Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-20
OFF THE YARD.
rCopyright, 1S95,l

ICopyrlght, 1o90.
 There were four apprentice boys of us on the good ship Homeward when she left the port of Boston for China, and one day after we had been week out the mate sent us aloft to the topsail yard to got "broken in" We had been exercising for half an hour when I, being at the weather end of the yard, suddenly lost my hold on the jackstay through having a sore finger I tried to recover myself, but it was in vain. clutched wildly at anything, but only grasped the air. I recled for mo ment,, and then losing my balance tum- bled headlong gdown-down-into the sea. Indeed it was lucky that the ship was at the time taking heavy roll to leeward, so that l fell overheard and not on to the deck, where, in all probability, I should have broken my neck.
 Fortunately, again, had been brought up at school that only separated from a lake by narrow road and we schoOlboys used almost to live in the Wa ter, bathing twice day, between the months of April and November, so if there was anything was proficient in 1t was swimming.
 This accomplishment was now put to a severe test 1 struck out at once, and felt quite at home in the water and not a bit nervous. The dread of sharks did, how ever, for a moment cross my mind and made me look around anxiously to sec if there was any sign of the narrow fin above water which always bctrays the presence of that dreaded monster. It so happened that the patent life buoy, usually kept hanging over the stern, had only that morning been taken down by tho chrpen- ter for the purpose of repair. Thcre was therefore no resource for immediate aid, and I had to trust to myself until a boat picked me up.
 1 heard the cry in tho distance, Man ovcrboard!" a cry 1 had heard more than once when safely treading the blanks of a good ship. but the Homeward, going free" at the time, was making such hcadway through the water that before anything could be done she was q long way off Then sho "wore round," but whether it was owing to the men not being so smart as usual or to some other cause she seemed as though she would never be on my track, but that I was to be left to die in the wilderness of waves.
 I learned aftcrward that in 'bracing in'' the after yards the "main brace pennant' was carried away, owing to the fact that the old boatSwlin in one of his ill humOrS had made the pcnnant out of solne con demned rope, which he thought good enough for such temporary purpose. However at length the ship standing back toward mo on the othcr-port-tack. There was what sailors call a ''gOot lump of a sea" on, and found it very difficult to keep the salt water from making its way down my throat with a frequency and in quantities greater than was agreeable. had my clothes on, too and-a circum- stance which told against mo more than anything else-I was thoroughly exhaust ed with the exercise previously undergone aloft, so that with all these drawbacks 1 began to feel rather faint. I flOated a little to relieve myself but was almost suffocatcd with broken water, and so was fain to swi,u on.
 The ship was still good way off, and jss kept my eyes anxiOusly fixed on her I discovered to my horror that she was steering in q wrong direction and would pass good quarter of mile from the point where I was striking out for dear life. Matters began to look critical. had been nearly quarter of an hour in the water already, and my strength was rap idly ebbing away. I could see the Home ward only when l rose to the summit of the long waves, so it was not a matter of much surprise that they had lost sight of such a mere speck as l must have appeared on that troubled sea- Two or three min utes more, and she was now passing the spot in q line with which was. In anoth-
  l when, if was sighted, she would have to work up against the wind to pick mo up. My heart sank within me as I saw the | gallant ship in all the T:'ide of her strength and swiftncss shouting along on the backs of the vast ocean rollers, with her topgal. lant sails lowered and her courses hauled up. could see tho crowds of men on the shrouds and up in the tops, all anxiously striving to catch a glimpse of mo, and could see in tho ports and in the miZzentop l the forms of my messmates straining their | eyes for the atom of humanity struggling l with the mighty element that has engulfed such myriads of our race, and, like fa- | bled monster, is ever ready for moro vic- l tins.
 | Iwaxed fainter and more faint. Despair 1 began to settle over me, when suddenly l l saw by tho change in the trimming of the | yards that I was discovered. Now the l Homeward stood fairly toward me, and the only question was whether l had strength enough left in me to keep myself afloat until they lowered boat to pick me up. The brave sloop-of-war came on her errand of mercy, churning the salt seas under her cutwater after the manner of 1 the bluff bowed ships of old. With my eyes intently settled on her I struggled on; 1 now she was close to me and a boat was lowered into which jumped cautiously half dozen stalwart fellows.
 But I felt it was all too late. was sink ing. Do my utmost could not keep my mouth above water, except by spasmodiC exertions. I heard shouts near me, and feebly struck out again, and then once more. Too latel My senses seemed to be leaving me-only dull heavy agony at first supervened though it was moro men, tai than physical, and then all seemed over.
 was subsequently, informed that was
 seized by the bowman, who grasped the
 hair of my head, which was fast disap- bearing below the surface of the water, and those in the boat stated that in another
 half moment I must have sunk out oi
 sight past all chance of recovery. As il
 was, when they hauled mo into the boat they thought was gone. Two of the men
 undressed me and rubbed my body, and
 directly I was taken on board all the off
 COTS vicd with each other in kindness. Aft
 er a confinement to my bod of three ol
 four days was sufficiently restored to bt struck off the sick list and resume my
 usual duties MARTIN HARKER.