The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-02-05
WRECK OF THE SALLY.
Story of a Staunch Little Boat and
Her Interesting Crew.

Story of Staunch Little Boat and
Her Interesting Crew.
am the captain of the fine canal
boat 'Sally-No. 49," my wife is first
mate and our baby is the crew The
Grew" isn't big enough to steer the
mules yet or throw stones al 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 Grew" earns his salt.
The cargoes we carry are of coal
from the mines, and our trips often cX-
tend to the seaboard, where we sec the
ocean blue in the distance, while the
Sally lies moored to the dock
Sometimes in late fall, while an
chored 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 il
My first mate enjoys this hugely, as
snc has been told it is quite fashiona-
hlc to spend the cold weather in town.
1t also gives her an opportunity to go
a-shopping, hear the opera. and attend
scientific lecturcs-same as city women
do.
take much pride in sailing our
mule yacht. and many race I've run
and won with her on the canal by
sncalling past the boats ahead of us
while they were hcaved to for the
night.
Folks think n canal boat sailor Is
something to make fun of, and they al
ways like TO get OFF their little jokes
about being 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 a spanllcr boom on deck when
ever they see the baby.
They like to call out "'BreallcrS
ahead!' when the mule stops 10 kick 1T
n fly, and Low bridge and ''Au
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 such disrc-
spcctful levity, and sometimes | lose
my patience, too, but the baby don't
mind it, SO, after all, what difference
does it do?
If the small boys catching catfish out
their ignorance of seamanship in these
ways, or If the growu-up people at
tempt 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 a raging
storm and properly wrecked, and that
those aboard only saved their lives bv
thorough understanding OF what is
required in such emergencies, the
laugh would be on them and not on
the captain, first mate and crew of a
mule yacht
Two years ago we We're spending the
winter on the Sally, moored alongside
one of the great coal docks of Jersey
City opposite New York.
Our small cabin was handsomely dec
Grated by my wife, and in il we were
as cozy and comfortable as possible.
The baby was then about ten months
old, and in his hammock enjoyed life
immensely. The mules were snugly
stabbed in the forecast after the coal
had been taken out and extra pIanlls
laid on the floor to prevent thcir kick
ing a hole in the bottom, and every
thing looked favorable to all hands
leading n serene and happy existence
aboard till spring.
But MAN proposes and God dis
poses" as the saying is
About the middle of January n ter
rife wind storm set in, blowing great
guns from the northwest and every day
getting worse.
The cold was intense, the mercury
going to fifteen and twenty degrees
below zero.
Forty degrees below in the western
states was hot alongside of it, for the
damp. chilling air of the coast eats
right into the vitals and freezes the
very marrow in the bones
Keeping warm was out of the ques-
tion. II we could keep alive was enough
to be thankful for.
The ever increasing and colder grow
ing gales had ragged for n week with
out luil and the fearfully angry
waves in the bay were leaping noun
tains high and causing destruction and
wreck all around
Old sailors who had lived at sea for
years said they never saw the ocean
any worse Ships were dragging their
anchors and dashing ashore by dozens.
and many lives We're nightly lost in
vain efforts to save the vessels.
| had stout and extra lines from our
fresh water boat to its dock but in
spite of them our frail and unworthy
craft was wrcnched and tossed till /
began to feel we had no business to
risk staying aboard while the storm
lasted.
My wife wouldn't listen to our leav-
ing the only home we had, and vowed
that If | talked of deserving the Sally
again she would head a mutinv to pre-
vent it. So both. of us, being only
fresl,~water sailors and knowing but
little of the force of a saltwater
storm. settled down to remain aboard
in spite of the warnings given to us by
men on the dock.
1t was on the fifth night of the awful
and almost unprecedented gale and the
chilling cold was at its lowest point.
BY stuffing all the crevices of our little
cabin room and keeping the stove red
hot. we made ont to be comparatively
comfortable. Baby was sleeping sound
ly in the middle of a big feather-bcd
on the foor, and in his warm nest was
happily oblivious 70 the tempest and
arctic temperature outside.
by and by, without undressing at all
hrd, IN fact, putting ON Uverrplts and