The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-06-30

and trembled; there was splintering
crash aloft, and down came the fore
topmast. the sail still BELLE ont by
che wind, into the sea. Away to the
leeward it went, with such a jerk up
on the stay that had led down to the
outer end of the iib boom. that the
boom too snapped off, and the whole
wreck, drifting to the leeward, but
still held to the ship by the stout cor
dage, drew hel head off so that she
lay almost broadside to the sea.
The mate called for an axe. but
without waiting for it, be sprang for
ward, and with knife that he snatch
ed from one of the men, began TO cut
the rigging away. But he had not
severed even one rope when another
great wave threw the ship almost on
her beam ends, and swept over her
1t passed, and the ship slowly
righted, her decks laden with water.
which swashed back and forth in such
way that no one could for a moment
do anything but take care of himself
Two men were at the wheel, and tC
these | shouted to put the helm hard
down though IN the noise of the
storm there was hardly chance that
they would hear me- But old sea
men as they were would know well
enough without orders what to do.
Grasping an axe from the foot of
the mainmast, | hurried forward to
help the mate But be was gone.
| could neither see nor hear him; nor
was there any one upon the forecastle
1t was hard for me to realize that Mr..
Hazewell and those who had been
with him had been swept overheard.
but it was the quick conclusion | had
come to, and my own life was in dan
ger while | stood there, | grasped the
axe more firmly and began to cut
away the wreck.
Fortunately, / succeeded before
another sea swept over the ship, and
her head came slowly to the wind.
But so slowly and so heavily that it
was at once evident there must be
water in the hold. Ordering those of
the crew who still remained in the
ships waist, | at once took measures
to ascertain whether water was still
coming in, and how much there al
ready was in The hold; wishing to as
certain this before making any report
to the captain.
In the excited condition Of my
mind | did not consider that the cap
tain, if he were able to move at all,
would most likely by that time have
been OH deck That thought did not
occur to me as | made haste to sound
the we'll And the result of the sound
ing carried snch dismay to my heart,
that for the next few moments | had
thought for only one thing-was the
water increasing?
Within five minutes after the first
sounding we measured again, and the
result was still more frightful. Once
again. with scarce an interval between
this measurement and the last. and
then the crew We're almost wild with
fear. The ship was sinking sinking
She was surely going down
How helpless are even the stoutest
hearted at such time! The sea was
raging, and the ship was gong down
settling so fast that all the pumping
we could have done would hardly
have delayed her fate one moment.
Our only chace of life-and oh, how
frail a chance it was.-was to get the
long boat into the sea, if possible, and
leave the ship in that. But there
might not be time to launch the boat
and even if there should be, the chan
ces were that it would be dashed
against the ship and crushed, or else
be torn away the moment 1t struck
the water.
1t would be of no use to tell the
captain the ship was going down; but
| won1ered, now, why he had not
come on deck The boat must be
launched, if possible-or at least made
ready for launching and then !
would 60 down to the captain, and il
he were not able to come up alone
| would help him.
1t was at least ten minutes before
the boat was ready, for it could only
be got over the side with tackles: but
when it was all ready to be lowered
luIO tue "dtel' lOlu lut Ileu 10 KEEP
it there, and calling one of them by
name, told him to come with me into
the cabin.
The next moment | was cropping il
the darkness for the captains berth
Every light in the cabin had been put
ont by the shock the ship had receiv
ed, and in the darkness | could only
grope and feel my way Before
reached the captains berth, | stumb
led over the captain himself. "Belay
now" cried the PROSTATE man, as i
in pain. is that You, Hazewell 2"
mo, Mr.. Hazewell is gone; it's me
Swain The ships going down
Captain Howard; can't you get OF
deck"
No. no; if she's going down. II
go with her Oh, these cramps
Let me help you, captain-we
can't leave you here" and | RAISED
him up. Put your arms around my
neck" [ said; "1'll carry you on deck
It's of no use," said the captain
you can't, and I'm just as we'll here
If the ship is going down"
But | can't leave you here, cap
tain. Ben, lend handw
But Ben was not there. He had no,
followed, and | was with the captain
alone. Captain Howard must have
weighed two hundred pounds, but
without any help | carried him to the
foot of the cabin stairs. There l had
to set him down. Wait a moment
| said, "Pll call one of the men," and
then L sprang up on deck.
Not a soul was there! Not man
could be seen or heard, and the boat
that, too, was gone. With a groan.
was almost ready to sink down. But
l went back, and said L.
Captain. they're gone. The boat
is gone and the men with it; what
shall we do.
Go down with the ship, if we cam
DO better" the captain replied. Will
strange calmness. But my cramI
is gone now, and We'll 90 up and set