The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-24

| kRN60y iuS VI tue Wrecklng contract.
G2SS The Lizzie, with Bradley, the
captain and Alvin Bearse aboard, had
lett the Orham wharf an hour or more
before. They had stopped at the Point
to pick up Peleg Myrick and Bill Tay-
lor, the new hands, whose services the
captain had secured without much
| trouble.
| Barney ran the little wrecking
schooner under the tilted stern Of the
Ruth CHM. and Bradley sprang from
the shrouds to the rail Of the stranded
craft. Then, one by one. all but Bar
ney. who stayed behind to look after
the Lizzie, they clambered aboard the
wreck. Most Of the hard pine boards
that formed the deck load were In
place, having been lashed well and be-
Ing out Of the reach Of the heaviest
seas. which had spent their force OIL
the stern and after portion of the ves-
eel.
| The patent windlass was in good
/ condition, and so also, to their delight,
was the donkey engine. Peleg, work
Ing manfully at the pump. reported
that she had some water in her, but
that 1t didn't "seem to be gainin'
none."
| Bradley got steam up in the donkey
engine. and the big anchor of the Ruth
CHM, attached to heavy cable, was
lowered carefully until its shank rest
ed across the stern Of the dory. To this
main cable, near its middle, were splic-
ed two others just as heavy; to each of
these another anchor was made fast.
The dories were rowed out almost ut
right angle from the wreck into the
deep water. Then the anchors were
thrown overheard and three fingered
Iron hand. with its spread talons deep
In the sand, held the lumber schooner
fast.
"Now, Brad" commanded the cap
tain. "haul that lire taut."
Bradley started his engine, the wind
lass turned, and the cable, that had
hung loose from the bow Of the wreck.
lifted from the water and frightened
till 1t groaned.
"All she'll stand, Is itY' asked the
skipper. Good! Make her fast.
They say tide'll wait for no man, so 1
guess We'll have to do the next best
thing and wait for the tide. Now
boys" as the men climbed aboard
from the dories. "git to work and strip
her."
Bradley and the captain knew that
they could not hope to get out all the
lumber in the hold. of the Ruth CHM
II she was allowed to lie in her present
exposed position. One more gale and
she would be almost certain to break
up. Their hope was to tighten her by
! getting rid of her deck load and to
work her off the shoal into deep water
and then tow her up to Orham harbor,
where she could be unloaded at their
leisure.
She lay almost broadside to the shoal.
. but not quite. Her bow was we'll up
on the sand. but her stern Overhung
/ the edge Of the Boneyard, which on
that side was, as Captain Titcomb said,
| steep as the back of a barn" The
cable, tight as the steam windlass
could draw it, led Off from her bow to
the spot where the anchors were plant
ed under many fathoms Of water
! Where the tide turned It's pressure
: against the schooner would bring her
to bear on the cable with tremendous
pull. The waves, growing larger as
the water deepened, should, If their
plan was a good one, loosen her keel
In the sand, and every inch she gave
the cable would retain. The more she
loosened, the easier she would move.
The slack thus made in the cable
would be taken up by the windlass.
She might gain but foot day for
awhile, but some day or other, If the
weather held fair, she would have
worked herself through the sand and
clear Of the shOal.
They stripped her, cutting away her
tangled ropes and sails and taking
them aboard the Lizzie Everything
movable, except Of course the lumho"
they transferred thus or threw over
board. 1t was hard job and took
them all day. Bradley was tired
man when he reached home that night
hut he had to answer countless ques-
tlons putt him by the interested old
maids. lie saw Gus For u moment or
two and reported progress. Then he
went 10 bed.
Next morning was clear and calm.
and they were delighted to find that
the wrecked schooner had gained n
little and that the cable was Stacker
than they left 1T. They tightened IL
again with the windlass and then set
to work throwing overheard the lum-
ber on the deck. They rugged q tackle
on the stump of the foremast and with
the donkey engine swung great bun
dies OF the planks overheard, while