Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-31
FACING DEATH AT SEA

| rAClENG DEAlf1 Al SEA.
The captain, who was omnipresent,
seemed always there, eyes fixed on
the pinnacle, signaling orders that
could not be heard. Then Quarter
master Swift would leave his side,
and, with his lantern tucked inside
his coat, struggle forth to hold the
reel, often returning to report that
instead of making 200 miles a day,
We more than one day made not
single mile
1t was not a wash of waves. Great,
ugly, green seas would pile up and
stand like mountains. Then the de-
mon wind, with cutlass between his
teeth, would cut the crest clean away,
and hurl tons and tons of water upon
us; and when their repeated assaults
were loosening the anchor clamps on
the cat-heads, We were obliged to go
with rope lashings to doubly secure
them. In doing this we lay at times
buried under tons of water, and when
we came out we could not speak for
the noise of the tempest.
While all this was going on we
we're given extra instruction in the or
der to Abandon ship" Each division
comprises forty-four men and two of.
ficers, divided into two watches. Lieut..
Sherman and Midshipman Todd were
in charge of my division, and they
went from man to man. screaming
their orders into our ears. We al
ready knew our places and what to
do, but the general plan for the en-
Urgency was explained again to each.
Should the moment arrive when the
fires could no longer be controlled,
we were to go as fleet.
We have. launches, boats, dinghys
and catamarans sufficient to carry
every man in the crew. The sailing
launch, with its tall masts to carry
signals. would have taken the lead
as flagship. She was already equip |
ped with charts, one to be given 10 |
the officer of each of the other boats. |
in the event of their being buffeted
in.
How wish could write something
that would convey Just an idea of a
typhoon-what 1t was like, and how
we felt. Four hundred and forty.
four human lives were imperiled and
not man whimpered.
From fighting the fire. we would
joyously go for trick at the wheel
although 1t was a tug that called
Tor strength nearly superhuman.
recall night so dark that the dark.
ness could almost be felt. The freu-
zied wind blowing off the crests of
black seas was hurting them with
terr'':c force, and they stung me with
biting brine as / stood in the foretop
listening for the stroke of the bell.
Ny ear was glued to the speaking
tube. yet the shout from the bridge
came to me in the faintest of whisp-
ers: What's the matter aloft?" and
l screamed back, Cant hear the bell.
sir. A-l-l-l's WE'LL" Oh, the winds.
the winds, the winds,
Again / stood on the signal Yards.
but 1t was day. They screamed and
roared. and yelled, drowning every
other sound. Like boys creating new
noises by breathing across the mouths
Oh empty bottles. they cut across the
and moaned into their
cavernous tubes. Then, exhausted by
their fury. they tagged and soughed
through the rigging. quickening every
line and ratline. into a wh-h-r-r-r-r and
Rr-r-r-r-ra-rattling that swelIed into
melody such as no aeolian harp has
ever played; then. blending into il
single note. deep monotone struck
nasts and yards, rising and falling.
Using and falling. like the blue ocean
n a calm.
II brought balm to my WEAKNESS. {
md, looking down the slim mast. I
discovered that the ship was gone. |;
Jaw only the rushing. surging, seeth. |
ng waters engulfing the decks. and
rom my exalted height / felt like a !
'ird of the greenwood blown out to
YEA
Lieut.. Buchanan told me one night.
Ehen we were buffeted against one e