The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-05

]
1 reflected the old Boston mariner, 81 re-
| member that many years ago when Capt.
/ William 7. Glidden, formerly of the firm
/ of Giidden & Williams, was In command
OF ship bound to New Orleans. she was
struck by a squall off the south side of
/ Cuba, and the head OF the f0remast
close to the eyes OF the rigging. splintered
| and broke, but held together. The top
mast canted to leeward, and il would have
gone over the side if the broken part
! had separated. Capt Gidden kept the
| ship of, brought the topmast upright by
| the backstays and then took a spare spar.
rove il up through the eatharpins. lashed
it around the broken head of the fore
mast and the heel, or doublings of the
topmast, and around the foremost
below the top. and thus secured the
! lower mast, the tOpmast and all above
| them.
''To think this out was the work of q
second, but hours were required to make
! il complete. By presence OF mind and
! using the material at hand, Capt. Glidden
| saved the expense and delay OF putting
| into port. Seamen. as a general rule, are
| ready reasoneTs. There are no given rules
! by which a disorder can be repaired at
sea all depends upon the experience and
/ skill of the captain or the officers. A cap
] tain who is not an unmitRated egotist will
act upon hint snggested by a common
| seaman.
AN illustration of this kind occurred
in which link OF the sings of the main
yard was broken. While securing the
yard with a tackle q sailor suggested that
a shackle would supply the place OF the
broken link. There were several shackles
/ on board, evidently designed for that pur-
| pose, which had attracted the sailors no
| tice in cleaning out locker, but which
were unknown to her captain and mates.
| In addition to these there were shackles
for every piece of chain rigging in the ship.
/ and for the cables, too. The sailor, in
| turning them over, divided their use. On
/ that same voyage, while bringing the
/ ship mp in the river MerseV during gale
| at Liverpool. the cable parted, but
another anchor and chain saved her from
/ drifting ashore At low water the parted
| chain and anchor were recovered and the
| broken link was rep aced by shackle.
! The shipmaster who fitted the ship out
| when new had provided for such cOntin-
! eencies but as she was then some ten
/
unknown to her officers. The intelligence
of the common sailor rendered them
/ available. These aud various other means
/ TO repair accidents had been regarded a.
so much old iron. This led the captain to
| overhaul the contents of every locker in
| the ship, and he found appliances for con-
| structing a jury rudder, for repairing
! pumps, stopping leaks. and so on. and had
| them properly assorted, that they iuight
be used when required. Ii was evident
that he who had fitted the ship ont was q
man of thought and extensive experience.
aud had made provision 10 meet acct
dents that were liable to occur.
"When Capt Eben Howes command
ed the New York packet Roscius a man
fell overheard while the ship was going
rapidly through the water. Not only
were the life buoys cast adrift, bat spare
studding sail yards, biilets of wood and
| planks were thrown overheard, and a man
was sent aloft to lOok out while the ship
was being brought the wind and tine lee
quarter boat WAS made ready fOr lower
| ing a passenger asked Capt. Howes why
he had thrown so many things overheard.
lie was answered, because they would be
/ guides to the boat in looking after the man.
In a seaway the life buoys. as we'll
as the man, might escape the notice of
those in the boat. ard IN such an event
the other articles would multiply the
chances of finding the man. Guided by
the articles, tho boat, after an hour
search, found the man safely 1oated by a
life-buOy, and in good condition. He had
seen some of the drift wood, and being a
good swimmer made toward it and was
saved. Capt. Cresser. in the ship Flying
Cloud, saved man by the same means,
after he had been two hours in the water.
A mans head is email object 10 find in a
seaway, hence the prudence OF throwing
articles overheard as guides to lind him "