Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-26
LlFE-SAyING OXEN.
How They Worked al tho Wreck Of The Brig
Quonao
ny sIdnsy clare.


plOughs than for heroic service.
Yet more than once oxen have helpcN
In more noble deeds Certainly there
lived many years ago In New Jersey n
yoke Of oxen whose humble WORK de-
serves 10 be known, though they them
selves have long been dead.
The British brig Quongo went ashore
one pight In northeast storm on the
New Jersey c0nst aud lay helpless an
the breakers.
The waves swnshcd everything NOV
able from tho deck and would have
quickly swept the sailors away had they
not climbed the masts and dashed them
selves fast. With every great wave the
brig rollod first toward then away from
the beach. and flung her heavy mast,
back and forth like whips, and would
have tossed the sailors of into tie break
ers had they not been securely fastener.
Helpless aud almost hopeless the
men lonCcd for day, yet feared that
though their vessel held together until
morning no one would be able to come
10 the rescue.
When daylight showed them the shore
they saw that Il was near, but between
their brig and the beach rolled AMI tuin-
BLEED q fearful surf through which no
boat could 20, and no swimmer could
hope to pass The poor fellows tclt
ccftnin that they must die In the rigging
or perish iu the surf. and that there was
little choice between the two.
The government had not yet built
along The const its lifc-s0ving station
houses: though it had begun 10 think OF
shipwreckcd people and had PROVIDED IL
some places lie eur. mntnr ana me
and other things necessary 60 send the
cnr ont OF tho WRECKS: but it had not
furnished any life-saviug crews. IL en-
plOyed lust ono man nt curh of the Few
places where it had a life car and eN-
pectcd him To- gct his ncightors 10 help
~ time of WRECK
The brig had gone ashore near the
station known as "Old No o." The man
in charge of the life car there was u
Young fisherman uaiued John Durscu
flc was modest. quiet follow but oH
brave and sensible and cool aH man
need DO In time of danger Young Dor
sott liycd near the shed iu which the car
was sheltered. and 10 help TN his other
business hp kept u yoke of oxen.
A soon us 10 was light cfpugh 90 dis
tiuguish objects. Dgrsett went ont ON
tie beach the morning OF the wreck TO
hook igr vessels in dgn@r = he wi49
WAS blowing so hOrl that lie could
scarcely keep his footing, anu though
the rain fcil heavily at times the wind
blew the sand sharply Into hiS face as
he stood looking windward, nearly blind
ing him.
But after moment he caught sight Of
the rolling Qu0nEo and saw she WAS ~
EIiiflI iHiIN'NNr tfIll aus lN kAtM % iANA'
lighter. ln Mugc out ihr men ~ mo
iiggiag. lie knew be could not wait
10 rouse 2. distant ncighhOrs for help.
lie Thought quickly He went at once
and yokpd up his oxen and mnde ull
haste with thr cart to the shed ior the
life cur. nul then himself loaded the
mortar Bt the hruvy ear Itself was
too much for him Fortunately % neigh
hur who had suied the wreck came rum
ming dowi. The two got the car into
the cart aud started the oxen for the
beach. As they were leaving the shed.
n third man came running I'm ana the
three wore soon no the shore.
The mortar was set on The sand and
loaded by young Dorset. while the two
men Lcld him over the turpnulin TO keep
the powder dry The mJrmr with "a
double charge 0f powder was fired, la
II was moro of chance shot than an
aimed one, for the wind blew m gusts,
aud there could be no certainty whether
there would hc gust on % calm no the
instunt of iring Perhaps 10 was q
good aim; tie ball went so close tl th2
foremost that the Eur attached 60 Il
came near enough to be caught by the
mate I'm the rigging.
Quickly hp pulled in the thin line and
then drew to the vessel the thicker one
and after that the great huwscr on Witch
the Cng must swing und slip along
While the mate was doing ibis tll' mon
on shore were digging n the sand "a
bury the sand anchor ANA tt.ng up th0
shears on which he shore huw3rr wI,
30 rest and fixing hp car 20 stnrt along
the mighty rope.
Mon work fast IN q wreck aud by the
time the hawscr had been drawn Co th,
brig and fastened tgut 10 hcr masthead
the ear vas there and ready 90 b. pulled
on board.
Now young Dorset, had time 70 sent
Ia d
the FURY Of the storm. Tor they w3ul,
uot stand. AMI beloved With czciicmyn
and kept 90 tle move.
When tho car reached tie vessel thre.
Of the snilor speedily g.t iu and Wcr,
shut inside aui thg car started back
The three men 0n shore pulled away
10 bring " through tho surf, hut thlugl
they got i along quito well until ID mc
the return waves thpro lhay Wrre stop
ped. They could pun il nearer thu shpri
with each breaker but the returning
wave every slime carried u bpck towarl
The brig. For % while tho three tuggo,
with an their might gaining what Che.
had lost as the hrcabcn came Ga. bu
LOSING most of Il whon the water rushr,
brrk--ihp force of the great surf ever
pulled thrn along too,
They knew giat the men shut up %
the close ear must soon sulluchtc
Something more must be done or not
might go tp pieces gny moment
Tile wind WAS blowing SO furiOusl.
nnd rouring 80 loudly tint thu breath
leHa liie savers were forced iO max
one nuothpr understand by sign.
fOuHg D0rsptt motnned 90 the other
90 hold the car gs wei ns possible. nu
rushed Tor tie oxen. Ia a few minute
llc caue back driving the oNatp
hunts before him. Vhey were hnehc
10 the rope az the ear aud started b
shore md then ln spite uf the wind am
breaker aud return swell, the car cam
ashOrci and tle three men Ia it wcr
taken ont alive.
Speedily was the car pulled bac
along the hawscr aud another load q
sailors brought into the breakers
Again tht oxen did their work an
another little company cuinp safe m
OF the car and how they checref Ga
mighty oxen.
40 length after several trips the ca
had an ashore except the captain. stow
ard aud mate. They remained Ia Ill
rigging For the last time tho car ~
turned to the QuongO. But as M
three men hurried Into II tho br
swung toward the shore and there III
lay the hawscr hanging down nlmO
straight into the water white the ci
was Kept fastened 10 the mast to ke,
Il from dropping down directly into n
surf The nate who had every tin
managed the car ut the brig, stOt
ready 20 let 80. But the ship did M
swing back ~ last he dared not wal
Holding the door OF the car 81 one hai
and tile knife Ia the other he DrpDarl