The Portland daily press., 1894-02-05

crow bar down towards the aperture, to
probe for seam, but the crowbur,
which he was not holding tightly, slipped
through his hands and slid rapidly down
through into the fa6homless ocean. At
that moment the captain only knew that
something big had happened Later he
ascertained that six feet of the cardboard
plank nearest the rudder had been torn
off. This plank may be a foot wide but
it is fitted in such way that the
aperture left when it was torn away, was
not foot wide by any means. If it had
been the wound would have been too
much for the James and Ella in very
short order. Probably the width of the
aperture was not much over two or three
extreme stern of the vessel, it was very
hard to get at it to stop it. The first
thing the captain did when he saw the
wafer squirt up was to call for clothing.
The blankets were torn hastily from the
hunks, and these, with some clothing
belonging to the men, were hastily
stuffed into the same, and rammed hard
by means of windlass brake. 1t was
impossible to get at the whole of the
seam directly, as the timber called the
dead wood" lies diretcly over the keel
son, and was in the way. 1t was
necessary to stuff the cloths on both
sides of the "dead wood" and then
fasten wooden braces above SO that the
pressure of the water should not force
the plugs out.
Just about the time this leak had been
stopped the alarm was given that
/ The Pumps Had Given Out.
With the vessel on the point of sinking
this intelligence was bad enough to take
away all the hope inspired by the mend
ing of the. leak. The pumps were hastily
pulled up and found to be checked with
stones that had been washed up from the
ballast. Some of these stones were so
firmly wedged in that they had to be
driven out with the oar handles. In or
der to prevent this disastrous choking
the captain took apple cans and after
punching quite large holes through
them, put them over the lower ends of
the pumps. These kept the stones out
and let the water up, so that the crew,
at last, were able to gain on the water.
By seven o'clock Wednesday morning
after night of terrible anxiety, the
crew began to make an impression on
the flood, which at that time was still
over the cabin door, and dashing about
the forecastle, breaking over the stove
and into the hunks.
The barometer had begun to rise, and
Wednesday evening the pumps sucked. !"
At4p.m. it was calm and they were
in latitude Alas, longitude 64.50. At
this time they started for port. running
north by west until p. m. Thursday,
when they sighted a light. 1t was on the
schooner M. II. Perkins, Capt. John
Scott, which was anchored hand lining.
They told him the circumstances, and he
advised them to abandon their vessel
saying that he would take them ON board
and next day give up his trip and rnu to
Gloucester with them. take no chances
on your lives boys" was the advice OF the
generous old captain, to whom the rescue
of the crew would mean large expense.
The crew were inclined to take his adj
vice, and very soon had what clothes
they had left packed and the dories
ready. But the captain told them that
he should stand by his vessel, and
offered $s5 apiece to any who would take
chances with him. The crew concluded
to stand by him, and Friday morning,
with northwest wind blowing hard
they were headed for the coast. The
leak kept breaking out, and four men
worked at the pumps most of the way,
while others put more clothing into the
seam, as more was needed. AT p.m,.
Saturday they made Isle au Haute, and
yesterday afternoon cane into port here.
The captain and his whole crew were
much exhausted four so badly that they
were sick in their hunks last night But
all were happy and thankful.
Other Harbor Notes.
There was an exciting time in the har-
Dor yesterday afternoon, when the ice in
the bay broke up and was driven up the
harbor. When the ice field was dis
covered by the crews of the schooners in
the lower harbor, anchors were lifted,
sails set and every effort made to escape
damage. Two barks rode it out, with
what degree Of damage is not,known.
The bark Annie Lewis, from New
York, with coal arrived yesterday. She
made very long passage and some
doubts were entertained of her safety.
The Gloucester schooner Vesta, arrived
yesterday with 10000 pounds of cod and
haddock. She encountered very rough
weather, but come through without loss.