The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-03

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-
mained-A Battle Against the Eie-
nents That Ended In Defeat.
We had weathered the western is
lands and entered ATTITUDES where the
prudent mariner shortens sail and
Keeps a wary eye on the barometer.
Tor the seafarer may talk lightly of
mountainous seas off the Horn. but not
OF winter gale in the mouth Of the
English channel when the coast is
to Beachy and his imagination. accus-
toned to vast expenses of lonely sea. /
pictures all sorts of craft jostling one |
another in dangerous proximity.
A favoring gale from the northwest |
not more vicious than the ordinary
north Atlantic gale, had kept the ship
lively all day and set all hands figur-
ing on pay day. 1t 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 buffeted her
/ aside as they passed. Fierce squalls
smote her in rapid succession. envelop-
ing her in a smother of spray. heeling
her until the yardarms dipped in the
crests of the waves.
At eight bells the wind lulled and
hauled point TO the westward. then
hurled itself against the ship with &C
cumulated fury. There was a sudden
confusion of flying cordage, over
whelming seas hammering upon the
decks and the cannonade of canvas
stripped from the spars and blown like
thistledown to ,eeward.
Relieved Of her top hamper. she stag
gered erect. dripping like half tide
rock and shaken with the shock Of the
seas pounding her sides. Halfway on
the upward oscillation she poised,
checked by the renewed onslaught Of
the gale as il by the impact Of mate
rial obstacle. Rags Of canvas stream
ed from her empty yards. Every wire
OF her rigging twanged and stretched
under the. strain.
The deck round the mainmast heav-
ed and was starred with white assures
running along it's well oiled planks.
The heavy steel spar dimpled on one
side, then buckled and crashed over
board in tangle Of wreckage.
The ends of severed wire whipped
the air. and twisted shrouds sawed to
and fro along the ruined bulwarks and
struck showers Of sparks from the tor
tured iron work The hatch covers
were stripped from their coverings.
boats smashed to firewood and all the
intricate superstructure of the vessel
swept and broken. Shouted orders
were blown back, inaudible to the men
covering under the break of the poop.
and useless If audible.
What seamanship could contrive was
done. Men worked for their lives, find
: ing foothold on the sea swept deck.
: hacking the jagged ends of iron wire
A But the day of cutting wreckage adrift
D is gone with wooden Spars and hemp
en- cordage Although the plates gaped
t and rivets started. the heavy spar held
d fast alongside, pounding against the
iron hull as she rolled in that trough
S of the sea.
A couple of spare sparS were dashed
l. together and launched with infinite
s danger through the gap in the broker
bulwarkS. But no improviSed sea an
e Choir could hold her to windward annie
II the tumult of such a sea- She was
u no longer a ship. but a ruined fabric
crushed and sagging to leeward unde
;, the weight of the elements.
II Morning brought an abatement o.
the fury Of the gale. Standing on th'
"a poop. surveying her shattered hulk
q her skipper turned quietly TO his mat
IA and asked. lis the port lifeboat sea
:. worthy"
Carpenter reports that ii is. sir" re
piled his subordinate.
The skipper stood for awhile in 81
!. lence. noting the sluggish life of tn
= deck under his feet. suppose we'v
= got TO leave her. he said. What d'y
- thinkg'
" 1t is the sole occasion where the mas
ter mariner will deign TO consult an
= be advised by his inferior officer.
70 "She can't float much longer, sir,
u replied the other alphabetically.
:" might be that in his time he. toe
g would require to seek similar advice.
U "Ah," said the skipper heavily. IAN
" | saw her launched" He crossed owe
y to the teak fife rail and laid his han
- on il, fondling 1t affectionately. "A
No right, mister" he said at last. "We'r
right in the track OF shipping. Pas
the word along to put bag Of biscu
~ 4. l. h W.