The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-28
WIND TANNING DAYS
AN OLD TIME MARINERS TALES Or
BRAVERY IN WRECKS.
The Case Of Gallant Captain Nutm,,
Who Wouldn't Desert q Commo
Sailor-Pathetic Fate of Primo.
Noble NewfOundla Dog,


BAH said the old and criDnlA,,
mariner of the days Of long ago to tbe
young man who knew all about rnod
ern ships of steel and steam. .Yon
have a lot to learn, young man. You
have as much sentiment in your con.
structiOn as this stick l carry.
1.-THE idea Of a youth like you irving
TO tell me that there is as much bray
cry and pathos attached to seafarinp
DOW as there was when I was master
of a wind TANNER! You probably be-
lieve that you are correct in your state
ment; but, man alive, you are making
a fool of yourself. Here in these DAYS
you have lifeboats big and stout
enough to carry an army Of men. You
have steam to manipulate the falls.
patent davits to swing clear No low
ering away by hands and not getting
them back over the side with every
pound of flesh a-pulling New tangled
guns for throwing life line, RATS that
won't go to pieces III the first chop Of
a sea. cork jackets that need no in
struction cards, but which go on like
q mans vest; pumps that are rusty for
want of use, seamless plates and doz.
els of other inventions in these days
no IN, t1,n old
LET me tell you something. | don't
say but that there are many brave and
gallant mariners in the business now
But the old shipwreck meant more III
the matter OF life taking than the ship
wreck of today does. Did you ever
hear tell Of sailor of the old school
trying to get into boat before the
passengers were out of danger? You
needn't say you have. because you
have not. Why. the only ones who
ever attempt anything of that kind are
stokers and firemen and rowdies who
have the impudence to call themselves
sailors
Il remember the case of shore loaf.
er named Holmes who tried trick like
that He was afterward tried in the
United States circuit court at Philadel-
phia ard was convicted of manslaugh.
ter. He was one Of thirty shipwreckeI
persons who took to the long boat,
which was greatly overloaded and con.
stantly III danger of sinking. Well. this
beach rat Holmes and some more o.
.Abraham's men threw overheard six
teen passengers. two of whom were
women. to tighten the boat. The cou",
teld that a sailor is bound by law If
necessary to sacrifice his life to save
the life of passengers. Furthermore.
the court held that while two sales
might struggle with each other for tn.
possession of the same plank when
could save but one. if passenGec
were on the plank even the law of ne
cessity would not justify the sailors in
taking it from him. You do not think
much of that law: Well. it is the law
Of God. 1t is also the law of duty.
did you ever hear Of the case OF
Captain huffman of the ship Aidar:
He was a good sailor and gallant
master. and, no matter what many
may think. it is possible to be both.
His ship foundcred. but he refused to
be taken off. Do you know why he re-
fused to be taken off? There was an in
jured man on board, and while the old
timbers were going to pieces under his
hn IL nd RI
man:
81 won't leave you. lad. On my
honor as a sailor l won't
'On his honor as a sailor be would
hot leave him. Have you ever heard
Of anything more tOuchingly honest:
Captain huffman went down with his
ship, but managed to hold on TO his
man and to get to the bottom Of an up
turned boat, from which they were
afterward rescued. 1t was a month or
so after that when tOwnsman asked
Captain huffman what the name of the
rescued man was.
why, l never inquired he said.
He just signed articles in the regular
way. l may have heard it then. but ]
do not know it now. He was Swede-
that's all l know Of him.
THE friend shook his head in aston
ishment as he inquired:
What! A Swede? Take all that
chance for a Swede?'
why. yes, even for a Swede.
didn't care whether he was a Swede or
Laplander. He was good sailor
and would have done the same for me
had things been rev ersed.'
Nor is that all. young man. There
was another shipwreck l know about,
but the name of the craft has escaped
my memory. The crew took to one
boat. which was overcrowded. A no
bic Newfoundland, the pet Of the ship
swan alongside the boat. All the men
turned their eyes sadly upon him, bn'
they knew there was no room for him
in that boat. The captain loved the
dog better than he loved his life. ana
he stood up in the boat as he took OH
his coat and said:
81 cannot see him die like ms
Give him my place in the boat. can
hold on to the plank. and he cSnrot.
There was chorus of dissent anu