Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-04-10
WIND TANNING DAYS.
AN OLD MARINERS TALES OF sRAV-
cry IN WRECK.

'-On MY Honor as n Sailor. wCn't Leave
You" said the Captain 20 = swsds Sailor.
Bravery and Pa.hOs In the Sea Business
OF the old Days
"Bahr' he sSid. ''You have a lot 70
learn, young man. You have as much
sentiment in your construction as this
stick carry.
THE idea Of a youth like you trying
totell me that there is as much bravery
and pathos attached to seafaring now as
there was when was master Of q wind
jammerl You probably believe that you
are correct in your statement; but, man
alive. you are making 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 q
sea, cork jackets that need no instruction
cards, but which go on like a mans
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 times2
Let me tell you something. don't
say but that there are many brave and
gallant mariners in the business now.
But the old shipwreck meant more In
the matter Of life taking than the ship
wreck Of today does. Did you ever hear
tell Of a sailor of the old school trying
to get into a boat before the passengers
we're 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.
81 remember the case OF a shore loafer
named Holmes, who tried shenanigan
like that he was afterward tried In the
United States circuit court at Philadel-
phta and was convicted Of granddaughter.
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
, men threw overheard 16 passengers, two
Of whom were women, to Tighten the
! boat The court held that sailor IL
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 eaci
other for the possession of the same
plank which could save but one, if 1
> passenger were ON the plank even th'
! law of necessity would not justify thu
sailors in taking it from him. You d,
not think much of that law? Well, it i
the law of God It is also the law o
. duty.
Ibid you ever hear of the case o
{ Captain huffman of the ship Aidar? H
was a good sailor and a gallant maste
and no matter what many may think
It is possible to be both. His ship foun
D dered, but he refused to be taken of
Do you know why he refused to be takei
: off? There was an injured man ON board
o and while the old timbers were goin
0 to pieces under his very feet he knel
= down and said TO the man:
II won't leave You. lad. On m
:, honor as a sailor 1 won't
: ION his honor as sailor he woul
mot leave him. Have you ever heard {
! Anything more touchingly honest? Car
d tain huffman went down with his shiI
h but managed to hold ON to his man an
n to get TO the bottom of an upturne
" boat, from which they were afterwar
rescued. 1t was a month or so after thu
when q tCwnsman asked Captain M
trr,n hot fha r,ft 1,o
y was.
I why, never inquired he sale
D. He just signed articles in the reguls
way. may have heard il then, but
St do not know it now. He was Swed
a that's all know of him.
1.-The friend shook his head in astol
"a ishment as he inquired:
"'Whati a Swede? Take all thi
=. chance for Swede?'
y. "Why, yes, even for Swede 1 didn
D. care whether he was Swede or
Laplander. He was a good sailor NJ
t. would have done the same for me hi
things been reversed
T. ''Nor is that all, young man. The
was a shipwreck about 1916, but Il
~ :. name of the craft has escaped my mer
~ DRY. The crew took to one boat, whiC
"a was overcrowded. A noble Newfoun
al Land. the pet of the ship, swan alon
+ side the boat. ALI the men turned the
fr eyes sadly upon him, bat they kne
II there was no room for him in that boa
Id The captain loved that dog better Thu
y he loved his life, and he stood up in 4
ce boat as he took off his coat and said:
ne "'I cannot see him die like TIL
Give him my place in the boat. G.
hold ON to the plank, and he cannot
"There was chorus of dissent, Al
one of the sailors struck the brute ov
is. the head with the blade of an oar. viii
another pulled his sheath knife.
OF "'Don't hurt him, said the capita
OF kindly, but firmly.
d. Order him away, then,' growl
liz several of the men. He will swamp
Isl all
he 1.-THE captain hesitated a minus
lie waved his arm in the air and sal
ISL Back, PrinceP and the faithful brr
SWAN back in the direction in viii
81 the vessel had disappeared beneath (
n surface. Where do you find such patti
90 i'll the sea business now? Give me {
aid sailor every time.
les And he hobbled up Beaver street
lsl the young mariner dived into Villa
Ter street.-New York Mail and Express
pei
- All He Asked.
IA "And do you really want to be