Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-20
SHIPWRECKED.

AuSCrdlld, was AOA1noAAJ W0oAenJ
Young man, who went to sea because
he loved life on the water He was
asked by a passenger on one of the
Mariposa's trips to tell how he came to
adopt seafaring life and to relate his
most thrilling adventure. Here is his
story:
"I was "a years old when left col
lege, having graduated we'll up in my
class had come into possession Of the
property left to me by my father in
that year, and as my brother had also
died and my sisters had married de-
termined to spend few years in travel.
Invent to Europe and South Africa, re-
turning to London the same year. Clark
Russell's sea stories had always inter
ested me greatly, and I made up my
mind to rough it on trip to Australia
in clipper ship.
II tried to engage cabin passage IN
the Josephine, then one Of the largest
sailing ships af1oat, but old Captain
Hardy, whom everybody called the
bear, because he was so rough and
brusque, refused with many an oath,
saying he didn't keep hotel and no
man could sail on his ship without
signing articles and doing his proper
amount of work. Of course knew a
ship as we'll as / knew house, and |
decided to 20 on the Josephine before
the mast, just for the fun of it. I saw a
twinkle in the old captains eye as l
signed the usual articles for the voyage
to Sydney. He simply remarked, how
ever, You're big enough, at any rate,
to do your share Of the work.
81 procured regular outfit, sent my
kit on board and took my place among
the crew. I found friends in the fore
castle, for I assumed 90 airs, acted just
as everybody else did, and studiously
minded my own business.
"In spite of my discretion, though, l
made some enemies. One of them was
in the same watch with me. His name
was Norris, and he claimed to be an
Englishman, but he spoke with slight
ly foreign accent and was dark enough
to he taken for Portuguese or Span
lard. disliked him from the first, and
he evidently had as little regard for me
as I had for him.
''He insulted me one day in the fore
castle during our watch below, and l
struck him a blow under the ear that
put him to sleep very effectually. He
was unconscious fer two hours, and I
was really afraid that he was done for.
He regained consciousness finally, and
after that time did not in any way in
terfere with me. When we were aloft
sometimes, however, I could see him
eying me sharply and was satisfied
that be was contemplating some sort of
treachery. I said nothing, but tried
always to keep my eyes in Hs direction.
1--WE had fairly good voyage until
we struck some extremely rough weather
off Cape Horn. For two days we ran
under close reefs with the wind abeam,
and then the gale became 50 violent
that we had to heave to to weather it.
On the fourth day of the storm the wind
moderated, and Captain Hardy ordered
us aloft to shake out the lower reefs.
We had resumed our course and were
booming along at about ten knots.
Although the wind had moderated
considerably, the sky was dark gray
all around, with clouds Of deeper hue,
almost blush, in the southeast. 1t
looked to me like more heavy weather,
and I doubted the wisdom Of shaking
out any Of the reefs.
Morris and were on the main royal
yard when heavy puff of wind struck
the ship and threw her almost upon her
beam ends ASH stood on the footrope
with my arms over the yard TIE heavy
piece of timber was almost perpen-
dicular and I had to cling hard with
hands and feet to keep from going over.
Another lurch came when was
resting my whole weight on the foot
rope. The rope suddenly parted and I
felt myself falling.
"Instinctively flung out my arms to
grasp something, but my hand struck
the to'gallant yard and over went into
the sea. remember hearing q cry Of
Man overboardr from the deck and
must then have become unconscious for
a time
II next found myself struggling
among the tremendous waves AS I rose
upon the crest of each big sea caught
a glimpse Of the ship, and as she was
still standing on her course knew that
Twas left to my fate. was not excited
in the least by my position. fully ex-
pected to drown, but l made up my
mind to fight as long as could. 1 was
and am strong swimmer, and I hoped
to be able to keep afoat until / could
find some spar or bits Of wreckage to
sustain me.
Meanwhile made as little exertien
as was necessary, SO as to preserve my
strength The water was very cold, and
I knew that no mans powers Of endur-
ance, however great they might be,
could be equal to any prolonged strug-
gle with such elements
"Iexpected no relief from the Joseph
inc. A small boat could not have been
launched in such sea, and I calculated
correctly that Captain Hardy did not
put the ship about because he. did not
believe that any man could live for FIVE
L L..