The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-04-10

3 BY John q, I.auer. Z: s
S~19ep1eee4
RIB we sighted the Alexander Blake in
latitude 50 degrees % minutes north,
longitude 81 degrees 8 minutes west, at
sdaybreak on the port bow, heaved up
on the waves back for us to look at.
and then dropped out of sight. as
though the sea were showing il. to us
for warning. The wind was light,
very light. fixing for change. By
eight bells we came. without trying
within a mile or two of the derelict
Ny. but she looked lonesome out there.
Don't talk to me Of anything ashore
being lonesome. How could it. with
trees and other things about for COM
pany? But a lone ship, dismasted, wa
terlogged and her people gone, dead,
most likely. WalloWing about in a
world of water that's lonesome. il you
like, and ought to know
She was broadside on at first. Later
sues luIutQs sSlIlI aNl1us d VEAL
heave, like she was lifting the bottom
of the world with her. she showed her
nam lexander Blake. n. S. I took
a look over the rail after breakfast,
and there she was. scarce a quarter
mile away. with the old Dansforth
bowling and nedding to her. like she
was sorry. but couldn't help it, Then
~. ~,
Of the deckhouse and overhauls the
gig. gets tackles on and lands the boat
son deck. then runs her on rollers to the
davits and swings her outboard.
Three hands" says he. ITO so and
set fire to the derelict.
l. being young and curious, was the
first to step out and first in the boat.
i 1t always made me feel queer to go
off from ship at sea. You feel so
small and skeery ard that old Jonah.
smashing about SO near made it worse.
Oh. but she looked bad: you might say
like a corpse. walking around looking
for a place to bury itself. II was like
interviewing a dead man. only dead
ship is worse. Her nose was poked
well down in the water. She was aWasb
amidships. but her stern stuck up high.
We hit her about midships Mr.. Mon
roe climbed on the rail and with BIN.
{ Joe held to her with the boat hook.
while Tom Tended her off with his oar.
& The water was waist deep on deck
most Of the time. for the waves would
roll clear across her. Her decks were
clean as the blade Of an oar: not stick
Of any kind left-not a rope in sight
We ran along the rail to the poop.
One Of these here big American poops.
with pilothouse, a raised deck or SIX y
light aft of that and then the wheel
The stairs led down into the cabin
from the pilothouse. All this part Of
the ship foated high. and the cabin
floor was dry. Mr., Monroe went down
and yelled for me to get matches of
Of Joe. Joe IN handing 'em up lost his
footing on the thwart and nigh fell
overheard. The hand with the matches
went under water. and they were spoil
ed. and none of US had any more.
told Monroe He hawls up from the
cabin to go back to the ship and get
some more So back Joe and Tom
went. Then the mate calls TO me to
rome down and help move a chest to
the light. We prieds it open and found
lots of tobacco and some medicine on
top.
Well take the chest to the ship
says he. but YOU and me ma as we'll
have the tobacco. rs
Maybe we were longer filling our
pockets than we thought for by the
time we lugged the chest on deck we
found a change was coming and COM
| ing quick Joe and Tom were just
| pulling away from the ship to come
| back 10 US They rowed a bit. stop
| ped ant, locked over their shoulders.
We saw the skipper come TO the rail
and shout to them. waving his arm
| lust then the wind hit EN-. and the
ship. with sails aback slid off to lee
ward. This scared ] oe a nd Tom lthey
never were much account nohoW,.. and
they turned tail and went back to the
ship.
1t locked skeery. Clouds were COM
| ing down on US out of the northeast
/
like a huge gray wall. with the top
| leaning over ready to fall on you. We
seemed to be rushing toward It instead
Of it at us. like q train going into q
tunnel. However, 1t was what you
Yankees call a bluff. z more fog and
smoke than wind, although there must
hs.ye been enough to blow the Dams
Ifarth miles IN lepwarfl 81 81
his is bad business for you and
me. Dave, says the mate.
Says I. . You've took the very words
out of me mouth. Mr.. Monroe. &
What did we do says you. What
could we do I've read Of seamen rig
ging up derelicts and all that and sail
ing them into port. But they had
something TO work with. We had moth
Ing. Not q loose stick anywhere. There
* were some snare coils Of rope in her