The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-07
A RESCUE AT SEA.
An Old Fishing Schooner Puts Out In
Storm 20 Save a Steamers Crew.

Herbert ID. Ward contributes TO the
| July Century an article on Heroes of the
Deep, one of the series The Century 1:
| printing devoted to the Heroes of Peace y
| Mr.. Ward says:
On the night of Dec. 81, 1896, the Brit
ish steamer Warwick, from Glasgow TO st
John, n. B., drove at full speed against
Yellor Muir ledge, Grand Manan. After
futile attempts TO save themselves In the
bowling gale the crew, numbering 81
souls, launched the two remaining boats
the next morning at daylight, crowded
into them and left the wreck. Ever
drcnched, ever bailing for dear life, in mo-
mentary peril of capsizing, becoming more
numbed and discouraged drifting farther
from land, falling off into deeper troughs
of the heaving seas, the poor men finally
gave up hope for survival was only a
question of minutes or, at most, of hours.
AT that crisis, when the tempest was at
its height, out of the scud, the seas and
the foam, out of the hurricane, there APP
peared a savior. The 90 frozen men
thought the naturalization miracle.
A few days before, when the gale was
rising, the George :. Boutwell,, fishing
schooner from the port of Gloucester, an
chored in a little sheltered spot called Seal
cove. The 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 escaping
the winter storms. When this furry arose.
Captain Surette congratulated himself on
his own safety, for the vessel was light,
and TO risk her in such storm was sheer
suicide, and he knew it. During a lull in
the blow the keeper of the North Head
light noticed the steamer grinding on the
rocks. The Boutwell, was the only vessel
within 20 miles or more. The keeper ran
down to the cove, jumped into a frail
dingey and rowed out, with great danger
to himself, and told the captain what he
had seen. There was not an instant's hes
itation among skipper and crew.
Don't wait to haul her up, boys Buoy
that anchor Sharp, now Lash the jumbo
down. Three reefs in her mainsail and
let her go!"
Not man on deck but knew it might
be his last voyage. 1t was bad enough
loaded, but light A single cross sea
would open her ancient seams. An I'M
propitious comber might sweep her clean
thing down, but Captain Surette stood
by his wheel, and, regardless of the old
vessels groans and protestations, whipped
her on. He was rs careless of the punish
ing elements as the soldier who furiously,
amid Strapped, spurs his faded horse into
the enemy's trenches.
Steadily blown to leeward, at sea the
two boatloads made preparation to perish.
suddenly the Boutwell,, like a huge gull,
bore down upon them. Fearing she would
20 by, not knowing that she came to save.
he men in the boats stood up, extending
heir hands and shouting madly. Il took
40 little seamanship to shoot up near he
irst boat, which, but for its air tanks.
would have long since swampcd Ropes
With slip nooses were thrown, and the
men one after another were drawn TO the
deck and immediately slowed
below Then came another three miles
)attle for the second boat and another res
'ue that is simple enough to mention, but
hard to accomplish and describe. Now
he Boutwell,, never before so laden, with
Ter 52 saved on board, made desperate
light to get under the lee shore and for
afety IL miles away.