Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-10-06
( The Saraband'S Skipper !


SaraDand had come. All Gay She
had lain in the pitiless bay, crouching
under the fierce blast of the northeast
/ gale, the seas sweeping her decks, and
now all on board knew that she had
! but a short time to live.
She had had her day. Built to carry
l2O passengers, she had once been one
of the popular boats going through the
( newly-opened canal to the east, and
| her long flush deck had been the scene
Of many gay gathering when her pas
| sencers had assembled under the avn
! ings to laugh, firt and talk after din
ner. But larger and faster boats had
come and her glory had departed, so
| that after many vicissitudes here she
/ lay, her passenger accommodation
taken out and the space filed with
grain from the Black sea ports, sink
! ing.
! Her decks were slanting at an angle
Of - degrees, for the wheat had shift
! ed, and she lay nearly on her beam
ends; every movable thing had long
| Leen washed away, and one structure
which should have been immOvable-
| the engine hatch-had also been
smashed in.
That was the immediate reason why
! she was going to founder; the engine
room plates were awash and the fires
| in the stokehole were out, and for the
last two hours she had only been kept
| head to sea by means OF an anchor
made of the derricks and spars. Apor
| tion of every sea that came on board
| found its way through the makeshift
! contrivance of spars and tarpaulins
nailed over the gaping chasm in her
| deck that marked the former position
Of the engine hatch, and each found
| her n little lower in the water.
In the shelter of the bridge deck
| the only structure which had been
! strong enough to resist the remorse-
| less violence Of the eas-clustered her
crew, some 30 hands, hard-faced sail
ors and grimy fremen; the former
quiet apathetic, almost careless; the
| others. save for a few, dead white with
fear, spending their last moments in
cursing with foolish, meaningless rep
etitions of the same words, the ship,
their luck in coming in her and the
skipper, for not making use Of the two
their dayits al the lee side of the
| bridge deck, and which from their ele-
waited position had not gone when the
other boats had been swept away. On
the bridge deck stood the skipper and
the mate, bearded. elderly men both,
straining their despairing eyes into
the wall Of mist and spray which re-
lentlessly rushed down upon them, in
the faint hope that some passing yes
sci might appear through the gloom OF
the gale.
At length the skipper turned and
scrambled down the slopug bridge to
where the mate crouchcd on the lee
rail 1--WE shall have to try the boats,
Mr.. Smith; she'll not last much
longcrl" he shouted, tho wind picking
up each word as he uttered II and
sweeping them away TO lceward, as II
Jealous of the mate hearing them.
ITS a very poor chance" said the
mate, "but I suppose It's our only one
How long do you give herr"
Half an hour nt the outside. Are
the boats all ready?"
"They'vc been ready since morning"
said the mate; "but can we get them in
the water unsmashed, and won't the
frcmcn rush them?'
81 don't think So" replied the skip
per; there's time enough and room
enough for all 30 get away"
But his face took grimmcr look as
he led the way down from the bridge
10 the charthouse, the mate following
him Inside they could hear each 9th
cr with greater ease, and the skipper,
while taking his revolver from a
drawer, gave the mate his final In
structions.
"WcHl lower the forward boat first,
as she's the biggest; you will take
charge Of her. get your crew aboard
and have everyone In his place before
we start to lower, so that you can
shove Off as soon as she touches the
water. IF those patents act you ought
20 be all right" (The boats were fitted
with a patent contrivance by which
the tackles holding them are automat-
ically released the moment the boat is
water borne, so that there Is no un-
hooking Of blocks to be done while the
bont is getting dashed to pieces against
the ships sidc.)
81 shall be all right" said the mate;
"but what about your Who's going TO
lever the falls OF the after boat2 You
can't manage 81 from the boat Itself ,
With all the crowd you viii have on
board"
"Tll lower her from the deck" said |
the skipper. "Tf they have long
painter made fast TO the ship they can
cnsly pull up again under the counter.
and I'll make jump for IT,"
"Miud YOU don't jump short; you'd |
have It poor chance with those boots !
aid oilskiue on" said the mate.
"Oh. III manage" replied the skip |
per "Can ihc men mp"
The men came up in body and the
,kipper came out on deck. revolver in
band.
"Thc ships sinking" he said, "and / |
have decided TO take TO the boats. |
There's plenty Of time and room for all |
to get AWAY in safety, If you obey my |
orders. You will remain standing |
where you arc until call your names; |
then the man whose name Is called will |
take his place In the boat. Any man |
that starts for the boat before | tell |
him, | shoot; understand, allY
There was low murmur from the |
men, and the skipper continued:
"Mr. Smith will take charge OF the
boat"
The mate, with n look at the skip |
per. climbed into the boat as she hung |
IN the davlts. The skipper then called |
the names Of the crew he proposed TO |
send In her, sending first the sailors. |
% that the mate might place each In |
his proper station I'm the bont before |
the tlremen, etc, who would be OF no
use I'm the critical mnncuvcrs Of get
ting her away from the ships side, |
crowded her up. But these same fire !
men did not understand his reason !
and thought he wns showing undue
preference TO his own men, and.
heavier sea than usual striking the /
steamer, there was "a cry Of: shes