The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-04-29
WIND TANNING DAYS.
AN OLD MARINERS TALES OF BRAv-
ERY IN WRECK.
ssOn My Honor Sailor, Won't Leave
You," Said the Captain to q Swede Sailor.
Bravery and Pathos In the Sea Business
of the Old Days.


learn, young man. You have as much
sentiment in your construction as this
stick carry.
"The idea of youth like you trying
to tell me that there is as much bravery
and pathos attached to seafaring now as
there was when was master of wind
TANNER! You probably believe that you
are correct in your statement; 5Sut, man
alive, you are making a fool of yourself.
Here in these days you have lifeboats
big and stout enough to carry an army
of men, You have steam to manipulate
the falls, patent davits to swing clear.
No lowering away by hands and no get
ting them back over the side with every
pound of flesh a-pulling New tangled
guns for throwing life line, RATS that
won't go to pieces in the first chop of a
sea, cork jackets that need no instruction
cards, but which go Oh like man's
vest; pumps that are rusty for want of
use, seamless plates and dozens Of other
inventions in these days. Where were
they in the old times?
"Let me tell you something. I don't
say but that there are many brave and
gallant mariners III the business now.
But the old sbipwreck meant more in
the matter of life taking than the ship
wreck of today does. Did you ever hear
tell Of sailor of the old school trying
to get into boat before the passengers
were out Of danger? You needn't say
you have, because you have not Why,
the only ones who ever attempt any
thing of that kind are stokers and fire.
men and rowdies who have the.impu-
dence to call themselves sailors.
II remember the case of shore loafer
named Holmes, who tried shenanigan
like that. He was afterward tried in the
United States circuit court at Philadel-
phia and was convicted of manslaughter.
He was one of 80 shipwrecked persons
who took to the long boat, which was
greatly overloaded and constantly in
danger of sinking. Well, this beach rat
Holmes and some more of Abraham's
mel threw overheard l6 passengers, two
Of whom were women, to tighten the
boat. The court held that sailor is
bound by law, if necessary, to sacrifice
his life to save the life Of passengers.
Furthermore the court held that while
two sailors might struggle with each
other for the possession of the same
plank which could save but one, If
passenger were on the plank even the
law of necessity would not justify the
sailors in taking it from him. You do
not think much of that law? Well, it is
the law Of God. 1t is also the law of
duty.
'Did you ever hear of the case of
Captain huffman of the ship Aidar? He
was good sailor and gallant master
and no matter what many may think,
it is possible to be both. His ship foun-
dered, but he refused to be taken off.
Do you know why he refused to be taken
off? There was an injured man on board,
and while the old timbers were going
to pieces under his very feet he knelt
down and said to the man:
{" I won't leave you, lad. On my
honor as a sailor I won't.
"On his honor as a sailor he would
not leave him. Have you ever heard of
anything more touchingly honest? Cap
tain huffman went down with his ship,
but managed to hold on to his man and
to get to the bottom of an upturned
boat, from which they were afterward
rescued. 1t was month OR so after that
when tOwnsman asked Captain Nut
man what the name of the rescued man
was.
"Why, never inquired he said.
He just signed articles in the regular
way. I may have heard it then, but
do not know it now. He was Swede,
that's all know of him.
''The friend shook his head in aston
ishment as he inquired:
"'Whatl A Swede? Take all that
chance for Swede?'
"Why, yes, even for Swede I didn't
care whether he was a Swede or
Laplander. He was good sailor and
would have done the same for me had
things been reversed"
"Nor is that all, young man. There
was shipwreck about 1916, but the
name of the craft has escaped my mem
DRY. The crew took to one boat, which
was overcrowded. A noble Newfound-
land, the pet Of the ship, swan along
side the boat. ALI the men turned their
eyes sadly upon him, but they knew
there was no room for him in that boat.
The captain loved that dog better than
he loved his life, and he stood up in the
boat as he took off his coat and said:
Il cannot see him die like this
Give him my place in the boat. can
hold on to the plank, and he cannot.
There was a chorus of dissent, and
one Of the sailors struck the brute over
the head with the blade of an car, while
another pulled his ssheath knife .Es
Don't hurt him., said the captain
kindly, but firmly. u, e /
Order him away, Them growled
several Of the men. He will swamp us
ALL u %/<l i
"The captain hesitated a minute,
waved his arm in the air and said,
Back, Prince!' and the faithful brute
SWAN back in the direction in which
the vessel had disappeared beneath the
surface. Where do you find such pathos
in the sea business now? Give me the
old sailor every time. (" 4~s RI
And he hObbled up Beaver street "a