New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-17
THE SARABAND'S SKIPPER.
From Temple Bar.


Tho las; half -nour Of tho steamship Saraband
had come. All lay she had lain in the pitiless
bay. crouchins under the fierce blast Of the
northeast gale the seas sWe' ping her decks. and
now all on board knew that she had but a
r., TT time to lifc.
She had had her day Built TO carry one hun
dred AID twenty passengers, SIZE had once been
o3e of the popular boats going through tho
newly opened canal to the East, ard her lone
flush deck had been the scene Of many a gay
gathering when her pascong rrs had assembled
urder the awnings TO laugh, Grt ard talk after
drrcr But larger AVID faster boats had como
ard her glcry had DEPARTED, 60 that after many
vciegitldes here she lay her passenger accom-
moda:on taken out ard the space filed with
grain from the Black Sea ports. sinking.
Her decks were eIantinG at an angle Of forty
FIVE degrees, for the wheat had shifted, AID she
lay nearly on her beam encs; every movable
thing had long been washed away. and one
structure which should have been inlmovabie-
the engine hatch-had also been smashed in.
That was the immediate reason why she was
going to founder; the engine room plates were
awash ard the frs in the stokeisolc were out
ard for the last two hours she had only beer kept
head to sea by means of a sea anchor made OF
HE dcIricks and s3ars. \ portion Of every
oca that came on board found its way through
he max sllift Ccnt'ivan Of spars and tar
rauns nailed over the gaping chasm in her
Dc X that marked the former position Of the
cine-hatch, and each founl her little lower
IL the water.
In the shelter IF the br !gc dc,k-the only
structure which hid been strong enough to re-
siSt TIE rcmorseioss violence of the scas-clus-
tricd Lcr crew, some thirty hands, hard faced
~. rttf..
arathottc. almost careless; the othc:s. save FOR
a few, doad-whi;e with fcar spending their last
ilonocnts in cursing with foolish meaningless
vcpctiti0ns OF the same wo:Gs. the slip their
MCk in coming in her, and the skipper. for not
making use Of the two remaining boats which
hung from their havits al the j." side Of Ia"
bridge deck, and which from their elevated posi-
lion had not gone when tie other loats had
been swept away. on tie bridge stood The
skin er and the mate. beard o. elderly men both.
strainirG their dcspalri-C eyes INTO The wall ~
mist and spray which IecLtlossy rushed dowr,
upon them In the faint hope that GONE passing
vessel might appear through the gloom Of the
gale.
At length the skipper turned and scrambled
down the slopng bridge 20 where the mate
crouchcd on the lee rail. We shall have To-
try the boats Mr.. Smith; she'll not last much
longer" he shouted. the VIVID picking Up each
word as he uttered it and sweeping them away
to lceward. as if Jealous OF the mate hearing
them.
ITS very poor chance" said the mate;
but ] suppose it's only one. How long do
you give herr"
Half an hour at the outside Are the boats
ali ready?"
They've been ready since morning" said the
mate; but can We get them II the water un-
smashed and won't the nr,mcn rush them
Il don't think So" replied the skipper. "thorc's
time enough and room cnouTh for all to get
away"
But his face took a Grimrncr look as he led
the way down from the bridge to the chart
house. the mate following him. Inside they
could hear each other w..h "rcatcr ease and
thu skipper, while taking his revolver from "a
drawer, gave the mate his nral Instructions.
wen lower the forward lifcboai 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 start to lower. 50 that you can
shove of as soon she touches the water II
thosc patent act you ought 10 be all right"
(Thc boats were fitted with patent contrivancc
by which the tackles holding them are auto
matically released the moment the boat is
water borne so that there is no unlocking Of
blocks TO bc done while the boat is getting
dashed to pieces against ;hc ships side
Il shal be all right" said the ma g; but what
about you? Who's going 10 lower the falls If
the after boat? You can't manage it from the
boat Itself. with all the crowd you viii have on
board"
'I'll lower her from the deck" SAID the skip
Der 'If they have a long painter made fast