The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-13
BARK REACHING
PORT BRINGS IN
REAL SEA TOLL
VESSEL CAUGHT IN A WHIRL-
POOL AND THIRTY PERSONS
ABOARD HAD A MARROW Es-
CAPE FROM DEATH.

OdIh AnuEOfneud OF LONDON was laSn
ed last week to the long pier at the
mouth of Gowanus Creek. at Twenty
seventh street, South Brooklyn. to
await her turn at loading oil at Ber-
gen Point for Australia.
The Andromeda carries thirty souls,
including Capt. Decks wife and four
with him. The bark had almost
rounded the Horn, in sight of land all
the way. With a fine skys'l yard
breeze from the southeast on the star
board quarter, Capt Decks was sail
ing around New Year, Cor Staten)
island. a long, narrow mass of rock
and green lying in the latitude of
Cape San Diego, Patagonia The
aorth setting current is especially
strong during southerly wind, while
he current from the south comes in
contact with one from the west coast
Of South America. The fair wind
pushed at all the thirty pieces of can
vas of the bark. She had raised New
Year Island early in the afternoon.
The land green, rocky, apparently
covered with heather-was half a mile
to port. The ship was off the point.
1t was four bells of the first dog
watch. with the weather clear.
Dreaded Thing Happens.
Suddenly there fell the dreaded
thing, the not unexpected accident of
that latitude fat calm, ominous,
dangerous. The tiers of canvas, with
fore and aft sails, were shaking. The
ship was drifting astern toward the
rocky point.
Capt Decks ordered his wife and
little Joan (born at sea- into the
chart house on the poop and stationed
two of his best men at the wheel All
orders fell from his lips rapidly but
calmly. All hands, even the cook,
who went to the foresheet, were or
dered TO stations. Mr.. Forrest the
mate, was on the main, braces, and
with him the third mate, a lad not
long out of his apprenticeship. Mr..
Haynes, the second mate, was on deck
to slack braces, while the bo'sun ran
to- the focsle head to put the fore
jibs over. Officers were on the lee
braces. men with the five apprentices
on the weather. silently changing
sides like partners in contra dance.
as orders fell.
Every breath of air, every whisper
of the sulxing breeze aloft must be
caught to save thirtys lives. Although
the crisis might come in few min
utes, the captain knew 1t was a game
Of backing yards that would last
through. maybe. two watches.
Slowly Drifting on Rocks.
weather cro'- jack braces" was the
command when all was ready. And
the game of death had begun. Then
were to follow main and fore braces.
In this hazard of begging safety from
every little picayune wisp OF stray
air current they must hold first the
port and then the starboard braces,
thus hanging for safety upon invisible
s:ireds in the southern atmosphere.
As he watched and worked the ship,
CaptsSDeeks kept running between the
compass and the charthouse, where
his wife and child sat quietly, trusting
In the skill of the master navigator.
The struggling ship, borne slowly by
unseen forces below, which contended
with the coaxing fiirtations carried on
by the captain with the waits and
strays of the breezes, was drifting
nearer to the rocky point The dis
lance could pow be measured In
Yards She was in fact under the Ice of
the island, shaking as IL in fear. The
two currents had now caught her. The
sea was like a whirlpool, with plenty
of surf The ship, in the middle OF
the lathery conflict of currents. was
twisted around
Twice the lofty Andromeda circled
like chip in vortex. While the
braces had been hauled this way and
that. with five minute changes, the
argosy had drifted to within 100 yards
of the reefs. Then a breeze worthy
\. H.. tax -
time No creaking of cordage. groan
ing of gear and squeaking of blocks
ever sounded sweeter.
Six Hours of Anxiety.
It was now not quite a five-knot
enough to blow the boat away from
the current and the rocks. With the
wind she drew off shore and around
the point. bringing up st. Johns light
at the northerIy point of New Year
Island. The wind held and she sailed,
close hauled on the starboard tack,
away from the land.
They had worked to save that ship
until eight bells of the first watch-six
long hours of drifting the whole beam
of the island. bouting ship, wearing
ship. lacking ship. hauling around the
yards slowly. hauling around the main
and cro'- jack, and then the foreyard,
catching at straws to be saved, trying
to tempt merciful breeze to kiss
them And the shippers flirtations
had won.
After she had got around on the
other side of New Year Island there
came. with lightning and thunder,
terrible blow off Falklands. The bark
was still closehauled on the starboard
tack The wind sprang up suddenly.
seas dashed over the bulwarks. knock
ing over the men. The skysl had al
ready been made fast, but the wind
carried away the fore royal before the
other sails could be clewed up. Pres
entity the nlizzen royal went the same
way and hands were sent aloft to take
in the tatters. Then it was middle
watch Job for all hands to take in
'gantsls. upper topsls, mainsI cro'-
ajck. forestaysl and outer jibs, and
fore topmaststays1.
Capt. Decks dog, Pat, an Irish ter
rier from Limerick, was rolled against
the rail of the poop and his leg broken.
The skipper set it.
ApprentiPa Xou1o who had SnrVed