The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-25
THE TRAGEDY OF A SAILORS CAR
A TRUE STORY.


THE TRAGEDY OF A SAILORS car.
A TRUE STORY.
1t was a sultry day following
heavy gale that had brought up
from the southwest heat, mist and
rain. The subsiding winds had
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 Wa6aM rose
and fell lazily at her anchors; the
sails, loosed to dry, Tapped heavily
with the swaying of the masts.
Away to the west doomed the low
living shores OF Morris Island; and
to the north the sandy beach line
was broken here and there by the
frowning walls of Sumter and the
wide-reaching traverses of forts
Wayne and Sullivan, floating the
Southern stars and bars. Beyond,
the steeples of Charleston rose above
the SlllOke Ol luS CITY
On board ship a morning Of list
less activity had begun, as regular
in its beats as the movement of a
we'll timed clock. The clothes Of
the morning watch had been stretch
ed to dry, hung on the girt-lines
between the fore and main masts,
for it was jack-tar's wash-day
Suddenly a gentle air came from the
land, the sun burst out, the boat
SWANS whistle shrilled, and the
word was passed from spar to berth
deck
"All hands furl sail.
Slowly the men swarrned aloft,
out upon the yards, and furled away,
the fore topmen pitted against the
main, trying in quickened emulation
to have their duty done the first.
As the men laid out at the command,
a sailors cap fell from the foretop-
gallant yard, and bounding and
tripping against gear and spar,
FLASHED softly into the sea close
alongside the rolling frigate. The
owner was left bare-headed at the
bunt.
Now in a sailors cap are stored
many useful and many precious
things. Everything but his money
that is kept in rough purse OF
Jacks own making, lying close on
his hairy chest. In the rim of his
cap, however, between the pad and
the lining, are his pipe, his plug Of
tobacco, his open-topped thimble, a
needle crossed with thread dixie a
boys kite twine), and often his love.
letter, to be read and re-read on his
watch below.
How that sailors cap came to fal
is not in history, but almost as soor
as it had struck the water its owner
forsook his duty on the yard, an6
Drawing the displeasure of his mates
and the reprimand that was almost
sure to follow, he hurried down the
shrouds. With an eager, resolute
demeanor he approached the officer
of the deck. Pulling his forelock,
in place of a salute, he said, respect
fully;
"I've lost my cap overheard, sir.
It's close alongside. May l fish il
up from the companion-ladder?"
The officer, gained over by the
mans earnestness, and occupied by
the work going on in the sultry all
above him, gave a careless assent,
as to a trifle. The sails were soor
rolled up, the gaskets passed, and
the men came down to the deck
Just then, as the officer turned tc
give the order to haul taut the run.
ming gear and square the yards, a
commotion on the poop-deck caught
his eye-a commotion that denoted
some catastrophe.
Man overheard" rang out from
a group of idlers gathered near the
taffrail. There was hurried go
ing to and fro, and an order shouted
"Letgo the life-bouy, F" by the watcf
officer, as he fastened to the side.
r The port-quarter boat, quickly
manned, was lowered away; but the
davit falls were tangled, and it lin
gered helplessly.
On the facing slope Of mighty
swell drifting swiftly with tn,
: northerly set of the tide, could b,
seen poor Jack, motionless, will
outstretched arms, head down, anC
quite exhausted. In rapid success
sion two figures leaped up in tn,
hammock MEETINGS, and then divet
t out together from the frigate's tai
black sides. Two heads bobbed III
in the clear green water, and one o
the rescuers was seen to be an Off
cer-a Newfoundland the other {
simple sailor, who knew no bette
thing to do than to save a ship
mates life. They struck out bravely
for the drowning man, whose whit,
shirt CLEANED in the sunlight.
But suddenly shout came from
the ship, whose bulwatks were nov
, fringed with row of anxious faces
f A black triangular fin cut with the
spur of race-horse through the
water. And here another, there {
third, and then a score of them a
once, The sharks were gathering
like a pack of wolves.
The quarter boat, cleared at last
pulled from the shadow ofthe vessel
and the two rescuers, now clingine
to the life buoy, urged the coxswair
not to stop for them, but to make
for the drifting sailor, His figure
seemed to be moving slightly
Then the white shirt was tossed
IL .---..-...1 I'LL