The Republican journal., 1911-03-02
Perils of tt e Sea.
Cutter Androscoggin Rescues Gloucester
Fisherman.

WlCucSS az Llc0I NudItCIC SAO cAA vANVAo Va
what is considered one of the closest calls
recorded here.
When the lookout at Eastern point
telephoned at o'clock this morning that
the u. S. revenue cutter AndroscOggin
with the Cavalier in tow was approach
ing at 10-knot speed and would reach
port before 10 a. M, the news sped with
amazing rapidity.
Western avenue was alive with vehicles
of all descriptions, and men and women
in hundreds repaired to the wharves
where the best view could be obtained.
At 9 o'clock the Androscoggin, loom
ing up in her white paint, rounded Dog
Bar breakwater and steamed up the out
err bay, having in tow 300 yards astern
the Cavalier. The stump of the main
mast about Is feet high with the flag at
half mast for the loss of two of her crew
told eloquently of the experience through
which she had passed.
When off Ten Pound island the tow
line was cast off and tug took the
Cavalier alongside and locked her at the
part of the pier occupied by the New
England fish company. In short time
many were on deck and from Capt. Rob
ert B. Porper and his crew the details of
the story were related.
HIT BY SHARP sQUALL.
The Cavalier, one of the stanchest YES
sells in the Gloucester fleet, engaged in
the halibut fishery, was about to close
very successful voyage. On February
18th about $4,000 pounds of fine halibut
and $1,000 pounds sailed Goldfish, record
for the season, had been secured. On
the morning of the 18th the Cavalier was
on the southern edge of the Grand Banks.
1t was blowing a smart breeze from
north to west and this against a south
westerly chop made an ugly sea in adj
dition to the wind. As things looked
nasty as day came on Capt. Porper deem
ed it prudent to take in sail. All hands
were on deck and the mainsail was lower
ed and being tied up and a riding sail set.
Forward the foresail and two jibs, in
Guiding what fishermen call the jumbo,
was being carried.
The Cavalier is a fine rough-weather
craft and was making good going when,
almost in an instant, sharp squat,
seemingly independent of the wind blow
ing, struck the craft. Aviators call these
pockets of wind. 1t hit the craft a
knockout blow. Something had to give
before its irresistible force and that
something was the rigging. Some of the
crew say it was the lanyards on the
shrouds, others say the rigging went
aloft. None know definitely. In an in
slant every spar save the lower part of
the mainmast went by the board. The
bowsprit snapped at the knightheads, or
where the spar goes in board. The
foremost snapped like a match at the
deck and the mainmast broke like pipe
stem 25 feet from the deck.
The vessel was at the sport of the
waves. The huge mass of sail, rigging
and spars trailed to leeward in the
water, the sails forming a bag filed
with hundreds Of tons of water. Wire
and rope rigging, carrying parts of
great force all around. The wonder is
right. AS it was, James Cavanaugh
was hit by piece of wreckage and felled
to the deck, his right arm being broken.
CUT THE BOBSTAY.
Capt. Porper and his crew were equal
to the occasion. The first thing was to
cut clear the mass which hung over the
side and threatened to drag the vessel
under Axes were brought into requisi-
ton and what could be was chopped
| away. But it was soon found that the
greater part of spars and sails could be
released only by the cutting of the bob
stay, which was of stranded steel. 1t
required all one day of arduous labor
with ratchet saws and files to accom-
plish this, strand at a time being sew
cred. The mass was finally released
and the vessel, freed from the incubus,
came back to an even keel.
Fortunately when the crash came the
IL e.
were closed.
progress the force of the gale continued.
craft, sweeping her fore and aft, often
times endangering the lives of the men,
temporary lifelines being rugged. 1t
was also bitter cold. But the provisions
were uninjured and the cook stimulated
the men with warm drink and food. al
though working at disadvantage.
1t was eight days from this that the
Androscoggin rescued the men Saturday
afternoon. And they were long and
dreary days, fraught with peril, cold
and suffering. The weather during the
entire time was blustery, snow storm
and gale succeeding each other.
Help seemed right at hand the day
after the accident. A three-masted
steamer with the stack we'll aft pass
within three miles. The colors were
set union down to the main mast
stump but evidently failed to attract
attention and the mems hearts failed
within them as the ship passed by un-
needing.
On the fourth day the weather mod
Grated and the men rugged some shrouds
to the main mast stump and also long
stay to the bits on the windlass, on
which pieces Of the sails saved were
rugged and steerage way obtained. Sails
were sighted far away when the skies
cleared, but although the signal of dis
tress was displayed it was not observed.
NEARLY ALL OF CREW WILL RETURN.
Thus the entire eight days were passed
with no prospect of rescue. The men
grew silent under the strain and tension,
but did not give up hope. When the
Androscoggin appeared on the horizon
Saturday her course was watched eager
lly. 1t soon became apparent that she
had sighted them and that rescue was
not far away. Strange to say, in all the
week nest of dories had escaped de-
struction.
The Androscoggin ran near, but as it
was too rough to put over a boat the
crew launched dory, into which Joseph
Parnell, Andrew Tucker and Michael