Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-11-16
NUMBER 46.

clOuuy anu unsettleu uhy VI tNp tho
wind got away 10 the sou west and began
to pipe up strong and in few hours it
was blowing q heavy gale. Craft caught
In the channel ran for the nearest shell
ter. Briggs and schooners came in with
torn sails and splintered spars, and one
or two of the fishing boats came TO grief
ON the bar. Before long there was .
pretty lively sea all round the coast and
il was washing clean over the pierheads
yonder. So you may guess that even in
side we felt il. The ketch. being light,
pitched and rolled at her anchorage like
q cork. but we rode with a good bic OF
cable. and there was no other craft near
Us.
1.-The next night the gale was at its
height Heavy gusts of wind swept
across the harbor. whistling and shrek
ing wildly among the rigging. and bring
ing up with them squalls of thick rain
that hid the lights Of town altogether.
II was on deck keeping watch, cold,
wet and miserable, when noticed that
the cable every now and again seemed
70 jerk and rattle as il had not done be-
fore. So went aft and told the mate,
who was smoking in the cabin.
by God, she's dragging he shout.
ed as soon as he'd been ON deck n few
moments. We shall be ashore before
We know where we are. Bear hand
here, lad Smart : the word now. And
A. Ia II 81 ha mt of
boat that was bobbing up aud down
astern Of us.
Hand over hand We got it alongside,
and I plucked up courage to ask him
what he was going TO do.
"'Going 10 do? Why, I'm going
ashore to get help You and cant get
out another anchor alone. You keep q
sharp lookout, and when you hear me
call show light over the side. And
with that he was gone.
II didn't like being left alone, you
may be- sure was only youngster,
you must remember, and it was my
first voyage. thought she'd 20 ashore
and break up while he was gone. and
then should be drowned, and the next
moment wondered whether he would
get back safely. How long he was away
I don't know. Ii seemed 10 me like
hours. / strained my ears 10 listen for
his voice, and during one Of the no.
mentary lulls in the bowling Of the
gale heard yonder church bells strike
o. And still the anchor dragged and
still We drifted. At last caught the
sound Of shout far of. jumped up
and waved the lantern over the side.
Then came another wait, followed by
another shout, this time clear and close
nc hand. Again showed the light, and
the next moment / heard the splash Of
oars alongside, and the mate and
stranger, both dripping wet from head to
foot. clambered on deck. Then we turn
ed to to get ont kedge. We got the
spare anchor up from the hold. bent ON
a stout bawser 10 it, and prepared to
lower il into the boat. Bob Tucker and
the stranger got into the boat and bade
me lower away when Twas told. But
exactly what happened in the darkness
and confusion I could never clearly re-
member. The gale seemed to have got
ten times worse. lt was difficult 10
hear oneself speak. II possible, too, IL
seemed 10 have got darker could just
family see the forms Of two men NOV
ing about in the boat as it tossed along
side. Suddenly heard agonizing shouts
for help / looked over the side, and
the boat was gone.
Frightened? | should just think /
was frightened | added my shouts %
theirs, but you might as well have
spoken in whisper for all anybody
would have heard that night. ! rushed
wildly 10 and fro, throwing over ropes
ends and anything could lay my hands
upon. felt horribly helpless as / lis.
tened To their cries getting fainter and
fainter until at last they ceased alto
gether, and | know that they were
drowned. can't tell you what / felt
for the rest Of that night / dare not go
down below, and even on deck fancied
could see their faces close beside me,
and their cries were ringing in my ears
forgot all about the gale and the dan
ger Of going ashore But sure enough
we did 20 ashore. When daylight broke,
found that the ketch was lying on her
bilge on the mud. Then ! got into the
rigging and shouted and waved my
arms until at last some one came off 10
me. They wouldn't believe me at first,
but IN the course of the day poor old
fuckers body was picked up, and the
boat was found floating, bottom up
ward by a fisherman. As for the ketch,
which had cost the mate his life, she
took no harm and was got of safe and
sound next tide.
THAT cured me Of seafaring for q
time. | staid ashore for a year or two,
but then the old longing came back, and
I went north in collier But never
see yonder church without thinking Of
poor old Bob Tucker and his fate. ~
Chambers Journal.