The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-03-02
WRECK OF THE SALLY.
story of a Staunch Little Boat and
Her Interesting Crew.

/ am the captain of the fine canal
boat "Sally-No. 452, my wife is first
mate and our baby is the crew. The
''crew" isn't big enough to steer the
mules yet or throw stones at them
when they stop to dine on the bushes
along the tow-path, but he can do his
share of yelling, and as the mules
think the yells are for their benefit and
start up little when they hear the
disturbance, the Grew" earns his salt.
The cargoes we carry are of coal
from the mines, and our trips often ex-
tend to the seaboard, where we see the
ocean blue in the distance, while the
Sally lies moored TO the dock.
Sometimes, in late fall, while an
chored that way in salt water, the
canal will freeze over so we cannot get
back, and we are then forced to spend
the winter IN or on the edge of the
city, for we of course live aboard our
boat, as we own it
My first mate enjoys this hugely, as
she has been told it is quite fashiona-
BILE to spend the cold weather in town.
1t also gives her an opportunity to go
a-shopping, hear the opera, and attend
scientific lectures-same as city women
do.
take much pride in sailing our
mule yacht and many race I've run
and won with her on the canal by
sneaking past the boats ahead of us
while they were heaved to for the
night.
Folks think a canal boat sailor is
something to make fun of, and they al
ways like to get off their little jokes
about being wrecked in storm on the
raging canal. They take delight in
speaking of the larboard mule and the
starboard mule, and like to ask if we
have a spanlSer boom on deck when
ever they see the baby,
They like to call out Breakers
aheadl" when the mule stops to kick at
fly, and slow bridger' and "All
hands to the pumpsl' and "Let go the
main Sheet" and "Weigh anchor!" and
other ridiculous things.
1t makes my first mate mad when
the Sally is treated with such disre-
spectful levity, and sometimes lose
my patience, too, but the baby don't
mind it, so, after all, what difference
does it do?
If the small boys catching catfish out
of the canal think it smart to display
their ignorance of seamanship in these
ways, or if the gFown-up people at
tempt to show off their nautical
knowledge in such silly manners they
can. But if they knew that the Sally
had really been to sea in raging
storm and properly wrecked, and that
those aboard only saved their lives by
a thorough understanding of what is
required in such emergencies, the
laugh would be on them and not on
the captain, first mate and crew of a
mule yacht
Two years ago we were spending the
winter on the Sally, moored alongside
one of the great coal docks of Jersey
City opposite New York.
Our small cabin was handsomely dec
Grated by my wife, and in it we were
as cozy and comfortable as possible.
The baby was then about ten months
old, and in his hammock enjoyed life
immensely. The mules were snugly
stabbed in the forecast after the coal
had been taken out and extra planks
laid on the floor to prevent their kick
ing hole in the bottom, and every
thing looked favorable to all hands
leading serene and happy existence
aboard till spring.
But 'Alan proposes and God dis
poses," as the saying is.
About the middle of January ter
rife wind storm set in, blowing great
guns from the northwest and every day
getting worse.
The cold was intense, the mercury
going to fifteen and twenty degrees
below zero.
Forty degrees below in the western
states was hot alongside Of it, for the
damp, chilling air Of the coast eats
right into the vitals and freezes the
very marrow in the bones.
Keeping warm was out of the ques-
tion. If we could keep alive was enough
to be thankful for
The ever increasing and colder grow
ing gales had ragged for week with
out lull and the fearfully angry