Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-10-30
BOLDLY DEFIED DEATH
When Petty Officer Willis Went
Aloft In an Arctic Gale.
RIsKED LIFE FOR HIS MATES

The barkentine rugged steamer III
gress was a British sealer before our
government bought her. stanch. stout
ship, having a record of many hun
dreds OF miles in dangerous arctic
seas. In 1873 the Tigress was fitted
and equipped at the Brooklyn navy
yard and dispatched to Bafin bay on
an unusual and hazardous mission.
Some OF the members Of the tragic
Polaris expedition were believed to be
alive and adrift on the floating ice.
Commander Greer OF the Tieress was
ordered TO cruise IN the ice pack
throughout the summer and as late as
possible Ia the autumn to search every
bay and inlet along the coast of Bafiu
Land FOR the survivors and the wreck.
ed vessel. With him were Lieutenant
Commander Henry G. White and Enci-
neer George Wallace Melville. the last
named bccominS known subsequently
rs one Of the heroes OF the Jeanette
expedition and us rear admiral.
Before the mast was a petty officer
named Willis. a veteran OF the rebel
lion. a Scared. weather beaten. pow
savage pluck which makes the true
seaman. Had Willis not bunked I'm the
Figrces' f0rec1stlc or had he been less
than the man he was 1t Is scarcely
probable that n single one OF the forty.
four men on board would ever have
come back
After refttlng at Disko late In Au-
gust the Ticress turned her bluff bows
to the northeast. crossed Davis strait
and. pushing her way into every lead
or river OF blue water which afforded
a passage. made q persistent but IN
successful search for the castawavs.
This continued Tor several weels-a
strange cruise. but unevcntful. save
when occasionally there came terrific
crash from Il crumbling berg quite
near az Eand or the danger Of collision
with the towering ice wall sent the
crew rushing To their stations.
one afternoon this strange existence
caI-e 10 an end with suideuness. The
horizon thicscncd. fresh wind sprang
M. followed h. q swaShing sea and
growing fog. The violent wind and
mighty currents Joined forces In a
way that caused the Tigress TO drift in
calculably. II was discovered that her
engines were not working SATISFACTORY.
ly.- When. the next morning. II was
Seen that the gale was increasing. the
choppy waves frothing wlckedly under
sky dark as cindcrs the commander
at once turned southwark. His stanch
vessel driven and blown. he forced his
way into Cumberland gulf. which af-
forded meager shelter.
rs soon rs the gale lessened triGe
me ensiaeer made ready 10 repair his
machinery and boilers. Accordingly
the heavy weather anchor was sunk.
and with the vessel facing the winds
eye and behaving quietly the engine
room force got the forge in place by
the fire room hatch. However. as the
Sky was still ugly. they did not imme-
dintely hanlS-the fires. The wisdom of
this prccaution was soon proved. Dur
ing the night 1t began TO snow. The
snow fen fine and dry, and IL seemed
10 grow much colder. At the same
time the wind renewed the shrin pip
Ing In all the ropes, and the vessel laid
down her nose 20 the gale. which was
blowing again, moro violent than be
fore. Daylight revealed only too plain
y what n Wild and terrible storm was
raGinS-the swift. lowering clouds. the
snarling. abrupt seas. which shook the
vessel In all her timbers.
The Tigress tusged heavily NJ her
chain, now diving. now springing 10
the top OF wave, which suddenly
followed out, causing her to thrash
down again. * if she would knock her
head against the bottom. All ut once
loud sharp clang resOunded through
the ship. The anchor chain had parted,
With a Kissing roar the wind caught
her ana thc Tigress rose on the foam
10 leeward ana soon after began TO roll
bro0GSile on.
The rolling brought every one on
deck. The engines were started. In
time. after wallowing fearfully. the
grooming ship was brought round to
her old position. facing the seas. She
lay rs close 10 the wind as possible
with reefcd stSySail forward and the
spankcr halfway braied up, the en-
Glnes being kept going TO hold her. All
might have been we'll enough then If.
10 the dismay of all, the foretopgallant
sail had not blown adrift. The big
canvas, thrashing in the northeast
gusts, endangered The mast. Every
bound of the sail shook the mast like a
whip. Al hands watched 1t. hoping
fervently % see it blow away from tIle
yard for good and al
Lieutenant White. the executive Off
Ger, had taken his station by the main
mast. The hurricane gusts now drove
the waves the length OF the deck.
Sometimes the snow and smoky clouds
OF spray mingled in q dense fog. so
that II was Impossible 20 See any
thing. The lieutenant grlpped the life
line and listened TO the fearful noise
Of the fiercely tapping sail. The men
could not possibly handle il. he said 10
himself. Ii would be easy enough to
shout through the trumpet: ''In tO'gal-
lan's'l! Lay out and furlr' But who
would obcy the order? Anyhow il
would only send brave men to their
destruction.
As he stood there hooking his arm
through hight Of rome one uf the
men came slowly toward him. The
sailor worked his way along the frozen
Hfe line, stopping occasionally to duck
below the rail 10 avoid the boarding
seas, At last the man hauled himself
m. II was Willis
Mr. White" he said. touching the
rim of his cap coolly. If we don't get