The Republican journal., 1909-04-08

delaware. thought might sight the
ilgntship on Five Fathom Bank and get
IN out of it. But the wind increased, with
rain, and fog SO thick that it was impos-
slDle to make either lightship. So l be-
gan to prepare for what might come. l
reefed all four sails, tied up the spanker,
keeping the other three sails on her,
reefed forestaysail and jib. My log dis
lance. from Barnegat at midnight gave
me down to Fenwick's Island lightship,
but l did not sight it. sounded and
found twenty fathoms of water. l knew
by that l was broad off with some sea-
room if the wind canted to the S. E.
But the wind kept veering from east to
southeast, with the sea increasing. At
one o'clock the wind moderated and it be-
gan to thunder and lightning heavy. The
lightning was fierce. knew we would
soon get change of wind, but did not
look for it quite so soon. At about two
O'Clock, it struck with terrific force,
west by north, and took all our sails a
back. 1t broke three boom tackles, the
main boom jaws, main gait, and the
mainsail and jib are going yet, l think. l
had to lower the foresail and mizzensail
and land booms to keep from breaking
them. The sea was breaking on to us so
heavy it was dangerous for man to
work around her sails; in fact, the wind
was so strong one could not keep on deck
without hanging on to rope. l got the
booms secured the best | could, and at
tempted to heave her to under the
spanker. But it blew so that it parted
seven mast hoops on the head of the sail.
They Strengthened out like strings to the
strain. | feared | should lose the sail, so
took it in. The sea was so rough | did
not dare to anchor for fear of losing
anchor and chains. So all there was for
me to do was run before the sea and
wind. l felt bad, tell you, to have to go
off shore that night, with no sail on her
to steady her. But no living man could
stay amidships that night. So l put two
men to the wheel, and we ran off 1862
miles by the log, E. S. E., before could
get the storm trysails onto her to
steady her. And to add to the other
good things, two of my chain-plates let
go, and we had to get tackles up to hold
her masts in. March 9Th that wind let
go, canting east, but the westerly sea
did not go down. We sailed back 35
miles, and the wind backed to the N. w.,
blowing a gale again. | held her to the
wind and sea until | feared she would
come out of her harness altogether. So
| had to run her again before the sea.
When that let up we had sailed 500 miles
by the log, which put me in longitude 81
muda | had to follow the southern edge
of the stream down to the latitude of
Hatteras, then crossed there. The night
of March 14th l sighted Currytuck
light, SO miles south of Cape Henry
There was a strong north breeze, so
could not carry whole sail. So anchor
ed her in fifteen fathoms of water, with
10 fathoms of chain and went and got
nap with both eyes, for the first time
since March 3rd. On the morning of
March 18th sailed with light southerly
wind, passing in by Cape Henry just be-
fore dark, and arrived here March 18th
at p. M, in tow of the tug Defiance.
So ends this journey, and if live l will
remember the day Taft took his seat a
long time.
Wishing you all fair wind and smooth
sea, Yours truly
"SCHR. INDEPENDENT.
Sch. Independent arrived at Baltimore,
March 20, from Alexandria, Virginia. Ed.
Journal