The Republican journal., 1895-12-05
"A nou8n Fassage Around Hatteras.
FIRST MATE A. NJ. PARK TELLS THE sropv
OF THE TRIP OF BARK MAREI L MExEps

'AN'A 49, a M fAhh TELLS THE STORY
OF The TRIP OF BARK MABEL l. MEYERS.
Many are the sailors who have had cause
to remember Cape Hatteras. There is no
point on the eastern coast so djficult 10
round as that promontory Gales and hur
ricahes spring up there at a moments no.
tIce Many stout ship has been lost III the
yam attempt to reach a snug harhor and a
safe berth on the outer side of the peint.
There Is not one seaman, hardy and brave
though he Be, but breatLes easier and sleeps
sounutr when once the dreaded cane has
been lett tar asteru.
The narkentine Mabel I Meyers from
Rosario. put into Boston Tuesday Nov 10Th,
after having had rough passage and bat
tie royal off the famous cape. She now lies
at Long Wharf, where she is dischargng
her cargo. A journal man boarded her
W ednesday, but nowhere could he seen any
evidence Of any struggle with the elements.
Her decks were clean and her rigging as
taut and trim as even an old seadog could
demand,
Nor did First Mate A NJ Park seem to
think that anything out Of the ordinary had
happened 10 man who has followed the
sea for 20 years, and in big ships, too not
little coasting schooners, gale and a hurr-
cane, with mountainous seas and decks
awash, are as nothing. Merely part If the
business. as he remarked,
w hen the Journal man asked If it had not
been a pretty bad storm, MIR. Park smiled in
rather pleasant manner and said II was
rather nasty, but nothing when one is used
10 it ~
''Why we have to take those things when
they come, and say nothing What CALLS
me the most is that we We're beaten bv that
old barkentine Fantee. She arrived here n
honIs ahead OF us, but We left Rosario day
behind her.
"A NASTY LOOK.
" We left Rosario Sept. III, and for nearly a
month every thing Went We'll. The winds
We're favorable, the weather fine, and the
way the Meyers slid through the water
would have done your heart good to See.
We could carry Just enough sail TO make
her do her best, and we just hummed We
passed tile Fantee about two days Out and
Tie WAY We left her behind was caution to
steamers When we had good breeze the
tantee was not III orr class. She was soon
hull down and We forgot her
so things Went along till Nov, IL, when
we were nearing Cape Hattelas You know
what ite is on beard ship 1t sea, tiresoine,
dreary and m0npJonUus unless one has
something to do. We worked at this, that
and the other and under our efforts the ship
looked Splck ami span as could be. About
MY. 10, however, there was change Tile
Sky had nasty look, and even the water
seemed to say that there was trouble ahead.
Ihere quite swell on, and as the
rose ana tel with easy, regular motion, it
seemed to me II il were some monster
resting and gathering strength for supreme
struggle.
Tins Weather continued till about 40
Monday, N@Y ii. Then the wind hauled
suddenly to the norard and it began to
rain. put Ihe ship about under easy sail
and headed her to the east'art 1t was be
ginning u be nasty-iust such weather as
We usually find otf the Gapa. We We're
fGl, ~ usual about the lamps, and if [ re-
member rightly looked after them person
al
for bad night. When l turned IN all was
serene as could be, the ship riding the sea
/ very easily.
-lAe Nest morning things looked little
worse WE wore ship to the north-northeast,
and although A stronger breeze was rising
rapidly, yet us We We're able to keep our
course we did not worry much at that. We
We're reaching. Nuler lore lower tcpsail and
whole inainsail That was all we wanted 10
carry, tco- 1t was raining hard, inst such
nlght when you landlnbbers sit down in
front Of your open fires, and while the wind
howls and the ram seeks Ambulance in vain,
enjoy The evening With friends.
POOR jack At SEA.
~ am afraid that III the inidst Of your
comfort and happiness. Nou don't think
much of poor Jack at sea, Shipping around
The Wet decks, dodgng the heavy seas. OF
climbing aiott IN the darkness and storm to
take in the Wet, cold sail as it thrashes
about, doing its best 20 free itself and fly
AWAY "a thr wings of the storm We never
complain however.
al slN clock in the afternoon, as the
wInu Was Increasing and the sea rising, we
We're forced ~ take part of our sail. The
-l1p waS laauring TOE much. So reefed
tAt malnsail, Hhat seemed To ease the ship
wonderfully, she TOOK the seas better ana
made very good progress.
Tie gale Increased every minute until it
blew wita almost hurricane force The sea
lNst beginning to rouse itself Before
long n WAS running mountain high. The
ship began to ron fearfuily and shipped
many 4 sra. 1t was almost as much as a
nlans life was worth to move about the
deck. Life lines We're stretched around bat,
even then, more than once, iureh Of the
snip ana big wave combining, would
throw men off their feet.
I'VE goase-winged our lower foretopsal,
but thar did not seem to DO much good. We
tried tie pumps but 50 far everything was
tight below.
AS night Wore on, things grew worse.
The gale and sea increased, and big seas
We're shipped every minute, keeping the
decks Hooded.
DRIFTED ABOUT.
About this time our lower foretopsaii
split and the yard sprung, as was the
spanker boom. That did not inconvenience
US very iuucH, however. Alter The STORM
went down we Wore ship again to the north
northwest and attempted to continue our
voyage. But the cross sea was SO high, and
the breeze 50 weak that we did nothing but
drift about, laboring heavily, and our sails
Stating 50 that We we're compelled to take
nearly All in Soon fresh breeze started
up, the skies cleared and we stood along on
our course, and in few days arrived in
Boston all right The Fantee had passed us
some time before the storm, probably when
We We're beating down the Platte River, for
we left Point Indian before she did and en-
countered adverse winds that drove us ont
of our course. She came away later and met
with fair winds, so she c anne north easier
than we did. But on a good breeze she can't
stay with us minute"
As he returned to the deck the tanned sea
man cast \ rather disgnsted look toward the
old Fantee and shook his head. He cut
more by that defeat than he would admit.
A Cats Tenderness.