Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-29

the Bismarck lookin' like an iceberg. How did 1
get aboard?' says Abe. Why, l just naturally
skated.' Only sometimes your foot slips, as you
might say, and then there's another pilot to report
lost.
Then of course we're runnin' chances every
time maneuver to bring the boat to leeward of
the ship SO the yawl will have some shelter There's
the case of the Columbia run down by the Alaska
some years ago. They just cut her in two while
she was crossn their bow, and then the dummies on
the bridge signaled the engineroom for full speed
aStern and sucked in the wreck under their pro-
peller and not saved. But that ain the
worst of that The Alaska reported the accident
and, to clear themselves said everybody on hoard
the Columbia drunk; which lie on the
face of it, there amt any of drinkin' men,
We don't take to it natural and it's against the regu
lations besides.
Sometimes in real nasty weather on dark night
you'll lose your yawl. know one case in particular.
The boat tender and one started to put pilot
aboard ncomn ship, and they hadn't no sooner
left than squall hit putin the schooner on her
beam ends in about second. When got her
Strengthened up there was no sign of ship or yawl
Just completely wiped out so far we could see.
We cruised up and down maybe two hours, and
aboard all right, and then they tried to find u.s. but
didn't never expect to. They frozen, of course
but eventually they came round as good as ever.
Worth While Praying
TT was kind of funny too in way. Jimmy O'Con-
\ nor was one of those boys and when he opened
his eyes for minute comm to he looked about the
cabin recognizin' where he was and then he says
in whisper, 1 told Billy it worth while prayin'.
1t amt noways hard to imagine what those two
was feeln like that night. Most times you know,
they amt never picked up again
But, blame me! what's the use of gOin on? As
l said, there amt no end to the things that can
happen, and have happened scores of times. There's
boats, plenty of EN-, been caught in the ice and
wrecked a lee shore; some of EN- been iced up SO
they lust naturally foundered from the load plenty
of men have been killed by falin spars droppin'
on en; some have fallen out of the crosstrees;
others have been washed overboard-and so it goes;
but the worst of alls fog
There amt nobody likes fog, | guess, and of
course felers that have to keep ourselves the
way of steamships have got long list of casualties
as they say ashore, from be1n run down. Let me
tell YOU it amt nOwayS cheerful, especially in dead
calm, when you can't move, and you can't see, but
must Just lay there waitin for the ships YOU know
are comm in to cut through you like you pa per
Say you're caught in fog like that. There amt
a sound. Everything is unnatural quiet. The sails
hang there without move, the water around you's
kind of oily and smooth, and just rubs against the
side of the boat All at once, very faint you catch
the boot of liners siren. First, you amt certain
you heard it at ALL but the next time it plain
to you and miles nearer. You can't do nothin' but
stand by to jump just stand there istenin hard as
you can, while that siren gets and nearer, till
it fair shreks all round you and yet sight OF
the vessel. And there you stand, ready to jump
as said and you can't help thnkin of all the boats
you know of that has been cut up that way and
never heard from again
Then with a rush, big black hull tears through
the fog right atop of you rushn into that silence
ike all possessed, and so close that I've what
they havin' for dinner in the engineers mess
through the PORTFOLIOS Maybe you'll hear voice
on the bridge above you sayin Blank What S
that? but in another second everything is quiet
as it before, and the siren CROWN fainter every
minute. You don't stay anxious long after you see
her. You know right away whether you re goin
to be cut down or not, and if it's night you just