The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-31


Has worry won the day.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox in Youths Compal l.
ion
THE SARABAND'S SKIPPER.
The last half-hour of the steamship
Saraband had come. All day she had
lain in the pitiIess bay, crouching under
the fierce blast of the northeast gale,
the seas sweeping her decks, aud 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 newly opened canal to the east,
and her long flush deck had been the
scene of many gay gathering when
her passengers had assembled under
the awnings to laugh, fiirt and talk
after dinner. But larger and faster
boats had come, and her glory had de-
parted, so that after many vicissitudes
here she lay, her passenger accommo-
dation taken out and the space filled
with grain from the Black seaports,
sinking.
Her decks were slanting at an angle
of forty-ive degrees, for the wheat had
shifted, aud she lay nearly on her beam
ends every movable thing had long
been washed away, and one structure
which should have been immovable-
the engine hatch-had also been smash
ed in.
That was the Immediate 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 derricks aud spars. A
portion of sea that came on board
found its way through the makeshift
cOntrivanee of spars and tarpaulins
nailed over the gaping chasm in her
deck that marked the former position
of the eDgine-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 remorseless
violence of the seas-elustered her
crew, some thirty hands, hard faced
sailors and grimy firemen; the former
quiet, apsthetie, almost careless, the
others, save for few, dead-white with
fear, spending their last moments in
eursing with foolish, meaningless ne
petitions Of the same words, the ship, |
their luck in coming in her, and the
skipper for not making use of the re-
manning two boats which hung from |
their davits at the lee side of the bridge |
deck, and which from their elevated |
position had not gone when the other |
boats had been swept away. On the |
bridge stood the skipper and the mate,
bearded, elderly men both, straining
their eyes into the wall of mist and |
spray which relentlessly rushed 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 shall have to try the boats,
Mr.. Smith; she'll not last much long
erY' he shouted, the wind picking up
each word as he uttered it and sweep
ing them away to leeward, as if jesl-
Gus of the mate hearing them.
"II's very poor chance" said the
mate; "but | suppose it's our only one.
How long do you give herr"
"Half an hour at the outside. Are
the boats all ready?1
They've been ready since morn
ing" said the mate; "bnt can we get
them in the water unsmashed, and
won't the firenlen rush them?',
al don't think so" replied the skip
per; '.there's time enough and room
enough Tor all to get away"
But his face tOok gIimmer look as
he led the way down from the bridge
to the chsrt-house, the mate following
him. Inside they could hear each |
other with greater ease, and the skip
per, while taking his revolver from |
drawer, gave the mate his final in
structions.
We'll lower the forward lifeboat |
first, as she's the biggest; you will take
charge Of her, get your crew aboard,
and have everyone in his place before |
we start to lnwer, 50 that you can shove |
off as soon as she touches the water
If those patents act you ought to be all |
right" lTh. boats were fitted with I
patent contrivance by which the tack
les holding them are automatically re-
leased the moment the boat is water
borne, 50 that there is no unlocking
Of blocks to be done while the boat is
ing da he'd to pieces against the ships
side
81 shall be all right" said the mate.
but what about you? Who's going to
lower the fall of the after boat? You
can't manage s from the boat itself,
with all the crowd you will have on
board
"I'll lower her from the deck" said
the skipper. eff they have have loag
paiuter made fast 10 the ship. they can
easily pull up again under the counter,
aud Pll make jump for it.
ssaind you doa't jump short; you'd
have poor chance with those boots
and oilskias on.D said the mate.
"Oh. I'll manage" replied the skip
per, s.Call the men up"
The men came up in body, and the
skipper came out on the deck revolver
in hand.
"Fhe ship is sinking" be said. "and
[ have decided to take to the boats.