The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05
SAVED By THE LEAD LINE.
Wonderful Escape OF the ship Cyrus
WekefeId's Chief Oa3cer.
From the Ne,v York Times.

{
Wekeheld's Chief Oncer.
From the Netv York Times.
An entry made in the log book OF the big
sailing ship Cyrus Wakefield on Christmas
day tells with log book brev1ty that "Will-
lam Mitchell, chief officer. was knocked
overheard by the spanker boom and hauled
aboard again by the deep sea lead line; ship
under three lower topsAils at the time.
strong gale from west northwest, and very
heavy sea running. Time, O'Clock in the
afternoon; lat. "a p N, long. s. IL
W"
That is pretty much all there is to it."
said bronzed-faced Capt Morton, as he re-
clined in an easy chair in his comfortable
cabin. Then he told how his chief officer
had happened to take a plunge over the
counter, and what means were adopted to
rescue him.
The gale, the captain said, had been blow
ing for twenty-four hours previous to the
accident Il came with such strength that
it was thought advisable TO put the ship
under snug storm canvas. and with only
her three lower topsails showing TO the blast
she was bowling and steering over the seas
and shipping one occasionally over her
decks The chief officer had the watch, and
along toward o'clock in the afternoon his
duties called him 70 the after part of the
ship. He assembled the poop ladder, and,
after momentary glance at the pinnacle,
| walked aft on the lee side Of the deck.
The ship was rolling easily, but deeply in
the swell. As the officer neared the Stern
Of the ship the vessels bow sank over one
of the mountainous slopes and, before she
had recovered from the deep windward
roll, the piece of gear which held the
spanker boom in place was carried away.
The heavy bonn swung across the deck with
the next heavy lurch. struck the mate a
terrible blow and knocked him clear over
| the rails into the waves boiling around che
| counter.
One of the crew saw the mishap, and af-
| ter giving the alarm of MAN Overboard!"
rushed to the stern aud tossed a life buoy to
the struggling officer The captain, who
was In bis cabin, heard the shout aud hur-
ried on deck The mate, who was a strong
swimmer, was battling bravely with the
| waves and doing his utmost to reach the
buoy, which had fallen within short dis
lance from him. He finally managed to
reach it and thrust it over his head.
The captain, meanwhile, had cut another
buoy adrift from its fastenings and ordered
that line be bent on to it. The deep sea
lead line, lying in a coil near by, was seized
and made fast to the buoy. As soon as it
was fastened one Of the stoutest seamen
| hurled the buoy in the direction of the
swimmer, who was then far astern. The
ship had been forging ahead all the time,
although the helm had been put down so as
| to make the tOpsaiis hold as little wind as
possible. The seas were much too heavy TO
admit the lowering OF boat and the crew
were none too sanguine that they would
be able to rescue their shlpmate.
The line was paid out as fast as the ship
drew away from the swimmer. When the
end was reached another was bent on and
that tossed over the side One of the crew
scrambled up to the mizzen topsail yard
to keep the poor fellow in sight. He
was still swimming, he reported, making a
good fight of it, although be had not yet
reached the second buoy. The men who
had been on watch with him knew that his
feet we're incased in heavy rubber boots,
and they wondered how be mad managed to
keep ef1oat so long With those heavy incum-
brances dragging him down.
In spite Of all efforts of the belmsman 20
keep the ship close TO the wind, she was
gradually drawing away from the strug.
Cling seaman. But that little cherub which
is supposed to sit up aloft and keep q
weather eye on the fortunes of poor JACK
interposed in favor of this one, and he was
in sore need of the aid. The wind, which
had been blowing in heavy gale, suddenly
| lulled to q fresh breeze The moment its
diminution was felt the captain gave the
order, "Man the weather main braces
| brace aback"
The main topsail was swung against the
mast aud stopped the vessels Roadway as
quickly AS If she had run into a mud bank
A minute later the swimmer succeeded in
reaching the second buoy, and when the
lookout on the topsau yard had reported
that be had it fast about him, the crew
| tailed on TO the line and began to haul on it
| with a will. Their zeal was greater than
their discretion
Tremendous seas were rolling, aud the
rapidity with which they drew in the line
hauled the mate literally through the heavy
| There were nuita a nu11har NJ fharo
to be encountered before he reached the
ship, and as he afterward remarked, he be
gan to wonder il he would survive them all.
The men continued to put all their strength
on the lie, and as he disappeared behind
big roller and emerged few minutes latter
from the other side of it, his comrades
could hardly reDress a laugh, although it
was a very serious matter to the victim.
To prevent the buoys from being dragged
away from him he had taken hitch with
the line around his neck. The result of this
experiment was that he was being hauled
aboard feet foremost That method of tow
ing was all very well in its way. he said,
but in heavy sea it was very filling. SO to
speak. According TO his idea it forced him
to swallow about two-thirds of the Atlantic
ocean, which he thought was q little more
than his share.
When the mate was finally got on board
he was more dead than alive. He was im-
medietely pus into mis- bunk covered up
with blankets and bottles of hot water put
around him. Liberal doses of brandy served
to revive him. aud when he was fully re-
covered he found time to explain how he
had got rid of his boots, as it was noticed
that he was minus those articles when he
was hauled aboard.
Zone OF them I kicked off," he said,
"when first touched the water. The
other was not so easy, and l had to cut ii
from my feet with knife. To show you
that was not much excited / have the
knife here yet. / remember closing it up
and putting 1t in my pocket again."
The ship which he involuntarily left is
from Liverpool, sixty-6ve days out. The
vessel was four times driven off the coast by
adverse gales