it viii |
Oe necessary for me to tell YOU some |
thing about him first He was an un-
considerable liar. for one thing. / re- |
member once his telling story of a !
fellow who fell overheard from the |
main ward one night when the ship !
was in Il gale of wind out in the China |
seas. Williams says a boat was lowered, |
but failed to find the man for the simple |
reason that wave had carried him /
close under the counter. and when the 1
stern sank in the succeeding swell the /
seaman caught on one of the afterport i
ellie Il