Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-11-08
Saint Maru's Beacon
Brave Abel

was, TOO.
He was one of a party of young
men who annually made a fishing
excursion and pleasure trip to the
Chesapeake Bay in a sailing vessel
hired for the purpose. and of which
Abe was the skipper.
One one particular trip of this
club an act of bravery was perform
ed by Abe, which, liz the course of
another year, was the direct cause
Of his death.
The sailing vessel used for the
trip was a two-masted, schooner
rugged affair, well built and calcu-
lated to stand against the ordinary
storm of the Chesapeake. Embark
ing at Lecnardtown, on the lower
Potomac, we set sail for Point Lock
out just on the mouth of the river,
intending to anchor for the night;
but a strong wind was ahead of us,
and, the point being an exceeding
ly rocky and dangerous place,
Skipper Abe decided to make for
the bay, and take shelter in one OF
the numerous coves to be found on
the shore.
So the sails were reefed and the
'Kitty's' head set to the wind, and
all hands settled down on deck for
a smoke and round of jokes.
At the wheel stood Abe, a man
over 6 feet, slender, and with every
sinew and muscle in his body a
tower of strength. But when he
stood in the light of the full moon,
where there were no shadows to
cross his countenance, one could
not help detecting and approaching
the determined and set expressions
of his clear blue eyes. He was a
jolly companion, yet when he called
he crew. as he had named his fell
low-companions, a more obedient
set of tars never strutted deck.
We had been out several days and
nothing had occurred to mar the
pleasure of the trip, and our success
as fishermen had been fully estab-
lished (it would be out Of the usual
had we had other than a plentiful
catch.)
But an event was about to be re-
corded on our logbook, which threat
ened to turn us unexpectedly back
on our return trip, q very sad party
of fishermen and pleasure-seekers.
We were nearing the Roads about
sunset of the seventh day, when the
waters of the bay began to show
signs of trouble, and q dark, ugly
cloud could be seen just above the
horizon.
The skipper was not very COM
municative, but had his eye on the
clouds, and we knew that we were
in for storm, and one of unusual
severity, too, for that locality.
We headed for the Roads, but as
night came upon us the storm gath
cred. The wind threatened to car
~ off our canvas, but Abe had us
all at work with the rigging, get
ting the canvas in shape TO keep
ahead of the gale. Fate appeared
against us, however. The little
vessel tossed about on the great
waves like toy boat. The waves
dashed high and the lightning and
phosphoroscent effect of the salt
water were so vivid that one could
hardly keep his eyes open.
A flash of lightning, a tremen-
dous roar of thunder, followed by
a billOw of immense proportions,
was the forerunner of our most ex-
citing incident.
One of the crew stationed at the
bow of the vessel deserted his>post
and fell SPECIFICS at the feet of
Abe and his assistant at the wheel.
He made vain effort to speak, but
all that could be gotten from him
was the single word, Steve We
knew in an instant that his COM
panion forward was Steve and that
something had happened to him.
Stripping of his coat and throwing
off his shoes Abe put his fine eye
upon the turbulent waters for a
second and disappeared over the
vessels side.
The lightning furnished enough
light for him to see a struggling
form on the waters surface, and
despite the ferocity of the wind, the
heavy rain and high waves he man.
aged to reach the apparently drown
ing Steve, and buoy him until the
boat was manned and both pulled
over its sides, more dead than alive.