The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-15

ward which can be nothing but close
ly packed human beings.
The watch below is out. Men are
Chewing up the courses; others are dan
cling aloft to the foreyard with hoist
ing tackles; aft, the third mate
and the ships boys are clearing away
quarter boat, and amidships the car
penter is sending up rockets. But 1 am
on lookout, and until called down or
relieved, can take no part in this.
With the increase of wind comes a
lowering of temperature and a darken-
ing of the sky. l SILVER, and button
ing my jacket snug to my throat. re-
sumo 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 few flakes
of snow brushed my cheek; a keener
edge comes to the presusre of wind,
and aloft the aeolian song of a new
born gale walls in the rigging. There
will be trouble in a snowstorm and
rising sea.
Keep a good lookout for ard, there"
roars the mate from amidships, and l
answer, thankful with a sailors ire
sponsibility, that mine is the easiest
duty on board.
Fast as we are charging toward the
flaming craft the snow squall is fast
er, and soon details are hidden; moth
ing but red glow guides the man at
the wheel. and toward this we rush
at 10 knots, while the blaze itself APP
proaches at an equal speed, until again
details are shown us. She is still head
to wind; but engines have stopped, and
steam Is escaping in muflled 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
Gro jack braces" calls the skipper from
the popo. Leave the main yards
square till we try her Down WI the
wheel. Starboard-hard over"
Around we come with the swinging
of the yards until the canvas on the
main is aback; the helmsman is given
a course and the ship is tried A little
manipulation of the main yards salts
fies the skipper, and we lie steady on
the port bow of the steamer, drifting
bodily to leeward, with vicious seas
from squarely abeam pounding our
weather side. We are hove-to, with
our starboard foreyardarm directly
over the boats on the forward house.
A skilful maneuver; but ours is skill
full skipper.
over with the boats!"
They are already cleared away, turn
ed on their keels, and the yardarm
tackles hooked to the ringbolts. Up
they rise, one at a time, with two men
in each to unlock and drop the boat
back to the main channels. Outbound
they swing, until the two end tackles
from the fore and 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 a man is hurt
or a drop of water shipped. A skilful
job: but he Is a skilful mate.
Aft, the ships boys, under the third
mate, have lowered the lee quarter
boat, and are off with a hurrah, just
ahead of the first whaleboats from for
ward. Then follow the rest; four
boats crews are racing to leeward to
save life-cheering as they disappear in
a thick smudge of snow from which
they may not return. AS the third
mate is in the quarter-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 god lookout for ard, there"
1 answer again, and watch in the
direction 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 beneath my line of
sight. the boats are invisible. l look
slowly around at the inclosing wall
of gray, and see nothing but our
spars and deck-fittings. No prompt
report from a lookout could save a
ship hoveto in this snow should any
thing under sail or steam come out of
that gray wall; yet. l am on the look
out, and my duty is to watch. But 1
would now rather be in one of those
boats. cheering with the rest as pull
to save life.
A rocket rises from amidships at
regular intervals. We have a lazarette
half full and the carpenter does not
spare them. Up they so, whiZzing and
suffering, high above the royal yards
before they turn down and burst. 1t
is this bursting in mid-air that is de-
pended upon to show our direction to
the boats; 1t can be seen through snow
and fog that would obscure the fiery
line of ascent.
/ turn to the burning steamer. She
is now on our starboard bow, drifting
TO leeward at a lesser rate than ours:
for we are under sail. She is pointing
our way, nearly end on, and the flames
amidships are tapping the bridge near
the foremast-this from the change Of
head of beam wind. the black thick
ening al the forward rail is now thick
er, and l can plainly see little dots and
spots descending from it-people jump
ing, probably into our boats.
This is soon confirmed. The dots
and spots cease dropping and a faint
cheer comes over the sea. Rocket ar
ter rocket goes aloft until a rousing
hail to starboard indicates the return
of the first boat. 1t is the quarter
boat. She comes ghost-like and inn
mense out of the snow, and the third
mate sings out:
Women and children, sir. Let's
have a bosun' chair"
The boat comes around to the lee
side. -Four men have been left aboard
and the bosun' s-chair is already rugged
Down il goes from the lee main yard
and brings up woman. Down again:
up with another Then comes a man
with a child in his arms then more
men, The steward ministers unto them
and the boat disappears into the gray