The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-09
SARABAND'S SKIPPER.

The last hah-hour Of the steamship
Saraband had come All day she had
lain in the pftiless bay crouching I'M
der the fierce blast of the northeast
gale, the seas sweeping her decks, and
now all on board knew that she had
but short time to live.
She had had her day. Built to carry
120 passengers, she had once been one
OF the popular boats going through
the newiy opened canal to the East
and her long flush deck had been the
scene of many a gay gathering when
her passengers had assembled under
the awnings to laugh, f1irt and talk af-
ter dinner. But larger and faster
boats had come and her glory had
departed. so that after many vicissi-
tudes here she lay. her passenger ac-
commOdation taken out and the space
filled with grain from the Black Sea
ports, sinking.
Her decks were slanting in an angle
Of forty-five degrees, for the wheat
had shifted, and she lay nearly on her
beam ends; every movable thing had
long been washed away, and one Struc4
ture which should have been immov-
able-the engine hatcih-had also been
smashed in
That was the immediSte reason why
she was going to- founder; the engine
room plates were awash and the fires
in the StOkehOle were out and for
the last two hours she had only been
Kept head to sea by means of a sea
anchor made of the derriclxs and spars
A portion OF every sea that came on
board found its way through the make
Shift contriVance of spars and tar
paulinS nailed over the gaping chasm
in her deck that marked the former DO
sitiOn 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 remorse-
less violence Of the seas-clustered her
crew, some thirty hands, hard-faced
sailors and grimy f1remen; the former
quiet, apathetic, almost careless; the
others. save for few, dead white with
fear, spending their last moments in
curs1ng with foolish, meaningless re-
petitions 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
oeck and which from their elevated DO
Sltlon had not gone when the other
boats had been swept away. On the
or1dge stood the skipper and mate,
bearded, elderly men BOTH straining
their despairing eyes into the wall of
mist and spray which relentlessly rush
ed 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 shah have to try the boats,
Mi. Smith; she'll not last much long
err! he shouted. the wind picking up
each word as he uttered it and sweep
ing them away to leeward, as if jealous
OF the mate hearing them.
oh
mate; but L suppose it's our only one
How long do you give herr"
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?" o
II don't thir.z 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
lie led the way down from the bridge
to the charthOuse, the mate following
him. Inside they could hear each 9TH
er with greater ease, and the skipper,
While taking his revolver from a draw
er, 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 SldII 70 tOW6Tp SO Indl 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 a patent contrivance by which
the tackles holding them are automat-
ically released the moment the boat is
Water-borne, so that there is no I'M
hooking Of blocks to be done while the
boat is getting dashed to pieces against
the ships side)
81 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 it
self, with all the crowd you have on
board"
"IIl lower her from the deck" said
the skipper. IF they have a long
painter made fast to the ship, they can
easily pull up again under the counter
and I'll make a jump for It,"
Mind you don't jump short; you'd
have a poor chance with those boots
and oilskins on said the mate
"Oh, I'll manage" replied the skipper
Call the men up"
The men came UP in a body, and the
skipper came out on the deck, revolver
in hand.
1.-THE ships sinking" he said, land
I 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 I 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 I tell
him. I shoot; understand all?"
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 f1remen did not
understand his reason, and thought he
was showing undue preference to his
own men, and, q heavier sea than
usual striking the steamer, there was
a cry Of, She's going down, and he's
sending the sailors f1rst!' and a rush
for the boat.
Stand back!' cried the skipper
Crack! and the leading fireman spread
face, rolling in 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
quietly to the boat, which was got
safely away, and drifted out of sight
in the mist Of the gale.