The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-19
A SAILORS CAP.

= 1t was suitry day following a heavy
gale that had brought up from the south
west heat, mist and rain. The subsding
winds lad left a. long. even swell rolling
In upon the coast. but the surface of
each huge sea was smooth and CLASSY.
The good old frigate Wabash rose and fell
'lazilt at. her anchor; the sails, loosed to
dry, fapped heavily with the swaying of
the masts.
I: Away 10 The weSt..loomed the low-lying
shores of Morris Island, and to the north
- the sandy ebeacb-1ine was broken here and
there by the frowuing walls of Sumter
andthe Wide-reachlug traverses of Forts
Wayne and sullivan, floating the Southern
stars and bars. Beyond, the Steepies of
Charleston rose above the smoke of the
CITY.
! On board ship morning of listIess
activity had begun, as regular in its beats
as the Ia nYementS of well-tlmed clock.
The clothes of the morning watch had
been stretched 10 dry. hung on the grit
=. lines between the fore and main masts, for
-. il jack taT's wash-dav. Suddenly
gentle air came from the land, the sun
burst out. tAe boats wain's whistle shrllled
and the word was passed from spar TO
berthdeck:
''All hands furl SAIL
-. Slowly the MEN swarmed aloft, out upon
men. pitted. against the main, trying in
Qaickened emulation to have their duty
done the nrst. AS the men. laid out at the
command sailors cap fell from the fore
topga4i&nt yard, and bounding and trip
ping agalns st gear and spar FLASHED softly
into the sea close alongside the rolling
frigate. The owner was left bareheaded
at the bqnt.
=: Now,.in sailors cap are stored many
- useful and ANY precious things. Every
thing but his moneys that is kept IN
rough purse of Jacks own making lying
close On his FAIRY chest. In the rim Of his
cap, however. between the pad and the
lining, are his pipe, his plug of tobacco.
.hiSopen-t topped thEmble, a. needle crossed
with thread dixie a boys kite twine) and
often his love letter. to be read and reread
en- his watch below.
How that. sailors cap came to fall is not
in history, but almost as soon as 1t had
struck tie water It's owner toTsook his
duty ON the yard, and, Drawing the dis
pleasareof his mates and the reprimand
that was sure TO follow. he hurried down
the shTouds With an eager. resolute de-
meapor he: approached the officer of the
deck. Pulling his f0relock. IN place OF a
salute, he said. respectfully:
ave lost my cap overheard, sir. It's
close alongside, May fish it up from the
c0mpaHi on-ladder Pr.
The officer, gained over by the mans
earnestness and occupied by the work 60
: ing on in the sultTy air above him, gave a
careless assent as TO a tritle. The sails
were soon rolled up, the gaskets passed
and the men eame down TO deck. just
=: then, as the officer turned to give the
:. order TO haul taut the Tunnlng-gear and
square the yards, commotion on the poop
deck caught his eye-a commOtiUn that de-
noJed some catastrophe.
MAN oveTboardP rang out from a
group Of idleTs gathered near the taffrail.
There was a hurried going to and fro, and
an order shouted, Let 90 the e-buOy,"
by the watch officer. as be FASTENED to the
SIDE
The poft-quarter boat, quickly manned,
was lowered away, but the davit falls
were tangled and itlingered helplessiy.
=: On the. facing slope of mighty swell,
drifting swiftly with the noftberly sci OF
the tide, could be seen poor Jack, motion
less, with 0utstretehed arms, head down
and quite ex nausted: In rapid succession
two figures. eaped up in the hammock net
. tings aud then dived out together from the
frigate's tall black sides. Two heads
bobbed up in the clear green water and
one OF the rescueTs was seen TO be an
officer, a lieutenant. and the other simple
=. sailor, who knew no better thing to do
than to save a shipmate's life. They
struck out braVely for the drowning man,
whose white shirt cleaned in the sunlight
But suddenly a shout came from the
ship. whose buwarks were now fringed
angular I'm cut with the spur of racehorse
= through The water. And here another,
then q third and then score of them at
once. The sharks were gathering like a
pack of wolves.
Tine quarter boat, cleared at last, pulled
from the shade Of the vessel. and the two
rescuers now clipging TO the life buoy,
urged the eoxs ain not to stop for them,
but to make for the drifting sailor. His
figure seemed to be moving slightly. Then
the " bite shirt was tossed about con-
Yulsively, there was an angry swift. and
it disappeared. leaving only a ripple on
the oily water to mark the place Inc
crew stopped their rowing and checked the
boats speed with their oars-too iate.
Some Of T. men gaZed over the sloe down
into the green depths.
Have you ever seen enoal Oh tEou'
around sinking worm?
That's what they saw.
The bowman, as they turned, plcked W
the fatal cause of the catastrophe, the cap.
and hung IL with curse upon the forward
gratlDgs. Then the men,. with WIN G
strained faces, pulled for the two would be
TescueTs,. who chung pale and anxious TO
the life buoy,.and none too sOoD. for the
horrld ms were darting about in all direc-
lions and.deeD IN the lucid water dark
shapes were hurting to and fro.
The quarter boat rose TO her davits again
amidst the silence of 700 men mustered on
the deck. John MOwbray. seaman, DID,
dead, discharged" was entered on the
purser's book. As if nothing had occurred
the men were piped To supper. The relic
of the tragedy. the CAP, remained wet and
sodden on the capstan, tossed there by one
of the boats crew as he passed.
The officer of the watch passing The star
board side of the quartz -deck, deep in
Thought, suddenly noticed sailor stand
. ing at the mast awaiting recognition.
"What is ftp" said the officer, stopping
short; the man saluted.
81 6egs pardon. SIR" be said. "But thai
cap there is John Mowbray's. was with