The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-06
WIND TANNING DAYS.
AN OLD MARINERS TALES OF eRAv-
cry IN WRECK.

Bravery ANA Pathcs In the Sea business
of the old Days.
"Bah!' he said. "You have a lot tC
learn, young man. You have as much
sentiment in your construction as this
stick l carry.
"The idea Of a youth like you trying
TO tell me that there is as much bravery
and pathos attached to Soafaring now rs
there was when / was master Of wind
jammer! You probably believe that you
are correct IN your statement; but, man
alive, you are making fool of yourself
Here i'll these days You have lifeboats
big and stout enough 10 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 a 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 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 times?
LET me tell you something. don't
say but that there arc many brave and
gallant mariners in the business now.
But the old shipwrcck 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 q 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 stokors and FIRE
men and r0wdiCs who have the impu-
dence to call themselves sailors.
81 remember the case Of q shore loafer
named Holmes, who tried a shenauigan
like that He was aftcrward tried in the
United States circuit court at Philadel-
phia and was convicted of manslaughter.
He was one Of 80 shipwreckcd 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
men threw overheard l6 passengers, two
of whom were women, to Tighten the
boat. The court held that a 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 a
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. |
1t is possible to be both. His ship foun- |
derod, but he refused TO be taken off. !
DO you knew why he refused to be taken |
of? There was an injured man on board, |
and while the old timbers were going !
TO pieces under his very feet be knelt |
down and said to the man:
" 1 won't leave you, lad. On 1ay /
honor as a sailor I won't.
"On his honor rs a sailor he would |
not leave him. Have You ever heard of
anything more touchingly honest? Can
tain huffman went down with his shin.
but managed 10 hold on 20 his man and !
TO get 70 the bottom of am upturned
boat, from which they were afterward
rescued. twas month or so after that
when townsman asked Captain Nut
man what the name Of the rescued man
was.
Why, l never inquired he said.
: He just signed articles in the regular
way may have heard it then, but l
do not know it now. He was a Swede.
that's all know of him.
THE friend shook his head in aston
ishment as he inquired:
What A Swede? Take all that
chance for a Swede?'
why, yes, even for a Swede. didn't
care whether he was a Swede or a
Laplander. He was a good sailor and
would have done the same for me had
things Ieen reversed. Z"
Nor is that all, young man. There
was ghipwreck about 1916, but the
name Of the craft has escaped my mem
Inv NLbN lOOh W OllC DOdI, WHICH |
was overcrowded. A noble Newfound-
and, the pet Of the ship, swan along
side the boat. All the men turned their
Eyes sadly upon him, but they knew
here was no room for him in that boat.
The captain loved that dog better than
ne loved his life, and he stood up in the
BOAT as he took off his coat and said:
| cannot see him die like this.
live him my place in the boat. can
lold on to the plank, and he cannot.
There was q chorus Of Dissent, and !
me Of the sailors struck the brute over
he head with the blade of an oar, while
mother pulled his sheath knife.
Don't hurt him, said the captain
iindly, bat firmly.
Order him away, then, growled
several Of the men. He will swamp US
I'll.
The captain hcsitated minute,
waved his arm in the air and said,
Back, Prince' and the faithful brute