Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-05-09

Coming down from aloft the reefed
tOpsails had to be hoisted, and as we
stood at the halyards the seas swept
over us in rapid succession. Floating
around the decks were the ropes used
in furling the other sails, and as the
ship rolled these tangled masses would
so with the water, making regular bat
tering rams, and the unfortunate man
who happened to be struck would have
his feet knocked from under him
like a flash, and away he would go
down into the lee scuppers, and on
picking himself up he would be as wet
as old Father Neptune just emerging
from the sea, If not bruised,
The next sail to come in was the jib,
and after hauling it down, three men
sprang out to furl it, while the others
were sent aft to coil up some of the
ropes which were strewn around in
endless confusion, washing back and
forth with every roll Of the ship. Sud-
denly shout was heard way forward,
and an instant later the thrilling cry;
1.-TWO men overboard!" rang out above
the bowling of the gale.
OF the three men who went out to
furl the jib, only one could be seen, and
he was making his way in on deck as
fast as possible.
The mate and several sailors rushed
to the lee rail, hoping to be able TO
throw a rope to the unfortunate men,
but no sign Of them could be seen.
run to the windward two or three Of
you" shouted the mate.
At the weather quarter we found the
old man, leaning far over the rail, rope
in hand all ready to heave it should he
catch a sight Of either of the men.
The poor fellows, weighted down by
heavy sea boots and oil suits must
have gone down at once, or else he
great speed Of the ship had swept
us beyond the spot before they rose to
the surface.
To bring the ship to the wind and
beat back in the teeth of such a gale
was out of the question, and even with
the best Of lifeboats it would have been
impossible to pull back against such a
high, confused sea. 1t seemed cruel
and even heartless to leave these poor
fellows to their fate, but we were
powerless to help them, as, dressed in
their heavy clothing, they could not
have kept ahoat long in such a sea.
With q sad face the captain called all
hands aft to see who the missing ones
were One was young sailor who had
made the outward voyage in a ship,
and the other my chum of the voyage
two years before, who had said that
he would never round the Horn again.
At sea death usually comes suddenly,
without moments warning, and al
though sailors become more or less ac-
customed to sudden loss of life, we
found 1t hard to realize that so many
of our shipmates, perfectly well and
strong only a few hours before, had
left us forever. The loss Of four men
in as many hours was shock even to
the roughtest old salt, but the raging
gale now claimed our attention, as the
safety Of the ship and our own lives
required quick and energetic work
1t was well the old man did not turn
back for the lost men, for the gale in
creased so rapidly that short-handed
as we were, all hands had to turn to
and shorten sail.
With only lowered topsail and
reefed foresail set, the ship drove on
before the furious wind and sea, Civ
ing the two helmsmen all they could do
to handle her
AS the gale increased the seas rolled
up higher and higher astern and swept
on board in greater volume, so it was
only with the greatest caution that we
could move around Or deck. When at
last the ship was reduced almost to
bare poles the men gathered in