The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-11-18

Back port oars" We cleared all tn
int arvening ships, which Law thick a
leaves in Valombrosa' in the crowded
harbor, and l was beginning to con
gratulate myself inwardly on havin.
so far steered clear of everything
Su ldenly, as it seemed (for we wer,
drifting down at the rate of at leas
eight knots an hour the form of thu
Crocodile appeared to rise from th'
water like phantom, and loomeC
through the intense darkness, blacl
and vast like mountain, with the tai
masts and rigging lost in the murki
hess of night overhead.
There was something which STRUCK
me with a sudden awe at the peculiar
ly instantaneous appearance of The
ship, reminding me of the legend OF
the Flying Dutchman" Under the
bows lay the large buoys to which
our ship was moored, and the water
rolled past and over these impediments
In seeming impatience to engage in
conflict with the paddle wheels, lich
l must inform ny readers. were discon
nected from the machinery and re-
volved rapidly; for, had they not teen
di connected, either the chain, cable or
links could not long have withstoodthe
enormous strain. The black wash
of waters rushed under the great
paddle wheels, (for the steamer was
1000 tons measurement and the roar
of the floats as they struck the angry
waves formed by the opposing buoy
was grand to listen to, no doubt, from
inside the bows of the ship; but from
our position all ideas of grandeur
We're swallowed up in our fervent de-
rlre to be within the wooden walls
which to us were home. The cock
swain, brave man, involuItarily ex-
claimed, STEADY, boys" and settled
his straw hat firmly on his head as if
preparing for action, while the writer,
| am free to confess, felt his heart
beat quick. l stood upright the bet
ter to peer through the darkness, and
we seemed to have taken up a capital
position for clearing the paddle
wheels, and at the same time fetching
the gangway ladders a little abaft
them, which on the port side only
consisted of steps in the ships side
with man ropes" to assist the ascent.
The bowmen had laid in their oars.
and were all ready for seizing the
rope as soon as thrown to them, when
We heard shout on our port bow,
and deserted the other cutter, which
should have waited till we were SO
cured alongside the frigate before
seeking to reach her 1t was too late
to remedy matters, and she bore down
on us just at the critical moment,
struck us on the bow, and canted the
boat under the wheels In a second
the huge paddle floats, like devour
ing ogre, were upon us, and in the
twinkllng OF an eye came down upon
the devoted boat with d power that
crushed it up as if it had been
band box; in fact, knocked it inio a
cooked hat"
Ofconrse we were all precipitated
into the seething water, and carried
under the vortex like 50 many corks.
| was, perhaps, not in the dress best
adapted for such struggle with
death by drowning A heavy full
dress, tall coat resplendent with but
tons, and a large sword belted round
my waist, might look well enough on
the quarter deck, but was certainly
'de trop" under existing circumstan-
ces. To unbuckle my sword was the
work of an instant, and then | struck
out for dear life Fortunately, had
learnt swimming when a little boy at
school, and if l could do anything,
| used to tiatter myself l could swim.
Swimming was my forte, and it stood
me in good stead on this and other
occasions.
Well, | rose to the surface almost
immediately, and fortunately the
wash of the paddles cleared me from
a blow which would probably have
disabled me from all further exertions.
1t is wonderful how, in case of ex-
treme danger, such as the one of
which | am now writing, all the
energies OF the body and mind are
concentrated on the one object of self
preservation, to the exclusion of every
sense and faculty not called iEto play.
No sooner was the shout of drown
ing men heard on board the frigate
than there was rush of all hands to
the ships side, some with lanterns,
some with ropes and life buoys, OF
anything to assist us in our extremity.
The shrlll whistle of the pipes, and
then the hoarse Cry of the boatswain' s
and his mates voices were heard
above the din of the roaring wind and
the rushing waters, away there
galleys and third cutters;' and such
is the discipline and perfection OF
man of war routine. that in rs short a
time as take to write it those two
boats were being lowered away from
the davits, fully manned with thei,
gallant crews, who, although almos,
useless to contend with such strong
tide, were every man OF them resolved
to do all that lay in their power tc
nelp their shipmates.
None of tins did | hear. however
for | was intently engaged in saving
myself from the devouring river.
stroye, IN the first place, to grasp the
man ropes of the gangway, which
We're hanging low in the water, but
they were too near the scene of our
disaster, and | washed past them. A
hurried look round dimly brought to
my view the after life line belonging
to the second cutter, the boat which
had nrst come to grief, and which
most unaccountably, was hanging IL
the water, contrary to ali rules made
prosidlng that ropes ends should be
carefully coiled away, and should Cd
no account be seen from out board
However. there was the ropes enc
that had violated naval etiquette anc
| made for 1t Three or four yioo
ron5 strokes brought ine under Tia.
life line, and with great effort
raised msself ont OF the water. an,
with both hands made desperat,
grasp at it. l caught it, aud as ths
full strength of the tide swept LII,
along. the sudden jerk brought t.
| haap an f,,ol than, -