The Republican journal., 1912-09-19


our high white sides, as Myrtle rolled
and settled into their foaming midst! At
times they fairly lept over US as if in
playful sport, and one impact would
follow the last as quickly as if shot from
a gattling gun. A bevy of fair white
limbed children trying persistently to
push their pretty young mother over
sidewe vs., into the water and duck her
under the surf, couldn't have presented
a more animated and diverting spectacle
to the observers on shore.
And sideways too, we were being push
ed by the waves, little at every plunge,
there could be no doubt about that in my
mind, as took second squirting range
through the flying spray at the tall light
house tower. The problem had changed
again, and was now resolved into the
following: Would the line resulting from
the paralelogram of forces, famed by
the current and waves on the one hand,
and the slip and pitch of the propeller
on the other, carry US by the northern
end of the second and inner bar; or would
the hitherto merely playful. sportlve,
waves, become at last cruel and vlndlc-
tive, and force US sideways onto the
hard banking sand of this inner bar, on y
to be rolled over and crushed In their
final rough embrace.
This surely would have happened very
soon, had Myrtle been equipped with
power alone; but here, as on many other
occasions, during our long voyage, the
sail was used to supplement the engine,
with the result that, together, they We're
more than match for the elements.
Convinced of the serious consequences
if the boat were allowed to continue to
foil off cid litfla with tho clan
from each wave, | left the wheel alone
for few seconds, dashed to the center
board trunk, and measuring with two
rapid spans of my fingers, 16 inches |
dropped the board down about foot and
half, all l dared to give her in this
shallow water, lest it strike and become
twisted, which might make the boat un-
manageable and land US" for good and
all.
Then leaping back to the wheel to
momentarily left to herself, she had al
ready fallen off. l whipped out my
sheath knife from the belt l never shed
on this trip when awake, and slashed the
lashings that held the end of the gaf
securely to the boom, which was in its
turn tied down into the crotch and held
firmly, with the main sheet swayed
taut to prevent it's taking charge of
the deck in the rolling and Stating while
crossing the bar. Next i hoWled at
Charlie and uotioned with my arms and
body for him to pull on the peak hal
yards which lead down the mast to where
he stood, through his very fingers before
coming aft to the cleat on the cockpit
abaft of the house, to which | jumped
to hold the turn, take in slack, and make
fast, when he should have hoisted enough
of the peak.
Sailor by instinct that Charlie was, he
had seen and understood my movements
at once, though, as he told me later,
with thu noise of the engine, the roar OF
the waves, and whistling of the wind,
he couldn't hear word | said. 1t didn't
require full minute for us to get good
sized piece of the peak onto her. | made
no attempt to uncrotch the boom, but
simply left it secured, a conveniently
placed lashing holding the clew of the
sail in place of sheet.
At once, the effect of this new I'M
polling force was like magic upon Myrtle!
Given new life and energy by the
strength of the half gale, blowing free
ly and sQuarely into the generous below
ing bunt of the peak, and steadied by
the piece of the center board, she gath
cred herself up and started off, truly
like thing of life.
Even as a mother, finally aroused by
the impudence of her half grown chill
dren. might become stern and hold them
at arms length, or push them aside, so
Myrtle simply forced and pushed the
! waves away from her high, cleaning,
white sides and bluff bows, and, gather
ing way, marched off proudly, head erect,
on perfectly straight course down the
middle of the Swash channel, with as
much assurance, confidence ana grace,
as new six-cylinder car would roll down
Fifth Avenue under the guidance of an
| experienced driver.
relaxed bit my grip on the spokes
of the wheel, and let my fingers play
over them, as one might over the strir gs
of a harp, as TUNED it just enough to
meet her yaWings and steady her.
Charlie unwedged the T. D. pipe from
his face and waved it over his head, all
but falling overheard as he let go his
hold of the mast to do so. Soon we
Were clear of the seething, rcily sand
points and scudding into comparatively
quiet, deep and clear water. Next,
rounding to, and throtling down the en-
SlHe, we Hduleti llle leHueI dDOaTu. 90
far we had been towing it astern, as a
precaution in case we should have to
leave Myrtle on the bar. We didn't
expect the tender would live and ride up
right long, but at least it would serve as
sort of life-raft to which two active
men could cling during those moments of
suspense while the people from the
Light Station might be trying to get
out to US in their big power boat.
A striking illustration of the abnormal
strength that is given to men under the
stress of unusual excitement or joy was
ow afforded US by the way in which we
two men handled that eleven foot tender,
half full of sandy water, over the high
side, and Topped her bottom up over the
cock pit, in that heavy rolling sea, with
out the use of tackle of any kind. and
with only our bare hands. 1t was always,
both before and after this occasion, a
hard task to get it up over the high
sides, even in the smooth water of
harbor, before weighing anchor. But so
wrought up were we and so exhilarated
from the reaction, after the nervous
tension in crossing the bar, that this
time Charlie twitched her bow up onto
the rail, and yanked her stern around,
and bracing myself, feet wide apart and
hand under each quarter, lifted it, and
Tipped her bottom up over the cock pit
with as much apparent ease as if she