Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-04
EXPERIENCE OF A NIGHT.
A Schooner Springs Leak in Terrif
Storm.

Schooner Springs a Leak in a Terrific
Storm.
The American schooner James Wapler
Ponder, which left Portsmouth. \. H., for
New Haven about December 49, was nearly
smashed to pieces during the recent storms at
sea and her crew had very hard experience.
Her captain, James A. Dodd. the first mate. L.
u. Hancock, and the cook and one seaman ar
rived at New York Monday on the steamer
Seneca, from Havana.
The schooner left Portsmouth with a cargo
OF lumber worth S37 900. As she left port she
met with heavy weather and her cargo shifted.
She put into Hampton Roads and had it re-
placed She again started for New Haven on
December %. At that time furious gales were
blowing along the Atlantic coast. The crew had
to work hard. as the strong west-northwest
gallo threatened 20 blow them far out to sea OFF
their course. Some of the sails were snapped
into rags and the big waves belabored the YES
| sell again starting the cargo TO shift.
On the oath the storm increased in the after
noon. The mercury had fallen. and the intense
cold added to the exposure of the crew. The
men were kept constantly on duty, but it re-
quired all their efforts to handle the schooner
In such weather. Drenched by the scattering
spray and benumbed by the frosty wind, that
cut their faces and stiffened their wet Clothes
the Iaen suffered terribly.
The gale seemed to increase in violence to-
ward night AS darkness approached the main
mast was blown down, and the wreckage Gov
evered the deck. The TOP of the mzzenmast
broke of. and sails and ropes fluttered in the
wiud. The seameu felt that their position was
becoming perilous. The vessel seemed TO be
going deeper into the sea, she plunged into a
big mass of water that combed over her bow
An examination was made, and il was discoy-
cred that the schooner had sprung a leak
Water was pouring into the hold in large guam
titles.
Capt. Dodd gave orders to man the pumps.
This was done. but the water continued to gain
Roadway. and soon the hold was filed and the
cabins and the forecastle flooded. There
was no hope of pumping her out now and the
useless task was abandoned. A constant watch
WAS kept for some passing vessel. The schooner
settled lower III the water and big waves swept
over her. Flaming torches he'd been rugged
high up on the foremost signals of distress
to any vessel that CHANGED to pass The hours
| dragged slowly along without any signs Of res
cue. The men suffered greatly. They were
oftentimes up to their waists III water. They
had TO cling to ropes to avoid going ont TO sea.
At midnight, as the vessel pitched from n
rolling wave, "a crested mass of water curled
over the rail and swept aft along the deck. One
of the seaInen started for the foremost. The
wave picked him up bodily and carried him
. along. As he was going over the stern he
seized hawser. and, with the assistance of
another sailor, who answered his cries, he was
saved. The men knew the schooner would not
sink on account of her cargo of lumber. bnt
they expected to be frozen to death or to be
swept overheard.
just before Christmas morning moving
light was seen In the distance. 1t bore down
on the schooner and proved to be one of the
Ward line, steamer Yumuru. bound to Havana
from New York. The captain and crew were
taken the steamer and carried to Havana
and thence to New York.
The abandoned schooner is drifting about the
Atlantic.