Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-08-27
A Stowaway
Deserter
By ALBERT r. KENYON

! The second officer of the ship Alba
fross running between New York and
Havana one morning walked aft
where the captain was standing talk
ing with a passenger. The mate was
conducting a stowaway who had just
been found concealed In the hold. The
latter was a man about twenty years
old and appeared to be healthy and
strong. He was partly dressed in the
uniform of United States soldier.
On his face was a bitter. rebellious
look.
"who are your asked the captain
sternly.
"A deserter."
~You don't seem ashamed of being
one
"Nor should I, seeing that l had
tyrant for a captain"
well, you'll have to work your way"
The deserter-stowaway was put
down among the coal beavers, where,
stripped to the waist, he shoveled coal
Into the furnace. The ship was or
Cape Hatteras when her rudder post
broke and left her ut the mercy OF
wind and waves, the former blowing
directly on shore. To put In a new
post at sea in rough weather was not
70 be thought OF. Some expedient
must be made for gaining steerage
way temporarily; then the ship must
be taken into port for repairs. The
captain planned to flx a chain to each
side OF the rudder. bring an end Of
each chain up on 10 the deck, attach
both to q capstan and thus steer The
ship
There was heavy iron ring On each
s5ds of the rudder, and the intention
was TO pass rope through the ring
and secure an attachment for the
chain to the ring by means OF tho rope.
But how get the rope through the
r1ngsi When the ships keel was on
a level the rings were Eve feet under
water. When the ship plunged down
a wave the stern was lifted and the
rings exposed. The problem was to
get the ropes through the rings when
they were thus raised above the sur
face. The only way was for a man to
] D6 p"tEed tlf W Tic ~ WV IA
with 1t and up again, putting the ropes
through the rings when they were at
the highest point To suspend a man
for the purpose would not avail He
would likely be dashed against the
7 stern. To do his work he must cling
to the rudder.
The captain ordered the ships crew
lined up on deck and called for volun-
| teers to do the work Only one man
could work at time. The reason for
calling for number was that 1t was
supposed several would be disabled be-
fore one succeeded.
And so it proved. The first man was
| lost by losing his grip. The second
was hauled up unconscious. The third
/ became benumbed, and the fourth was
killed by being dashed against the
ships stern. That ended the volun-
! teering, so far as the crew was con-
eerned, and the work had not been
I done.
| Then the stowaway, who had come
on deck to see what was going on,
| stepped forward and offered himself
| for the next victim. The vessel was
I approaching the coast and death was
staring all on board In the face The
offer was accepted as a last hope. The
| man had on only trousers and wooden
shirt, and his strength was apparent
| A rope was looped under his shout
/ ders, the one to be attached was given
him. and when the ship was about to
plunge he was quickly lowered.
| Clinging to the rings. knowing that
he would not have time to do his work
before the stern would go down, he
waited to be submerged and rise again.
As he disappeared those leaning over
| the stern TO watch him wondered If
when the rudder came up he would be
there. Few expected that he would.
| II was a good minute before the rise
came. but the stowaway came with 1t.
While the rudder was exposed he ran
the end of the rope through one ring.
Down again he went. was gone an
other minute, came up and this time
passed the rope through the other ring.
A third time he sank and rose, and be-
fore the stern went down again he had
the rope looped around him He was
pulled up and laid unconscious OH the
deck.
The one rope passed through the two
rings enabled the crew to get the
chains through and thus secure con-
troll of the rudder not ten minutes be-
fore the ship would have been bump
Ing on the sands. The lives of all be-
ing In danger, no one paid any atten-
ton to the stowaway till the rudder
was pulled by hand to port and the
ship, making a curve, stood out to
sea. Then the captain hurried to the
side of the man who had saved him,
his crew and his passengers and. lift
Ing him up, embraced him The stow
away opened his eyes; the captain
called for some liquor and poured 1t
down his throat
Pneumonia set In, but the stowaway