New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-21
NINE DAYS TO 60 TEN MILES.
A Pilots HARD FIGHT AGAINST WIND
AND WATER.
TALE OF DICK" BEHRENs's EXPERIENCES oN
THE SCHOONER, MoLEGA-THE HEAVIEST


THE SCHOONER MoLEGA-THE HEAVIEST
WEATHER IN EIGHTEEN YEARS
The popular pilot. Dick" Behrens, had livery
tale tell the New-Jersey pilots when he retureu
10 their office in Jersey CITY yesterday. He had
narrow escape from spending Christmas al Sea
Behrens boarded the three-masted schooner Moiesa
at a point about ten miles south u Sandy HOOK a.
: o'clock In the afternoon OF December 10. III WIS
blowing a gale from the eastward at the time "e
said AT o'clock the schooners nose was poln,eu
OF shore. and while reaching of to get an OHHe'
a gale struck her and carried away her Jlps'aS. -"
hour afterward the bolt which was attached Tue
principal gear OF the mainsheet was torn from ~
fasenings and all hope Of making harbor tna' hsh'
was gone Gradually the wind grew stronger anu
all night long the crew worked on the broken se~
in water-soaked clothes.
THE next morning the big green seas leoKeo IN
mountains TO the wornout sailors, ana a. 4 ~
the cut-water carried away. linen IL pesH, ~ !
snow. The thermometer fell and the rigging aa i
most impossible 10 work ship" AT, ,.,,,,
Behrens in pair OF rubber boots hair iIIed wIs.
lev water stood at she wheel. while Captain ho ss
worked at the broken scar out on me el'I o bis
" the men on watch tie was benumbed and hall
dead on tnI trusd nsbore The wind was still
bovllng out OF the east and the snow was SO dehse
thai dav the Moiega stood onshore for safety
Things getting desperate fIoNiS i -, 80
III. -.
away than when the pilot boarded her All ,nS
men were worn out from constant duty on VAN
and exposure Behrens was on duty an me tiie'
except for an hour now and then 10 get steep. 49,
on December IA. the vessel was OF W inter .Suarei
Light PRAYERS were more frequent then, behiSiis
sad than curses were when the gale came on ne
wind yeered TO the northeast next day ana the nope
Of The crew revived. That day the mainsheet was
rireed and the schooner began to work her way
bacl, 70 mort IL was a hard task Big seas mace d
complete breach over the schooner. , r.
The host sailor on deck was Darby, little fox
terrier q" added the pilot. The crew couldn't Keep
him heIow lie was bound to get every bit OF
weather going. Every now and then ne .r w1u ,i
forward a big green sea would come 9.a roaring
y1irte later his little body would pull itself out OF
the Ice scuppers / don't believe that pups tai
stonned vyagging during the whole voyage, although
II vas pretty well coated with ice during the cold
snap. . ~ ,,a,o sha s.o-.od from
1-ban TIE gale struck her the 10Th. at daybreak
Yesterday morning Three hours later she rounded
The Hook She had made just ten miles toward
port in nine days ten hours. During that time sne
had travelled lust $40 miles. or lO miles out OF her
course and back again. ] have been taking out ana
carryin, in ships for eighteen years In all that
time have never been so long on any vessel ana
never have 7 experienced such weather -
The Melega Is now in the lower bay she Is car
coed with molasses and will dock to-day