The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-03-24
A NARROW
ESCAPE
By |. B. EMORY

dent related shows what care should
be taken not TO overwork those who
hold the lives Of others In their keep
ing. OF the numerous accidents by en-
gineers. pilots and such persons a very
large proportion come from the fact
that the men can't keep awake or
can't retain their faculties from want
Of rest. The narrow escapes constant
ly occurring we never hear about.
II have been through storms at sea-"
be said. when thought every mo-
ment we were going to the bottom.
I'VE got into ice fields where / suppos-
ed we would be crushed. I've sailed
for weeks with a fire In the hold, the
matches battened down to prevent air
getting to 1t and expecting every min
ute It would burn its way out But the
biggest danger ever passed through
was in broad daylight with clear skies
and smooth waters"
..How was that!' asked.
81 was running Mr.. Archibald's yacht
for him. as nice lean. low. long craft
MS ever you saw. She had just gone
into commission for the summer. and
the owner took his family aboard for
cruise in New England waters. There
wasn't any other man aboard tnat
could divide the watches with me at
the wheel. and during the run from
Philadelphia to Cape Cod ] didn't dare
leave it, The only other man aboard
who knew anything about navigation
was Bob Benton. one OF the hands. and
all he knew was the waters off the
coast of Maine. He had been brought
up in Casco bay and knew every shoal.
sunken rock and island in that archi-
pelago. He was engineer OF the yacht.
with an assistant. but on the way east
the engine acted badly, and Bob had as
much to do in the engine room as
had In the pilothouse.
zone morning we left Portland to
cruise along the coast to Mount Desert,
stopping at certain points by the way.
was at the wheel. trying to keep
awake. when Benton, who / had I'M
derstood was going to catch Few
hours sleep, leaving his engine in care
of his assistant. came into the pilot
house and said to me:
"'Let me take her. I'm Mt home in
these waters, and its the best chance
of any for you to get a nap.
II turned the wheel over to him and
lay down on the cushioned bench In
the piIothouse and was asleep within
one minute.
"How long | slept ! don't know. but
judging by the sun 1T couldn't have
been very long. sprang for the
wheel, giving the signal to stop at the
same time, and spun it to port with
all my strength. ! was alone in the
pilothouse. We were going at full
speed. and few cable lengths ahead
of me the waves were sending the
spray against rock. sunken at high
tide. but now only covered when
the waves rolled over 1t. We were al
most out of sight of land and not q
,ail or a smoke pipe visible anywhere.
10 30 on to that rock at the rate we
we're speeding meant death to every
nan, woman and child aboard
The longest two or three minutes in
ny life were those during which ! was
making the turn to avoid that rock.
When ! had swung off so far that
cit reasonably safe and with but lit
lie Roadway on | felt myself about to
oppe over. but | knew that wouldn't
%, and just got grip on myself by
heer will power. II was a start. but
sharp danger. and within five min
ties after had awakened | knew we
rere In deep water.
when / pulled the gong Mr.. Archi
aid was in the cabin and his family
'ere on the aft deck. for there was a
cad wind that kept them from COM
lg for'ard. As soon us the owner
card the signal he came running for
he pilothouse. aud it didn't take him
my to see what was the matter.
"'You put back to Portsmouth he
i'd, and III get another skipper
Il told him that Benton had come
to relieve me and had gone out with
IL WahlUE Iue. ne uiuh btiitfc my
ory. but went below for Benton and
ind him asleep in his bunk. Walk
q him. he brought him up to the pilot
use and said TO me:
: It's perfectly plain that you went
sleep at the wheel
: Bob.i said. didn't You come in
re and ask me TO let you take her.
wing that you were at home in these
tiers and it was a good chance for
, TO get a nap:'
: Did do thatg he said with look
terror on bis face.
; Did you: OF course You did
Why are you uncertain about it,
sed Mr.. Archibald. surprised.
Why. | woke up suddenly awhile
, and found myself standing by the
on the rear lower deck getting or
clothes. bad been dreaming
s going in for bath. must have
N up to my old tricks
'SleepwalkingT
Yes. tn be the death Of me some
~
1T came pretty near being the
IN OF everybody aboard this time
aid. You'd better stay ashore here
er. where you'll be likely TO injure'
y yourself
Mr.. Archibald saw that II hadn't
n my fault and told me to go ahead
Bath. where BENTON was sent adrift