Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-04-07
A NIGHT OF TERROR.

A NlUHI UF IEkKUk.
When is years old, was one of q
crew Of three that manned the little 28
ton schooner Ornament, which lay
moored in Monhegan harbor-a deep,
narrow strait between the islands of
Monhegan and Manana, Maine The
entrance is from the south, and is un-
obstructed, while to the north the pas
sage is barred by rocky islet called
Smutty Nose. This is separated from
Manana by narrow passage ON the
westerly side called Drunken Gut. The
harbor is fairly good shelter except
when the wind is from the southwest.
At daylight on the morning after our
arrival at Monhegan there was stiff
breeze, with rain from the southwest,
and by noon it had risen to heavy
gale. All day coasters, traders and fish
ing vessels ran in till about 30 sail were
in harbor when night fell.
They were anchored as near together
as they could be and yet swing clear of
each other. This compact gathering
would he we'll enough in smooth har
bor, but OH little Monhegan, exposed to
the increasing gale, with night coming
on and the probability Of heavy sea
running into the strait, the prospect
looked serious. Should vessel part her
cables. or drag her anchors, collision
with those to leeward Of her would be
Inevitable, and the result Of collision
might be disastrous.
When darkness came, the gales fury
increased. The unobstructed sea rolled
into the narrow harbor in huge pillows
that dashed against Manana Or Smutty
Nose, or ragged as breakers on the reefs
about Drunken Gut. The vessels, ham
pered by their anchors and unable to
rise freely on the surges, strained at
their cables, plunging and rolling wild
ly, while nearly every wave toppled its
crest upon their decks, or swept them
from stem to stern.
About 8 o'clock, when the gale seem
ed at its height, a little craft that had
been anchored all day just on our port
bow dragged her anchors. Her crew,
like some others, had sought safety on
shore long before night. Swinging to
our broadside, she began to pound against
us and to break into pieces.
Her bowsprit snapped, her bulwarks
crushed in fore and aft, her masts went
over her taffrail. At last, plunging from
the top of big sea, we crashed down
upon her forward deck. Her windlass
bits gave way, and off she went, broad
side to the wind, till she was lost in the
gloom and rain.
Anxiously we crouched by the wind
lass, the captain 8 hand almost constant
~ upon either one cable or the other,
that he might detect the first vibratory
motion, indicating that the anchors We're
being dragged over the rocky bottom.
But they seemed to hold securely. Our
danger was Of another sort.
Twas crouching in the lee of the fore
mast to shelter myself from the wind
and spray, when I heard the captain sud
denly shout:
"Up, up with you, boys, quick
There's a coaster adrift, coming right
for us -
Through the driving rain. sure enough,
came a big schooner stern first, wildly
swinging to and fro, now toppling OIL a
crest, now wallowing down in the hol-
low depths. Her gunwales almost rolled
under, and her main boom, free from its
lashing, swayed madly from side to side.
Just as we were receding from roll
ing swell she crashed into us and snap
ped our bowsprit. Then she hung square
across our bow.
"Quick, quick! Give me tho Ak"
cried the captain.
In moment he severed both cables at
the windlass, and we were drifting with
the gale. No vessel lay directly astern
Of u.s. Tho captains hope was that we
might not only 60 clear Of the coaster,
but drive upon a small, sandy beach at
the end of Smutty Nose. But the heave
of the sea and the slant Of the wind
drove us to one side, and we went upon
the rocks instead.
There was q shock, a grinding crash
as she struck. Then we seemed to stop,
and now the sea broke over us in fury.
ITO the dory, boys! The schooner
will 60 to pieces !" shouted the captain.
Without much difficulty we got the
dory into the water to leeward. Jack,
my shipmate, flung his clothesbag into
the stern of the boat, while / threw a
coil Of small rope into her ere I tum.
bled in myself. There was but one pair
Of oars. These the captain took and be-
gan to pull toward Manana.
Away from the lee Of the schooner
we were exposed to the full fury of the
gale, and the course to which we were
compelled kept MS in the trough Of the
sea. Every moment it seemed as though
we must be swamped, and in spite Of all
that we could do we were drifting
rapidly toward Drunken Gut.
Suddenly thole pin broke. Before
another could be put in the place we
were afoul Of the standing rigging Of a
sunken vessel, the derry almost on her
broadside and we in imminent danger
Of being washed overheard. But cling
ing instinctively to the uppermost gun
vale we succeeded in righting the dory
and working her clear Of the wreck.
Again we were adrift indeed, for we
had lost an oar and now had but one.
Our destruction now was apparently
but u question Of moments. for if we
escaped the reefs and boiling surf upon
one side we were almost certain to be