Evening star., 1901-09-14

the mate call to the man at the wheel;
then. to the third mate, Rouse out all
hands. send up a rocket or show torch
That's ship af1re''
ship afire. l turn and look AGAIN.
There is no miStake-the mate is right. 1
can clearly make out two slim spars and
black funnel, sharply cut in the reflection
The blaze is aft and the steamer Is heading
toward u.s. while from our change OF course
she takes a position from two points on the
port bow to one directly ahead. AS though
the powers behind the wind had taken di-
rect cogniZance of the extremity, the breeze
freshens with our change of course and we
rush down the wind with breaking seas
curling under our counter. Yards are
square as before for the change merely
brings the wind from slightly. on one quar-
ter to slightly on the other. Soon we can
make out the shape and position of deck
houses and the infinite shadow of hull be-
meath. Over the sparkling flare and left
behind by her motion stretches a canopy OF
smoke, and there is a black thickening ana
rise of her sheer forward which can be
nothing but closely packed human beings
The watch below is out Men are chewing
up the courses others are dancing aloft TO
the foreyard with hoisting tackles; aft, the
third mate and the ships boys are clearing
away a quarter boat, and amldShlpS the
carpenter is sending up rockets. But am
on lookout and until called down or re-
1ieved. can take nc part in this.
With the increase of wind comes low
ering of temperature and a darkening OF
the sky. / shiyer, and buttoning my jacket
snug to my throat, resume my walk back
and forth from cathead to cathead. A
glance aft shows me the southern sky
shaded with an almost Opaque curtain OF
cloud; the moon Is nearly obscured. A lew
flakes of snow brushed my cheek; keener
edge comes to the pressure of wind, and
aloft the aeolian song OF a newborn gaze
walls in the rigging. There will be trouble
and grief tonight. 1 know-boat work In
snow storm and rising sea.
Keep good lookout for'ard, there, :
roars the mate from amidships, and an
swer thankful with a sailors Irresponsible
ity, that mine is the easiest duty on board.
Fast as we are charging toward the Ham-
ing craft. the snow squall Is raster, ana
soon details are hidden; nothing but red
glow guides the man at the wheel, and TO-
] ward this we rush at ten knots while the
| blaze itself approaches at an equal speed
until again details are shown us. She is
still head TO wind but engines have stop
ped. and steam is escaping in mufted
| roar. The fire has reached the engine
room, and we are just in time. To our
ears against the gale come screenings and
shoutingS, and We see frantic waving OF
hats.
| "Check In starboard port fore and aft
| GRO jack braces calls the skipper from
| the poop Leave the main yards square
| till we try her. Down wi the wheel. Star
bCard-hard overt.
Around we come with the swinging Of
the wards until the canvas on the main
| is aback; the helmsman is given course
and the ship is tried. A little manipuia-
| tion of the main yards satisfies the skipper
and We lie steady on the port bow or the
steamer drifting bodily to leeWard, with
vicious seas from squarely abeam pound
| ing our weather side. We hove to with
our starboard fore yardarm directly over
| the boats on the forward house. A skillful
maneuyer; but ours is q Sklllful skipper
'Oyer with the boats!
They are already cleared away, turned
on their keels and the yardarm tackles
Il II, tN1lt hav ViC q
one at a time, with two men in each to
unhook and drop the boat back to the
main channels. Outbound they swing until
| the two end tackles from the fore ana
main yards can take their weight and they
descend TO the water. One at time the
| three boats are launched to the tune OF the
| mates roaring orders and not man Is
| hurt or drop OF water shipped. A skill
| full job: but he is a skillful mate.
Aft the ships boys, under the third mate,
/ have lowered the lee quarter boat and are
| off with hurrah, Just ahead of the first
| whale boats from forward. Then follow the
| rest four boats crews are racing to leeWaro
/ to save life, cheering they disappear in a
/ thick smudge of snow, from which they
| may not return. AS the third mate Is In
the garter boat. the other three must be
| In charge Of the second mate and the two
| boatswains, leaving the first mate aboard.
/ for L hear again his laundering voice from
/ the poop: Keep a good lookout for ard
i therer'
| / answer again. and watch in the direc-
/ tion of the steamer. The towering flame
| seems to cut the snow in a line with my
| eyes: for, though l can see her distinctly,
/ and apparently can see the crisping sea be-
| meath my line of sight, the boats are In
/ visible. l look slowly around at the in
i closing wall of gray, and see nothing but
our spars and deck fittings. No prompt re-
4 port from a lookout could save a ship hove
1 to in this snow should anything under sail
/ or steam come out Of that gray wall; yet
| I am on the lookout, and my duty is to
1 watch. But l would now rather be In one
| of those boats cheering with the rest as
1 pun to save life.
/ A rocket rises from amidships at regular
/ intervals. We have a lazarette half full
1 and the carpenter does not spare them UI
j they go, whizzing and sputtering high
| above the royal yards before they turn
/ down and burst. 1t is this bursting in mid
| air that is depended upon to show our
| direction to the boats: 1t can be seen
| through the snow and fog that would OBJ
| scure the fiery line OF ascent
/ / turn to the burning steamer. She Is
| now on our starboard bow. drifting to lee.
| ward at lesser rate than ours: for we are
under sail. She Is pointing our way. nearly
| end on. and the flames anidships are lap
| ping the bridge near the foremaSt-thf1