The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-23

miles off the Hawaiian Islands, lew
years ago. and began to go to pieces.
An American man-o' war, making
soundings down in that neighborhood'
sighted the wrecked sealer, and though
the sea was terrific boat crew under
the leadership of the chief bo'sun $
mate, was put off from the war ship to
succor the sealers crew. The chief
bo' sun mate was not man notable
for nerve. He had, in fact, shown
the white feather in two or three mix
ups he had with other chief petty
officers of his ship, and he had lost
prestige among the men forward TOR
this reason. When the man-o war
got within a hundred feet or so of
the sealer, which was rapidly going to
pieces, the crew of the succoring boat
saw, with considerable disgust, that
all hands aboard the sealer, including
the skipper, were boiling drunk, and
were standing maundering to one
another, waiting for the last lurch OF
their ship. instead of making an effort
to clear the life boats of the davits.
1t was impossible for the war ship s
boat to get alongside the wrecked
sealer on account of the giant seas.
The chief bo' suns mate, who had
hitherto lacked the nerve to take his
own part in fo'c'sle squabbles, didn t
intend to let it go at that, however.
He leaped suddenly into the sea, and
he had navy pistol stuck into the
bosom of his mastering shirt when ne
leaped. When he drew near to the
distressed sealer the seas slammed him
against the ships sides time and
again before he was able to clutch at
a rail chain to pull himself aboard.
He succeeded in climbing aboard final
ly, however, and then he made race
forward to where the crew, including
the skipper and mates: were huddled
around rum cask, soaking themselves.
The chief bo' suns mate hoped into
the middle of the gang Of drunkards,
whipped out his big navy pistol and
mode tho hluff of his life. The bluff
went.
"Cut away the boats, ye sots, and
take chance, or I'll put an ounce OF
lead into every drunken dog Of ye =
he yelled.
He covered the crew with his gun
as he spoke, and his attitude sobered
the men. They numbered out of the
fo G sic and, despite their half help
less condition, they got two long boats
clear of the davits, and all hands,
nineteen men in all of the sealer's
crew, got at the oars in the nick of
time. The bo' sun 8 mate went along
| in one of the long boats, and, followed
by the man-o' wars boat, they all
made for the American war ship,
which was hove to quarter of mile
away. The sealer went to pieces ten
minutes after the crew had left her.
The crew was taken to Honolulu by
the war ship. The chief bo'sun' s
mate was afterward regarded by his
shipmates as man who could only be
carried along certain number OF
knots.
Commander Thomas, formerly Of the
gunboat Bennington, had his life
saved aboard that ship by Chingalese
mess attendant in an odd sort of way.
He was doing bit of inspecting on
the berth deck. aft, one afternoon,
When the executive officer Of the ship
came to the head Of the after berth
deck ladder and shouted down below
to anybody within hearing:
SIS the captain below there 2
Commander Thomas heard the call,
and, without making any reply to the
question, started from the pay Office
for the ladder, intending to 60 above
to the main deck TO see what the first
lieutenant wanted. The hatch right
at the foot of the ladder had been
carelessly left open by seaman who
had gore forward for bit Of gear, and
it was dark on the berth deck. The
commander had his eyes raised to the
head of the ladder, anyhow, as he ap-
preached the ladder, and had he made
another step he would have plunged
to the bottom OF the deep hatch and
been mangled to bits. He was arres-
ted by hearing piercing voice behind
him cxclaim
damn the skipper's eyes Damn
the skipper 5 eyes -
With his foot still raised to take
the step that would have plunged him
into the hatch, Commander Thomas
turned his head suddenly.
aWho's that ?" he asked.