The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
COULDN'T HEArE HIS SHIP TO.
Peculiar Experience of n Deep-Sea Skipper
on n F~ore-nnd-After.

Peculiar Experience of n Deep-Sea Skipper
on n Fore-nnd-After.
The philosophy of seamanship Is supposed
to be the same in all sailing vessels" said the
old skipper. but there Is a vast difference
between handling q square rlgger and a fore
and-after Adeep-water sailor is at sea in o
double sense when he gets aboard one of our
clipper schooners. / served my apprenticeship
on a schooner. and never sailed on a square
rugged vessel until l was a man.
In 1873 / bought q swift schooner for some
friends and fitted her out for q cruise in
Southern waters. Capt. Bill Curtis. who had
never sailed in a fore-and-after. commanded
her. He hunted around for a mate who had
sailed in schooners. and finally got a man who
had made two or three voyages to the West
Indies. l told the owners there was likely to
be trouble aboard. Although 1 had given up
the sea. they persuaded me to make the voy-
age to Havana in their private interests.
Il was put on the articles as sailing master.
We sailed from of the Battery with a stiff
Northwestern. We had a crew of foreigners, all
square-riGGed sailors. I had nothing to say
except in an advisory capacity. We had o
good run to Hatteras and across the Gulf
Stream. When well to the southwark OF It. in
the squally ATTITUDES. l looked out OF the COM
panionway and saw a squall coming The
Captain saw i. too, and saw that it worried
s soon I 4 felt sa The Ss Schooner s . 7 S Esit o D6%n, ddG oWS,
q the blast and the voice, of the Captain yell:
'nSi ran nar "a pe on d hsfa The Captain had lust
reached the wheel and was helping 2 sailor e
was was t Under wi Water s" and Tn the tor SiHlsSs we're ,e adr fft.
fapplng in the wind. The Captain had at.
too long. He had seen tie mate Hs take axe a aG sau all
sS STss t1 1hs Sh Bgt If: v ssd had Ssd astt item Mf The
ward nj the hnnm and ahnnIi hn pn hann l,,fHaI
ASisher f In %oS S,nGqSixhs IS T. t ease of 81 re- / NAH
pressed schooner paid of and riShted In a jiffy.
We got down somewhere about latitude 30S
S%S SIl an sRa c TsTe r @h e. %sit io the the soh mS.s d II he
10: Capt. Bill was a good marine spike sailor.
R stt W1s R he w sssGnf 9 Pig Rsyb5G St q wo Eff n getting GSIHI
nometer time for his longitude he was weak.
Az nightfall he was in doubt about his position.
reef # he stood in his course. SO he deeidedto
hhsSys her TO- IT. was SasL the mates .ystSh, The
sP.99PPSS s d.t AYE, aye s. sir; .I H9g shsI! We isyI
STRENGTHENING all the time. The Captain got
In a passion, and cursing the mate, said Heaye
""..Tnder what sail. STRIP said the mate.
Then the Captain shouted down at me:
How in thunder do you heave this schooner
&C all hands ] answered, and tack ship.
Glye me the, wheel. stand by the mainmast
halyards. and let the mainsail run dow as she
on while the men slowed the jib. Then. under
close-reefed f~oresail, l let her come up to the
wind. trimmed the boom In. and gave her a
spoke or two Office wheeltlll she lay TO the wind
aud TO the heave OF the sea like a petrol and as
".BecketlnG the wheel. Isald 10 the Captain
and the mate There. you can all go to sleep,
now When Invent on deck later I found the
CAPTAIN leaning against the mainboom look
Ing OF TO leeward. smoking hls pipe. Well,
I'm bowed he said. but this is comfort
She lays like a baby In . cradle"