The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-05-02
"Well," said Mr.. Pilsbury, 4 suppose

pride, for example," we suggested.
pride, l suppose" was the reply;
'but an instructive pride, planted by
the Creator in the human character. [
thought that if were carefully dressed.
and anyone should happen to pick me
up, might obtain respect and decent
burial. If were going to be married
| should be dressed; why not if going
to be buried? AS the consumptive
belle said to her waiting maid, as nearly
as can recollect the words
Bring me the paint, Betty-bring me the
One would not look ugly, though one is
dead"
The case being thus, as we thought,
made clear, we pressed the conversation
no farther. We, therefore, resume the
narrative. The operations of the toilet
having, under the grave circumstances
which we have recorded, been complet-
ed the captain and the mate returned
to the deck, where they lay down two
or three hours for repoSe, the vessel
gradually sinking.
At half past two in the morning she
was nearly level with the water, and
the prospect was that she would imme-
diately sink. The moon now and then
peered forth from the dense black
clouds that lowered above, serving only
to make the surrounding darkness more
terrible. The boat was then launched.
The captain had about his person GER
tain SIMS of gold. He did not consider
the money at the time worth two cents
on the dollar; but, before leaving the
schooner for the boat-a desperate re-
sort. as lie then supposed he called the
men aft on the quarterback, and said
''Your wages have been paid. l owe
you nothing; but, as small sum might
be of service to you in case any one of
you should happen to survive, present
each of you with ten dollars Should
you be saved, | hope you will not for
get to drink my health" Upon every
human calculation, not a soul of that
whole company could have hoped to be
alive within twenty-four hours of that
time. But the men, who had listened
to the captains address with the pro-
foundest attention and respect, receiv-
ed each one his allowance. They lifted
their hats, hitched up their pantaloons,
made the obeisance characteristic of
the sailor to his officer with as much
precision as if they had been in the
streets OF Boston, expressed their thanks
and gratitude for his kindness, and
pledged themselves that the health of
the captain, in event of preservation,
should not be neglected.
The captain was willing, it seems, to
make an experiment Oh human nature
in eXtremis.
Several of the boats oars having been
lost, there were but three remaining
In launching her, a long cord was at
tached to the schooner, so that the boat
might lay under her lee until she sank,
as it was calculated she would do about
daylight. In moment after the launch
had been effected, the suction of the
water leeward drew the boat close along
side the schooner threatening instant
destruction to all hands. The rope was
Immediately cut and the boat pushed
clear of the schooner, with the loss of
one of the three oars. She scudded
before the wind, with the two oars in
the row-locks, there being no sail set at
the time, and none being needed.
The gunwale of the boat was only
some six inches above the level of the
water, yet, to the establishment of every
one, she rode safely over the waves,
frequently, however, shipping great
quantities of water, and requiring the
constant labor of two men to bail her.
One man was also placed in each quar-
ter, holding bottle of Oil having cork
and quill fitted in, to let it drip gradu-
ally out, leaving the ditfused oil in the
wake, which prevented the breaking of
the waves over the boat The effect,
Mr.. Pilsbury says, was magical; it was
as if the Almighty had said to the waves
"Be STILL and they were still at his
command.
This state of things continued until
about ten O'Clock. The weather in the
meantime had considerably moderated,
and the prospect of preservation to all
on board seemed to have become certain.
But the gale again broke out with re-
doubled fury. The scene was sublime
ly awful. The waves ran almost high
as mountains; the sky was black with
clouds; the boat lay to, mere speck on
the abyss, which seemed every moment
about to engulf it. Four or five times
she seemed on the point of destruction
from broaching to, and she was repeat
eddy full OF water. 1t became requisite
to take some new measure for her pres
ervation.
There were, as we have stated, but two
oars left. The boat could scud no longer
olN ~ Ndo ollOlC1OlO ACCOoodIy w LAY
her to. She could only be steered by
an oar The captain directed the other
oar to be dashed to the steerage oar, and
triangle to be rugged to them; and
then, favorable opportunity having
been watched, they were thrown over
board with sixty fathoms of rope(ffteen
thread ratlinej. Tie device worked adj
mirably. The rapidity of the boat by
the wind was greater than that of the
oars lying upon the water, which
brought her head to the sea. Although
she was nearly filled with spray all the
time, and two men were kept bailing,
still she rode over the sea, still aided by
the oil which was continually poured
from her bows
In that position she lay for four
hours, when the gale, which had gradu-
ally subsidized, abated. So great was
the pressure upon the rope to keep the
boat head to the wind, that on hauling
it in, two strands of the ratline were
discovered to be broken, and the whole
burden was sustained by the five re-
naming yarns. If they had broken,
immediate and. inevitable destruction
must have followed.
Numbers of vessels were deserted.
The boat had been provided with sheets
for the purpose Of making sail. Her
thwarts were split up and lashed to-
gether, and thus two sails were made,
which propelled the boat at the rate of
five or six knots an hour. She chased