Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-05-06
,,vsrERIoUs IMPULSE SAVES
D." LIFE AT SEA.
,,vn ELLSWORTH SEA CAPTAIN
TELLS OF THREE INSTANCES IN HIS
OWN EXPERIENCES
..,.,., for TIE AMHRrc.s by Capt, John A.
t"i Lord.l

rAo late Cant. Lemuel Soule, OF Wooiwich,
ah,ea In A similar manner to rescue the
~ a dismasted French ship in mid
e's" .,,o Years ago, after changing his course
..,, In obedience to nm impulse that he
wv "a 40, account for, but after resisting the
,.o "a illogical and ridiculous, being
s-rI,v obliged to yield in spite Of himself
- .h., occasion. when he was lying to near
-. as,,lict and the nearly famished crew of
- after we're being brought alongside, Capt.
s.r,s leaning over the rail OF his own ship.
-. recngnized by one of the Frenchmen as
A.. man he had seen accomplishing the res
;r dream he had aud had communicated
~ his companions on the very day when Capt.
s,nls had the presentiment which caused
Rim to change his course.
Reading the above has recalled to my
rind three instances in my sea life OF
,o,tv.seven years where the lives OF three
rsssels crews we're saved by an impulse of
the rescuers to changeitheir course.
The first time it happened, was boy,
and nv faith was captain OF the topsaii
schooner George. On his way to Boston
he was caught in gale off Cape Ann, and
the schooner sprang aleak, filled and went
m her beam ends. When the masts and
deckload went, she righted, and there they
were wreck, drifting off shore out Of the
track OF vessels.
They had about given up all hope OF be-
ing rescued when, on the third day, a
schooner hove In sight and ran down to
them, sent out boat and got them all in
three trips, Just at dark and another gale
coming ON which would have drowned the
whole Of them, as she could not have held
together through the night. 1t was so
rough when they got the last one on board,
the captain said TO father, ~ am glad you
are here, for would not dare to send my
boat out now.n
The captain told father Ire was laying his
course that day, and lay down after din
ner TO get some sleep, but could not, for
something kept telling him, keep of four
points and be could not compose himself
until he went ON deck and ordered the
vessel kept off four points. In two hours
be made the wreck right ahead, and got
them off Just in time. Being a new
schooner, she rode out the gale, and in two
days reached Eastport, where they were
bound, loaded with corn.
The next case experienced was in 1870
when was captain Of the new schooner
George and Mary, bound from New York
to Charleston, S. 9. At il p. m. Jan. s,
without any warning, We ran upon Look
out shoals off North Carolina in thick
fog, and blowing almost gale. The vessel
being new and strong, did not fill with
water till daylight OF the 9th when the
sea drove us to the rigging, where we
hshed ourselves, but expected the masts
would go every pound she made. Our
chance for life looked rather slim.
The fog cleared away, there was no land
IN sight and not vessel. At 10 a. m. /
saw big steamer making for us, having
seen our flag union down. She came up
under the lee Of the shoal and sent out a
lie boat with the mate and four picked
seamen, After hard pull OF two hours
they reached US and got us all aboard, one
ala time and we got to the steamer safely.
Hound was on the steamer Champion,
oapt. lockwood. running between New
YORK and Charleston. The captain took
me to his room, and after giving me some
u'y clothing said he had strange story
to tell me.
when left Charleston bar last night"
ne said, instead of running off into the
uuii stream as customary, where the cur
lplpz all 4
was impelled to run this steamer up the
eoast against the current. | could not
sieep that night, but spent the night on
1ne bridge. When saw your flag union
uoNh, and knew there was crew to save,
'aAt feeling began to leave me, and l am
thankful that have been the means of
saving SIX lives by needing the still small
voice"
ay next experience was ON Dec. 2, 1878,
nheh l was master of the brig Eugene
nae on her maiden voyage from New
iorA 10 New Orleans. We were in the
uiudle OF the Gulf of Mexico, wind blow
lug neavy from west, and we were stand
lug 10 the north as we lay near our course.
went INTO my room in the afternoon to
81 se' some sleep, but I could not, for some
.Aing Kept telling me to tack ship and run
~ 'ue southwest. / tried to drive away
.us aomonition and keep on my course,
". wi could not do it, and at p M went
:" ueek and ordered all hands ON deck to
'a'A ship. There was some growing, but
'Ouho she went, and we were going from
W" orleans rather than towards it.
was SO ill at ease that walked the
eNS 'lli F. m. when went aloft to the
~ gallant yard, and soon made out a
!, 'eA right ahead, very low in the water.
was SO far off, and dark comes so
wv, sS'oAiy Dec 2, we could not get to her be-
~; ~ uarK' Haiiing her, found there were
So men on board, who wanted to be
da ~en on They had lost their boat, masts,
A. oau and forward house and were
~ IN the afterhouse.
a, vas very cold, and the vessel was full
Ih "a'er' the seas going right over her
,e 70 as near as / dared and sent out
fwe .r,sa rfsI--