The morning call., 1894-11-11

nation in business that has prevailed for
so much property should be allowed to 90
TO decay is not quite clear.
The place where the vessels are lying is
not pleasant to visit, for more melancholy
or desolate spot would be hard to fiud
Seen from the estuary the row of rotting
vessels does not look so bad, because only
the sterns. free from rigging. ara visible.
But from the marsh, in the mud of which
the prows OF the vessels are firmly fixed,
the effect is most depressing.
The land is covered with scant growth of
browngray marsh grass that springs from
Shiny puddles. On all sides are the wrecks
of yawls, skitfs, whaleboa,s, ETC., mingled
with piles of old rigging, rusting anchors
AMI chains. Little of this stuff is worth
what it would cost to haul it away.
The yes sells show what the elements can
do In a short time if left TO themselves.
Two years ago every one of the vessels was
fl for service. Some of them were old,
bet the masts and yards were standing
and the rigging was in place. 1t would
have taken pretty severe storm to have
torn any of the ropes from their places.
But now things are different. The slightest
breeze causes confusion Of rotten ropes
to swing around wildly. and makes the
masts creak when the yards move in their
rusty fastenings. The decks are strewn
with blocks aud other tackle that have
fallen from aloft, making pile of worth
less wrecsage.
All but three or four vessels are in bad
condition, but some are worse than others.
Tho " n O linz harir RnnD1ipO RiIIor Izs
to be total wreck and is literally going
to pieces. Her rigging is broken and hangs
loose from every mast, and the yards
swing loose in all directions. The foretop-
gallant mast is snapped off short and
hangs to the mast by the few ropes strong
enough TO hold it. Part of the bowsprit is
broken and one end is down in tie mud.
The paint is eff the spars and they are
cracked wide open by the action of the
sun and fog. Planks are off the hull and
the cutwater looks as If it had been
chopped with an ak Nails stick out from
where the wood has rotted away from
them. and the general appearance is that
OF the most battered hulk.
When the Bounding BiIlow was first
laid up in her present position the anchors
were made fast over the bows with ropes.
One is still hanging there, but the ropes
on the other rotted away and allowed it
to drop In to the mud. 1t is quite evident
that the hull is full of water, because the
tide rises very high around her, and when
1t falls, leaving the vessel deep in the
black mud, liny streams run from the
sides. 1t may be possible to put the old
craft in condition, but she looks as if it
would be TO court death to attempt a voy-
age in her.
There are several other whalers rowded
among the vessels. among them being the
Gay Head, Percy Edwards. Helen Me.ri-
am. Alaska and Hiualgo. The hull of the
latter is in the worst shape of the lot. 1t
is almost bare of paint and large number
Of planks are missing. while those remain
ing are rottlng and covered with moss. In
fact the sides of the vessel look as if they
were covered with sods from hillside.
The names of many vessels have been
so nearly obliterated by the elements that
it is impossible to decipher them.
The largest vessel in the lot is the lumber
bark Nonantum. She has been lying in
the marsh for nineteen months and has
apparently deteriorated greatly in value.
She is not a wreck like the Bounding
Billow, but is in such a condition tina,
considerable money would have to be
spent on her to make her seaworthy. The
paint is all off the yards and masts and
they are badly cracked. The wire ropes
are still standing, and apparently in good
conditor, but the others are broken in
several places. The hull OF the Nonantum
is in fair condition, with the exception that
the cooper sheathing is nearly worn off
and the wood planklng underneath is CON-
menciug to lot. The copper has been worn