The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-20
MAD ON A WRECK.

Two points off the weather-bow,
SIR"
Can you make her outP"
No SIR"
Report to the captain, orderly 81
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 YETI
Hail the lookout again." said the
captain. 'if he can make anything out
of her now."
ut looks like a wreck, SIR" came
back the answer from the topsail yard.
Now we could plainly make her out
as she swashed and wallowed in the
waves. She had been bark rugged,
but the foremast had been carried
away close to the deck, while the bow
spirit and headboonas held by a tangled
mass of rigging, trailed from her bow.
The upper masts of the main and
mizzen were also gone, and the only
remnant of sail that could be seen
were 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 thorough search. and to gain
all the information possible concern
ing her.
Keep good lookout for your re-
CALL" shouted the captain, as the boat
showed off, for it looks as if we might
have some bad weather before long. :"
It was a hard pull to reach the
TO
her. but by careful management the
boat was shot under the counter, and
one of the crew, seizing a ropes end
raised himself upon her deck, and
then, throwing a line to those in the
boat. she was soon secured, and one
by one the men clambered over the
stern.
A scene of desolation met our eyes.
Forward, the forecastle house had 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 tarnished gilt let
ters was her name. Henrietta" We
could find nothing in the cabin to
show that it had once been the abode
of human beings but torn and water
soaked peajacket under pile of debris
in one corner. 1t was a grewsome
thing to handle, this discarded gar
ment of its absent owner. The pock-
cts were searched, but the only thing
they contained was a flat piece of
wood foot long and six or eight
inches wide. But on this scratched
with some instrument. possibly nail.
were these words: Sprung a leak in
gale. May 10th. Pumps choked; wa
terlogged. Abandoned ship 18th, lati-
tude IA. 10 north. longitude 1925 west,
nine men, provisions for two weeks.
''Well," said the Lieutenant in charge
of the boat, after we had all examined
the writing, there is nothing more for
us to do but blow her up. so get the
torpe6oes ready"
''The recall is hoisted, sir!' cried the
man who had been stationed to keep
a lookout on the ship. and sure enough
a blue flag with white center stream
ed out from the mizzen-royal mast
head of the Croydon.
VERY well! Look alive and man
the boat!" shouted the Lieutenant. as
glancing to windward he saw a heavy
squall of wind and rain sweeping down
upon US.
':All inp" asked the Lieutenant.
':Al in but Thomas, SIR" replied the
coxswain, glancing at the crew.
Where is he : did anybody see
Thomas?" inquired the Lieutenant anx-
iously.
Sing out for him one of you," and
one of the men standing up in the boat
put his hands to his mouth and shouted
through them, Thomas! Thomasm
And as 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.
IA skeleton! a skeletonn he scream
ed, and then fell headlong on the deck.
"a skeleton" cried the Lieutenant.
Pull the boat in a little and l will
see what it is"
The bow oarsman stopped to do so.
but as he did so a heavier sea than
usual tore under the vessels stern.
The line that held US, already worn and
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 furiously. and
slowly at 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 and now
standing on the rail as if about to
plunge into the sea.
Jump. and we'll pick you upr'
shouted the Lieutenant but the wind
caught the words and bore them far
away and he did not hear them, or if
he did his courage failed him and he
dared not do it, and soon the mist and
rain closed in about the vessel and
shut him from our sight.
ship, and when we caught the line
thrown to. US from the Croydon the
boat was half filled with water. That
night for US on board the ship was an
anxious one. Happily toward morn
ing the gale showed signs of abating,
and before the break of day the sea,
which had risen so suddenly, began to
go down. and as soon as it was possi-
Bile we lowered boat.
The Croydon had drifted more to
leeward than the wreck, but we could
soon make her out on the horizon, and
the we'll selected crew, with long and
steady stroke. soon shortened the dis
tance. AS we drew nearer the form OF
Thomas could be seen. leaning against
the rail.
Thank Heaven! he's still aliver'
exclaimed Mr.. Horton, the officer in
charge of the boat. When we came
within hailing distance we shouted to
him words of CHEEKY creating: but