The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-11
Fate of Ships
Rats Deserted
why sailors Of the Great Lakes Believe
In This superstition Of the sea.

There Is only one saltwater supersti-
ton accepted by sailors Of the Great
Lakes. That is the one which has come
down from the earliest n~aviga,ors, that
n rats leave a ship the ship IS certain
to sink. Lakemen's absolute and gen.
eral credence in this makes up for their
incredulity regarding other marine
p~rognostics. 1t is hard 70 find a lake
sailor. from captain down 20 a deck
hant. who does not place fun faith in
the old rat sign. Not all Of them will
admit IL % an outsider, hut they admit
4. tc o's another. The old captains Who
have been on the lakes since the civil
var add still sail vessels Of the old type
| would NJ sooner take their craft out of
rot 4 the rats a deserted her than
they would pull anchor in a December
nor'wester.
There is no reason why these fresh
water sailors should not be Crelulous.
The superstition has been handed down
from the time boats first began 10 ply
on the lakes. and the stories told OF
the sinking Of various craft on the lakes
have served 10 convince the present
generation Of navigators that there
must be something supernatural in the
eXoduses OF ship rats. Take the story
of the Vernon. for instance.
The Vernon was a three-masteT which
did a tramp business. Built in Buffalo
In 1850. she was for nan years re-
garded as one of the best craft on the
lakes. La.e IN the fan. about Is years
ago. she unloaded a cargo OF grain in
Buffalo and reloaded with package
freight for Chicago. Her captain had
hired what extra sailors he needed. and
about ! o'clock On the night OF Nov. ,
he was ready to heave TO and start
west. There was considerable Of a sea
outside and the Indications were that
the weather would be heavy for several
days. sim. the Vernon was considered
a stanch vessel. and no one thought il
risky to take her out. Just before the
lines were let on one Of the seamen saw
a rat run over the hawsers TO the
wharf. In a moment another was seen.
The seaman called others Of the crew
TO see the unusual sight. Between so
and Is rats poured Out OF the ship and
took refuge along the wharf. Five sail
ors accordingly informed the captain
hat they would not 60 out with the
vessel.
Not having seen the exodus. the cap
tain believed tina. his crew. frightened
at the possibility OF. big blows. had told
the rat story as an excuse for quitting
the ship. He swoTe a. them and ordered
them to go shore and stay there. The
superstitious sailors tried 10 convince
TIC captain AAAah AHfA - liz Nf'NAN
ing him. n they asked him not to
make the trip lie was skeptical and
obstinate. He got a new crew and n
night started out 81 port.
The story spread. and the trip Of the
Vernon was watched. In Lake Michi-
gan she pounded several hours in a ter
rife sea, her seams opened, and she
went down. Not a soul was saved.
There was probably not a sailor on tn
lakes who did not hear this story. and
those who had been disbelievers before
now had fun confidence in the rat sign.
Seven or eight years ago a schooner
which had no name was deserted by
rats while she lay in Milwaukee. Two
OF her crew quit Immediately. The Re-
naming two stayed on the craft. This
schooner was blown ashore al Silver
Cree. Lake Erie. The two men were
taken OF by a Iise-savinE crew.
\ more recent ease OF this sind was
that OF the steamer Idaho. which went
down OF Ions Point. AXE Erie. last
November. This boat put out or BuTa-
10 just ahead " the hardest blow If las
season. once she Vas regarded As the
finest passenger boat on tine lakes. on
this. her last "trip. she Va, buffeteG
about for several hours. She pounded
by Long Poiu-. 81 miles northwest Of
Bunalo. and then her captain ordered
her brought about that she might run
under Long Point for shelter. The rush
80 waves was too much for her. She
vas caught ina the EBl Of the sea and
she gradually Glled and sank OF her
cres u p men - Mere drowned The
first mate and a seaman named Gin
climbed into the higgins. where they re-
NAMED IS hours. Tney were finally
taken OF by the steamer MaEiPasa.
Il was learned shortly after the wreck
that just before the vessel left her
moorings a swarm Of rats crawled over
the haNsers 10 the wharf. This vas
known 10 part OF the crew and four men
deserted at the last moment. Their
: places were filled by IHo Y~aEab9nds