Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-22


"Some provisions and keg of water
were passed into the boat.
"If you desire to see what gale is
like In mid-Atlantic, get on board a
western-bound sailing ship at the fall
Of the year, and should you wish a
second dose Of that experience, l am
much mistaken.
"Well, it was coming on dark, when
a terrific burst Of wind, together with
a sea that gripped the old vessel IN
der the weather bilge, beat her almost
upon her beam ends, and, what with
the weight of water to Ieeward, and
the shifting Of the coal, why, the
Knight Errant never again rested on
an even keel I saw four men swept
overheard by that catastrophe, and It
is a fact that the back wash of the sea
carried them safely on board again.
'SThat escape heartened them a deal.
They just shook themselves like so many
water-dogs, took a fresh bite Of baccy,
and were soon singing out with the
best.
GLOW the Iifeboat was saved seemed
a miracle. AS the ship heeled to port
it did not take many seconds till the
little craft was afloat. Jack Carter
was in her stern sheets, and the yell he
gave to cut the bowtackle was a eau
ton. l did not need an order, for be-
fore the cry came cut the fall, and,
by sheer desperation, we pushed her
clear of the massive iron stanchions,
which, In another moment, would have
splintered her In atoms. But even then
she was not out Of danger.
at stands to reason that no spars
ever made could withstand such
strain as was placed upon ours. The
top-gallant masts carried away at once,
and until their gear was cut, no one
In that boat knew which way to look
for the wreckage floating alongside.
Three Of us sprang on to the spars,
and, heaving all we knew, just Tended
her clear Of danger. BY and by the
wreckage drifted to leeward, and we
felt easier Mind you, there wasn't a
moment lost.
"We could always keep close to the
ship, for she was sagging down on us
all the time, and just as a big sea
burst over her weather side the skipper
yelled for all hands leave ship
"Rising, and falling, and surging
fore and aft, the boat sheered as close
as we dared let her. One by one the
men jumped, the last Of all being the
skipper. 1 felt main sorry for him,
but he kept a stout heart through it all.
Chaps like me can always get berth,
but it Is different with skipper.
at was almost dark by the time we
left the ship, and then our work was
all chalked out to live or sink.
what became of the vessel we never
knew. Our thoughts at that time were
occupied with more pressing dangers,
and In the swiftly descending darkness
we lost all trace of the wreck. One
thing Is certain-she had not many
moments to swim. Her main hatch was
half submerged when we left, and there
can be no doubt she sank almost imme-
diately.
"All that night we fed before the
sea. Whenever we topped a wave our
close-reefed sail bellied out with a
jump, and we strained at the oars to
keep her clear of danger, for If once
caught by those terrible seas, all would
be over.
"I could not describe that first night
in the boat. To understand the Situa-
ton, you'd have to be there, and from
my heart 1 truly hope you may never
see the time.
"By the merest fuke we slid from
the broken water and tumbled into the
hollows, where the silence and calm
were awful, and overheard a mass Of
low-lying, flying clouds. Not a word
spoke the men, but their salt sore eyes
never blinked while watching those
white-crested monsters, rising astern,
and instantly obeying every order from
the old man.
"'Steady, now-pull all'
"And out ripped the sail overhead,
and the boat was surrounded with
seething foam. How we watched for
the dawn! Those hours seemed ages
Of anXiety-and still we lived!
"It's coming, menu cried the skip
per, cheerily, as, on topping a sea, the
eastern horizon was touched with a
dull, gray light, and many lips said
solemnly, Thank Godv
"After that things seemed more hope
full, and the crew began to talk. Some
food and water were served out, but
the discovery that the gale had broken
put new life into us. The sea still ran
high but the skipper ordered half the
hands to cease work, and directly after
wards the watch below were snoozing
like rabbits.
"That day and the next were passed
in safety, for the sea slowly went
down, till the boat was slipping along
easily, but never a vessel did we sight.
We'd been blown a long way south and
Of chfnS