The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-15
A RESCUE AT SEA.
An Old Fishing Schooner Saves
a Steamers Crew.

Herbert ID. Ward contributes to the
July Century an article on Heroes Of
the Deep" one of the series the Cen
tury is printing devoted to the Heroes
of Peace" Mr.. Ward says:
On the night OF December 81, 1926, the
British steamer Warwick, from Glas-
gov to st. John, New Brunswick, drove
at full speed againstY ellowMu
Grand Manan. After futile attempts
to save themselves in the bowling
gale, the crew, numbering fifty-two
souls, launched the two remaining
boats the next morning at daylight,
crowded into them and left the wreck.
Ever drenched, ever battling for dear
life, in momentary peril of capsizing,
becoming more numbed and discour-
aged, drifting farther from and, falling
off into deeper troughs of the heaving
seas, the poor men finally gave up
hope for survival was only question
of minutes, or, at most, OF hours. AT
that crisis, when the tempest was at
it's height, out of the scud, the seas,
and the foam, out of the hurricane,
there appeared savior. The fifty-two
frozen men thought the materializa-
ton a miracle.
A few days before. when the gale
was rising, the George S. Boutwell,,
fishing schooner from the port OF
Gloucester, anchored in little shell
Boutwell, was launched in 1869, and had
been racked and tossed since the day
OF her birth. She was old and feeble
and her skipper. Zacharie Surette, was
easing her UP the coast. She had been
creeping from shelter to shelter, es-
Gaping the winter storms. When this
furry arose, Captain Surette congrat-
ulated himself on his own safety; for
the vessel was light. and to risk her in
such a storm was sheer suicide. and
he knew 1t. During lull in the blow,
the keeper of the North Head Light
noticed the steamer grinding on the
rocks. The Boutwell, was the only ves-
sci within twenty miles or more. The
keeper ran down to the cove. jumped
into frail dinghy. and rowed out, with
great danger to himself, and told the
captain what he had seen. There was
not an instant's hesitation among skip
per and crew.
Don't wait to haul her up. boys!
Buoy that anchor! Sharp. now! Lash
the jumbo down! Three reefs In her
and let her go!"
Not a man on deck but knew Ii might
be his last voyage. 1t was bad enough
1oaded-but light! A single cross sea
would open her ancent seams. An un-
propitious comber might sweep her
clean. "A chance squall would heave
the light thing down. But Captain
SuTette-tne same ulsDt WHO pidyeu MS
grim joke on the life-boat crew--stood
by his wheel. and. regardless of the
old vessels groans and protestations.
whipped her on. He was as careless of
the furnishing elements as the soldier
who furiously, amid shrapnel spurs his
jaded horse into the .enemys trenches.
Steadily blown to leeward, at sea the
two boat loads made preparation to
perish. Suddenly the Boutwell,. like
huge gull, bore down upon them.
Fearing she would go by. not knowing
that she came to save. the men in the
boats stood up. extending their hands
and shouting .madly. It took no little
seamanship. to shoot up near the first
boat, which, but for its air tanks, would
have long since swamped. Ropes with
slip-nooses were thrown, and the men
one after another were drawn TO the
Boutwell's deck and Immediately stow
ed below. Then came another three
miles battle for the second boat. and
another rescue. that Is simple enough
TO mention, but hard to accomplish and
describe. Now. the Boutwell,. never so
laden, with her fifty-two saved on
board. made a desperate fight to get
under the lee shore. and for safety,
twelve miles away.