Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1902-04-18
We sighted the Alexander Blake in

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daybreak on the port bow, heaved up
/ on the waves back for us To look at,
/ and then dropped ont OF sight as
/ though the sea were showing II 10 us
for a warning. The wind was light.
| very light fixing for a change by
/ eight bells we came. without trying.
within mile or two OF the derelict.
My. but she looked lonesome ont there!
Don't talk to me OF anything ashore
being lonesome. How could il. with
trees and other things about for com.
pany? But lone ship, dlsmasted. wa
terlogged and her people gone. dead.
most likely, wallowing about in a
world OF water-that's lonesome II you
like, and ought To know
She was bruadSide on M first. Later
she turned. and with a great. weary
hcave. Ike she was lifting the bottom
of the world with her. she showed her
name Alexander Blake. y. =. took
look over the rail after breakfast
ami there She was scarce "A quarter
mile away with the old Dansforth
hoviug and nodding 10 her like she
was sorry. but couldn't help H. Then
the mate takes one OF the boys on top
OF thc dcclhouse and overhaulS the
Elg, gets tackles on and lands the boat
On deck. then runs her on rollers TO the
davits and swings Der outboard.
Three hands," says he. ITO go and
set fire 10 the dcrelict."
|, being young and curious, was the
first 10 step out and first i'm the boat.
IL always made me feel queer TO 60
off from ship at sea. You feel so
small and skeery. and that old Jonah
smashing about so near made 1t worse
Oh, but she looked bad; you might say
like a corpse, walking around looking
FOR n place 10 bury itself II was like
Interviewing a dead man. only a dead
ship Is worse Her nose was poked
well down In the water She was awaSh
amidShipS. but her stern stuck up high.
We hit her about midships. Mr.. Mon
roe climbed on the rail and | with him.
Joe held to her with the boat hook.
while Tom Tended her OF 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 a stick
IF any kind left not a rope in sight
W. ran along the rail To the poop
One Of these here big American poops
with pilothouSr a raised deck or sky
light aft Of that and then the wheel
The stairs Ted down into the cabin
from the pilothouse All this part Of
the ship hoated high. and the cabin
floor was dry Mr. Monroe went down
and yelled for me 10 get matches of
II 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 We're spoil
cd and none Of us had any more |
told Monroe lie haWlS mp from The
cabin 10 20 bach ~ the ship and get
some more So back Joe and Tom
went Then the mate calls 10 me 10
come down and help move a chest 10
HE light We priced IL open and found
lots Of tobacco and some medicine on
top
"Wo1l take the chest To the ship"
says be. but you and me may as well
have the tobacco"
Maybe we were longer filing our
pockets than we thought. for 10y the
time we iugged the chest on deck we
found change was coming and com
Ing quick Joe and Tom were just
pulling away from the ship 10 come
och
p.d and locked over their shoulders
We saw the skipper come TO the rail
and shout 90 them waving his arm.
lust then the wind hit 'em, and the
shin. with sails ahack. slid on to lee
ward. This scared joe and Tom uhey
never were much account uohowl. and
hey turned tail and went back to the
ship.
II looked skccry. Clouds were com
ng down on us ont Of the northeast
ike huge gray wall. with the top
Gaming over ready To fall on you. We
seemed 10 be rushing toward il instead
II II NJ us Ike train going into a
tunnel However It was what you
Yankees call bluff" more fog and
'mohc than wind. although there must
have been enough to blow the Dams
forth miles To lccward.
This is bad business for you and
me. Dave" says the mate.
Says |. You've took the very words
out Of me mouth, Mr.. Monr~e."
What did we do? says you. What
could we do2 I've read OF seamen rig
ging up derellcts and all that and sail
Ing them into port. But they had
something to work with. We had moth
ing. Not loose stick anywhere. There
were some spare coils Of rope In her
lazaret, but you can't bend sail on
nothing but rope. Her nose was under
water mostly. Couldn't get at nothing
forward without diving. Just a mere
hulk, without a rudder. like the day
she was launched.
Mr.. Monroe sat down on the skylight
with his head In his hands and never
moved for good half hour. But he
jumps up then, shakes hisself and
says:
''ThIs won't do. This won't do at all,