The Princeton union., 1894-11-08
ON a cAPsIzED GoNDoLA.
Adventures OF Mariners Almost = Thrill
ing as Jules verne's Heroes.


Adventures Of Mariners Almost - THRILL
ing as Jules verne's Heroes.
Probably one Of the most exciting
experiences any men ever had in the
sea was that Of Captain James Morse
Of Phippsburg and William Small Of
Lewiston. Their story is.true in ev-
cry particular, but if the writer of
the Lewiston Journal did not know
about it personally and should read
it in a paper he would consider the
author second Jules Verne.
Somewhere about 30 years ago Cap
tain James Morse, now of Phipps-
burg; William Small Of Bath and two
other men started for the south in a
big flat bottomed gondola, commonly
called scow. They carried with
them as cargo potatoes and lumber,
on which they expected to realize a
handsome sum of money, as those
articles brought big prices then. They
left the Kennebec and sailed along
the coast.
They were making good headway
until one night a storm came up, the
wheel was lashed, and the vessel was
lying to, with one Of their number on
deck to watch, the other three going
into the cabin. The wind blew gale,
and the vessel was suddenly tipped
completely upside down, she being a
fiat bottomed craft.
The three men were naturally very
much alarmed, for there they were
in the cabin, the vessel upside down
and no way to get out. The water
was nearly up to their waists, and
here they were liable to stay and per
ish.
They had council, decided that if
they could get into the hold they
could at least be more comfortable
and have more air, as the cabin was
foored and the hold was only
planked. They then began to work,
or rather fish, about in the dark
ness for something with which to
cut through the bulkhead into the
hold. At last Mr.. Small stepped
upon something, and reaching down
he found it to be small hatchet. At
once he began the work Of chopping
away, the three men taking turns.
At last they got the hole large
enough, and all three climbed into
the hold. .=
The next thing to do was to chop a
hole through the bottom of the craft
which covered their heads. The
planks were tough and thick, and
twas slow work. Moreover, they did
not dare to cut way through for fear
of making a hole that would sink her
SO they would cut until they coulc
E see light shining through the thir
wood and then hacked away on the
sides to make the opening larger
: When this hole was big enough t
, crawl through, they took a planl
and struck hard against the thin GOV
ering of wood, thus breaking open {
; passageway, crawled out on the bis
: flat surface and stopped the hole VI
after them.
: But their troubles were by NJ
+ means over, for they had no food no
! drink. One day they killed a fyins
). fish, and that was all they had fo
, food. During a shower they lait
+ their clothes out and then sucked tn
$ garments. Every drop was precious
: They drove stakes into the center
r board, and with a rope which the,
D had brought out with them imprc
J. vised life line, making it fast to tn
D centerboard and tying it about thei
= waists. The third man drank se
: water and became crazy and jumpe
g overheard. That left Captain Mors
- and Mr.. Small alone. One day the,
v saw sail and waved their shirts t
attract attention, but the vessel cor
tinued on her way, leaving them t
their fate. On the seventh day ar
t. other sail was seen. It came nearer
q and at last a boat was lowered, an
t. the men were taken on board nearl
Y dead.
d It proved to be a bark bound fc
g the West Indies, and the two me1
,r with treatment on the part Of be
h captain, were restored to health
- Misplaced Emphasis.
~ ropt1o,,o on who cnonf O c11r,,,oe