The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-10-06
THE LIMITS OF ENDURANCE.

Il Joks like a down east button"
said Capt. Davis to his first mate, as
he scanned the curious object on the
weather bow through his glasses. Il
s'pose she capsized in the squall this
noon"
Yes said the mate. Guess SO.
That's copper paint-not metal It's
the first time Pve seen a big craft
bottom up. They don't get over so
far, as rule. Shall get the boat
down and try to read her name?
Can't be far under water
No. It'll be known in time. Her
crew can't be far off unless they're
drowned She's big fellow-may be
a four -sticker. Keep away on the
course, Mr. Baker
The schooner Claremont, of Bath,
payed of, and the object of discussion
la hull, bottom up, showing a gllst
ening keel abou three feet above the
mean plane of the heaving ground
swell swung to point on the quar-
ter and became dim and obscure in
the increasing gloom of the evening.
| Naked and desolate it looked to the
crew as they watched it recede-an
ironical commentary on ship owners,
hopes and plans; a dismal reminder OF
their own probable ending.
She's floating On the air IN the
hold said one of them. an active
young giant in blue shirt, to his
mates on The forecastle deck When
| it has all leaked through the seams,
| she'll be close to the bottom
In my opinion, said a grlzzled old
tar. seated on the cat head; there's
something wrong with ths build of a
craft that'll act like that Think SO,
Ransom?
Yes, Bill; there is,' said the other,
as he turned pair Of thoughtful
brown eyes On the questoner. You
see there's little dead rise there
practically, a fiat bottom. That
means more cargo room for the same |
draught of water. But If craft like
that gets over far enough to bury her
canvas, she's apt to go the rest OF
the way
The speaker, whose sun burned face
wore an expression of intelligence not
often found in the forcastle, began
pacing the weather side of the deck
for he was on lookout fine pro
portions showing in pleasing sill
houette against the lessening light OF |
the western sky.
Soon eight bells sounded from aft,
and splinging lightly off the forecas
tie to the fore hatch, he repeated it on
the heavy bell hung to the foremost. 1t
marked change of watches and he
was presently relieved. A light air
blew the Claremont to the southwark |
Until midnight; then it failed, and
with canvas idly Tapping, and booms
tugging alternately at sheets and
boomtackles. as she rolled IN the oily
swell, the schooner lay, helpless.
At l o'clock Mr. Todd, the second
mate, sleepily lounging over the bul
warks, was startled into waEefulness
by hearty hail from the port beam.
Schooner. ahoy; will you take us
aboard 2 said the voice.
The sound of oars humping be
tween thole pins was heard, and
dark object loomed out of the gloom.
Who are you? shouted the officer.
The crew of the schooner Walku1e.'
The man at the wheel, the blue
shirted sailor called Ransom, uttered
an audible exclamation, and holding
the Jerking wheel with one hand,
leaned toward the rail and peered at
the approaching boat.
Come alongside, answered the sec
ond mate; then he tapped at the cap
tain's window, who presently appear
ed.
What's the trouble?' he asked.
Boat alongside, sir; Walkure's
crew, they say Nav belong to the
craft We passed.
Come aboard called Capt. Davis,
as the boat bumped against the side
of the schooner. Eight men clambered
over the rail-one with the painter,
which he made fast to cleat and
mustered aft near the poop, where
Capt. Davis met them.
Is the captain on deckH asked a
tall young fellow, stepping out Of the
group with confident, careless swing
of his shoulders, and speaking in
musical accent of voice, which, though
pleasant on the whole, had -hlppant
ring to it. 1t was the voice that had |
hailed
i ap the captain
Our schooner turned turtle yester
day noon, yesterday The skipper |
drowned before our eyes, but we
couldn't get to him. His daughter,
Miss Downs, was below at the time,
and we never saw her again. l am
the mate, this is the second mate, and |
these are the crew.
"We must have passed your vessel
at sundcwn. So that was the Wal |
kure l knew Capt. Downs and his |
family 1t will be sad news for his |
wife. The young lady, as remember
her, was very handsome. Have You
sayed anything"
Nothing bat what we could stand
in, sir. We had the boat over to
paint, or we couldn't have got away
ourselves"
"Well, make yourselves snug as you
can forward, Mr.. Todd, rouse up che |
cook to give these men a bite or two. |
Make the beat fast astern, and we'll |
lift it up in the morning. There
won't be any wind tonight
The captain stepped down; the res
e1ed men disappeared in the direc
ton of the forecastle, and as Mr.. |
Todd carried the boats painter aft,
the man at the wheel spoke to him. !
MIR. Todd, lie said, will you ask
johnson to take the wheel moment?
That was my last ship. I'd like to
talk to those fellows
Johnson bawlod the officer, lay
aft-relieve the wheel
johnson, who had steered the last
came aft, grumbllng to himself, and
the other, giving him the course, sped
forward and burst into the forecastle,
where the newcomers had settled
themselves on boxes and chests.