Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-02-16
SMASHED BY THE SEA
The Story Of a Shipwreck In the
English Channel.
FIERCE FURY OF THE STORM.
Wind and Wave Battered the Ship
Till Only . Shattered Hulk Re
rnained-A Battle Against the Ele-
ments That Ended IN Defeat.


Till Only = Shattered Hulk Re
roained-A Battle Against the Ele-
mcnts That Ended IN Defeat.
We had wcathcred the western is
lands and entered ATTITUDES where the
prudent mariner shortcns sail and
keeps wary eve on the barometer.
fer the se3farcr may talk lightly OF
mountainous seas or the Horn. but not
81 winter -ale i'm the mouth Of the
Euciish channel when the coast is
sircun wfth wrcckagc from the Lizard
90 Bc1chS ard his imagination. accuS-
toned TO vast cXpanscS of lonely sea.
pictures all sorts OF craft josiling one
another in DANGEROUS proximity.
a favoring sale from the northwest.
not more vicious than the ordinary
north Atlantic gale. had kept the ship
Lively an day and set all hands iigur-
iuE ON pay day. II was not until the
afternoon watch that the weather out
look became really threatening. Noun
famous walls OF green water swung
out Of the darkness and bufreted her
aside IS they passed. Fierce squalls
Smotc her in rapid succession. envelop-
inc her in smother of spray. heeling
her until the yardarms dipped in the
crcStS Of the waves
At eight bells the wind lulicd and
hauled q point 10 the westward. then
hurled itself against the ship with ac-
cumulated fury. There was n sudden
confusion OF nying cordage. over
whelming seas hammcrin- upon the
decks aud the cannonade Of canvas
stripped from the sparS and blown like
thistledown TO lceward.
Relieved of her top hamper She stag
gcvcd erect dripping like "a half tide
rock and shaken with che shock II the
seas pounding her sides Halfway on
the upward oscillation she poised.
checked ny the renewed onslaught of
the gale as IL 10y the impact OF a mate
rial obstacle. Rags of canvas stream
cd from her empty yards. Every wire
Of Ter ri--.n- tWan-cd and stretched
under The strain.
The de.iS round the mainmast heay-
cd aud was starred with white assures
running along its well oiled planks.
The heavy steel spar dimplcI ca one
side, then auckicd and crashed over
/ board in tangle of wreckage.
The ends of severed wire whipped
the air. ana twisted shroudS sawed 20
and fro along the ruined bulwarks and
struck showers If sparks from the tor
tured iron work. The hatch cover
were stripped from their coverings.
boats smashed 10 iirewood and all the
intricate $50 go ructure OF the vessel
swept AMI broken Shouted orders
were blown hack. maudible TO the men
GOVERNS uudcr The break OF the poop.
and useless IL audible
What seamauShip could contrive was
done. Men worked for their lives. find
ing "a fcothoid cn the sea swept deck.
hacking the jagged ends of iron wire
But the day of cutting wrcckage adrift
Is gone with wooden Siars and hemp
en- cordage. Although the plates gaped
and rivcts STARTED. the heavy spar held
+ fast ALONGSIDE. pounding against the
/ iron hull as she rolled in that trough
I Of the sea.
- couple ~ spare spIrs were dashed
\ together and launched with infinite
/ danger through the gap in the broken
bulwarkS. Buf no improvised sea an
chor could hold her o. windward amid
the tumuit ~ such sea. She was
no longer a ship. but ruined fabric.
crushed and ssh. Ing 90 leeward under
F the wei-ht of-,hc elements.
Morning brought an abatement of
I the fury Cf thc sale. Standing on the
poop, survcyiE her shattered hulk.
/ her skipper turned quietly 10 his mate
and asked. "Is tae port nfeboat sea
! worthy:
Carpenter reports that it is. sir" re-
| piled his subordinate.
The skipper stood for awhile In ST
lence. noting ihe sluggish life Of the
deck under his feet. suppose we've
got 90 leave her" he said. What dye
| Think"
It is the sole occasion where the mas
ter mariner viii deign to consult aad
be advised by his inferior officer
'She can't float much longer, sir
replied the other sympatheticaliy. II
might be That IN his time he. too
would require 60 seek similar advice.
All" said gae skipper heavily. and
l saw her launched" He crossed over
TO the tea, lfe rail and laid his hand
on il. fcnClHg il afTectionately. Al
right, III .-r" lac said at last. Were
right IN The track Of shipping. Pass
the word along to put bag Of biscuit
aboard and SD the breakers with wa
ter."-Pali Nau Gazette.