The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-08-23

two hours she had only been kept head
to sea by means of a sea anchor made of
the derricks and spars. A portion of ev-
cry sea that came on board found it's
way through the makeshift continuance
of spars and tarpaulins nailed over the
gaping ohasm in her deck that marked
the former position of the engine hatch,
and each found her little lower in the
water.
In the shelter of the bridge deck, the
only structure which had been strong
enough to resist the remorseless violence
of the seas, clustered her crew, some
80 hands, hard faced sailors and grimy
firemen the former quiet, apathetio
almost careless; the others, save for
few, dead white with fear, spending
their last moments in cursing, with
foolish, meaningless repetitions of the
same words, the ship, their luck in
coming in her and the skipper for not
making use of the two remaining boats
which hung from their davits at the lee
side of the bridge deck, ssnd which from
their elevated position had not gone
when the other boats had been swept
away. On the bridge stood the skipper
and the mate, bearded, elderly men
both, straining their despairing eyes
into the wall of mist and spray which
relentlessly rushed down upon them, in
the faint hope that some passing vessel
might appear through the gloom of the
gale.
At length the skipper turned and
scrambled down the sloping bridge to
where the mate crouched ON the lee rail
"We shall have to try the boats, Mr.
Smith. She'll not last much longer p
he shouted, the wind picking up each
word as he uttered it and sweeping them
away to leeward, as if jealous of the
mate hearing them.
cts very poor chance, +" said the
mate, but I suppose it's our only one
How long do you give her?''
"Half an hour at the outside Are
the boats all ready?"
They've been ready since morning, .
said the mate, but can we get them in
the water unsmashed, and won't the
firemen rush them?'
81 don't think SO, - replied the skip
per. "There's time enough and room
enough for all to get away"
But his face took a grimmer look as
he led the way down from the bridge to
the charthouse, the mate following him.
Inside they could hear each other with
greater ease, and the skipper, while
taking his revolver from drawer, gave
the mate his final instructions.
"We'll lower the forward lifeboat
first, as she's the biggest. You will take
charge of her, get your crew aboard and
have every one 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 to be all
right The boats were fitted with
patent contrivance by which the tackles
holding them are automatically released
the moment the boat is water borne, SO
that there is no unlocking of blocks to
be done while the boat is getting dashed
to pieces against the ships side
II shall be all right, said the mate,
"but what about you? Who's going to
lower the falls of the after boat? You
can t manage it from the boat itself,
with all the crowd you will have on
board.
"I'll lower her from the deck, said
the skipper eff they have a long
painter made fast to the ship, they can
easily pull up again under the counter,
and I'll make jump for it. -
''Mind you don jump short. You'd
hau oh
and oilskins ON, said the mate
"Oh, I'll manage, . replied the skip
per. "Call the men up.
The men came up in body, and the
skipper came out on the deck, revolver
in hand.
1.-THE ships sinking, - he said, land
| 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 are till 1 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 1 tell him L shoot;
understand ALP"
There was a low murmur from the
men, and the skipper continued;
"Mr Smith will take charge Of the
boat -
The mate, with look at the skipper,
climbed into the boat as she hung in
the davits. The skipper then called the
names of the crew he proposed to send
in her, sending first the Sailors so that
the mate might place each in his proper
station in the boat, before the firemen,
etc, who would be of no use in the
critical maneuvers of getting her away
from the ships side, crowded her up.
But these same firemen did not under
stand his reason and thought he was
showing undue preference to his own
men, and, a heavier sea than usual
striking the steamer, there was cry
of, "She's going down, and he's send
ing the sailors first p and rush for the
boat.
"Stand back '' cried the skipper.
Crack, and the leading fireman spread
out his hands and pitched on to his
face rolling in a limp bundle down on
to the lee rail The rest of the men
stopped. They might as we'll be drown
ed as shot, they thought, and they hud-
died together, looking with Mortified
glances at their dead comrade. The
skipper paused, lowered his revolver
and then called the next name. They
had learned their lesson and went quiet
ly to the boat, which was got safely
away and drifted out of sight in the
mist Of the gale.
The other boat was filled without any
mishap, and the skipper, the only man
left on the deck, lowered her. She also
got clear away and drifted out to the
full length Of her painter The skipper
walked aft to wait for them to haul up
again. He had to pass the body of the
dead man, and he did not look at it.
The boat was hauling up on the painter
and was getting close The skipper got
on the rail ready to jump. AT that mo-
ment fireman, the brother of the man
he had shot, reached over the boats
bow. and with. crY Of "Rlast you.