The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-12-29
Took Nine Days to Go Ten
Miles.
HEAVY WEATHER ON ATLANTIC
Tale Of "DCckr Behren's Expert
ences OH the Schooner MOlega-
Worst Storm in 10 Years.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
|. The popular pilot, "Dick" Behrens, had
lively tale to tell the New Jersey pilots
when he returned to their office in Jersey
City yesterday. He had narrow es-
cape from spending Christmas at sea-
.Behrens boarded the three-masted s hoon-
er Molega at a point about ten miles
south of Sandy Hook at 8 o'clock in the
afternoon of December 10. 1T was blow
ing gale from the eastward at the time,
he said "At o'clock the schooner's nose
was pointed off shore, and while reaching
off to get an offlng, gale struck her and
carried away her jibstay. An hour after
ward the bolt to which was attached the
principal gear Of the mainsheet was torn
from its fastenings, and all hope OF n ak
ing harbor that night was gone. Grad
ually the wind grew stronger, and all
night long the crew worked on the broken
gear in water-soaked clothes.
"The next morning the big seas looked
like mountains to the worn-out sailors,
and at II o'clock the cut-water was car
ried away. Then 1t began to snow. The
thermometer fell and the rigging and
deck was thickly coated with ice, max
ing 1t almost impossible TO work the ship.
Behrens, in a pair Of rubber boots, halt
filed with icy water, stood at the wheel
while Captain Ross worked at tie broken
gear out on the end of the bowsprit.
Every time the Molega dived under big
wave, Captain Ross would disappear from
the view of the men on watch He was
benumbed and half dead on the morning
of December 12, when the vessels head
was turned inshore. The wind was still
bowling out of the East, and the snow
was so dense that Behrens couldn't see
the lookout At noon on that day the
Molega stood off-shore for safety Things
were getting desperate. Provisions were
giving out, and the schooner was 100 miles
further away than when the pilot boarded
her. All the men were worn out from
constant duty on watch and exposure.
Behrens was on duty all the time, except
for an hour now and then to get sleep.
on December II the vessel was off Win,
ter Quarter Light. Prayers were more
frequent then, Behrens said, than curses
were when the gale came on. The wind
veered to the northeast next day. and
the hope of the crew revived. That day
the mainsheet was riggd and the schooner
began to work her way back to port.
it was hard task. Big seas made a
complete breach over the schooner.
1.-THE best sailor on deck was Darby,
a little fox terrier" added the pilot. THE
crew couldn't keep him below. He was
bound to get every bit of weather going,
Every now and then he would dodge Up
through the companion way and and trbt
up forward. A big green sea would come
roaring along. Darby would bark and
then disannear A minute later his little
body would pull itself out of the lee Soup
pes. | don't believe that pups tail stopp>
ed wagging during the who'e voyage, al
though 1t was pretty well coated with ice
during the cold snap.
1.-THE schooner was in the place she
started from when the gale struck her
on the 10th, at daylight yesterday morn
ing Three hours later she rounded the
Hook. She had made just ten miles tow
ard port in nine days ten hours. During
that time she had travelled Just $40 miles,
or 10 miles out of her course ard lack
again. 1 have been taking out and carry
ing in ships for eighteen years. In all
that time I have never been so long on
any vessel. and never have l exper enced
such wather,"
The Molega is now in the lower bay
She is cargoed with molasses and will
dock today.