Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1917-08-03
A Daring
Deed
A Story OF the Sea.
By WARREN MILLER .
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The steamer Tecumseh was moving
along at a ten knot gait OF Norfolk
VA. when the lookout sailed:
Boat ahead on the port howlr
With his glass TIE captain acp Tie
quarter Of the ocean ind. ana saw
cockieshen skin pulled ly single
man. lie was alone IN the boat an
begond sight Of land
Put her of three points to vest
ward" said the captain 10 the helms
mnn.
The ship was steered in the direction
Of the man in the boat. and as # drew
nelr him broad stripes revealed them
selves on the garments he wore
Escaped jailbirde exclaimed the
captain I'm disgust
4 rope was lowered, and the convict
WIS pulled aboard. He walked aft tc
Were the captain stood waiting for
ID d and saidi
You see by my garb, captain that
ur an escaped prisoner bioke away
Ia night made MY way To the coast
bf orc morning, seized a boat and pull
ed out, where hoped to he picked ur
h' a pEssing shia | must throw my
So on your mercy not to put me baQs
Where | car from II you intend do
ing 50 | &c. ATather to toss NE
o' arboard f0ffy prefer TO die rather
q IA return to that horrible life"
Il wouldn't do for me-" replied the
captain. ITO assist prisoner regular
ly convicted under the law to obtain
his freedom You may work with the
crew while you are on board my ship
but when we reach port III have 10
turn you over TO the authorities"
There was a look Of agony In the
mans eyes as be turned away in com
pany with the mate to take his place
among the crew. He was young
more than y-seven--vigorous and
refined looking He had eaten nothing
since the day before. Food was given
him; but. though he needed It. he had
not the heart to eat more than he al
solutely required
Bad weather set in that night from
the northeast, blowing a cold sblast
The ship was riding obliQuely across
the waves which dashed pp against. /
her bows now raising al,a ard and |
now pointing toward the boz M.
1t was about midnight that. Will, |
the stern was raised high in the air
an enormous wave struck it with ter
riic force There was a sharp report
and the helmsman found that the
wheel turned without assistance
Something had happened to free the
rudder and render it useless. The ship
was at the mercy Of the waves.
When the captain. who was on deck
learned Of the trouble he blanched
lie was not more than thirty miles
from the Virginia coast, and with a
northeast wind blowing his ship south
westward it would go ashore by day
light
While this flashed into his mind the
vessel was turning and in few mo
ments was rolling In the trough OF the
sea. Orders were issued to get up such
H., VIII tha ho1, ~ ~ +i,a,,,.,
the ship steadily lost ground. those
aboard of her gained time. Morning
came, and there was the shore like
faint clopd rostina on tba bori2on ami
wItb !. nouerpuI qloss a wbfte Ifne
conld lao soan breaItlng ahinst II
Some steering gear must ba rfooed
or within few hours the shin woul8
he breaking nm under the waves ran.
ing on that coast
An investigation was made and tha
rudder itself wasround 10 he sonnd
tlloneh the stock was shattered leav
ing the huge steel mass. weighing three
tons. swinging from side to side with
every wave and threatening to staye
a hole IN the vessels stern. To save
the ship and the lives of those aboard
Of her it was necessary that the rud
der should not only be secured, but
that It be again converted into a means
Of steering the ship.
The captain conceived plan. but
owing to the rolling of the ship cid
not consider its execution feasible, It
was to make fast tive chains, one on
each side Of the stern. to ring on
the outer edge of the rudder. Had the
vessel remained on an even keel this
ring would have been about four feet
under water. As she pitched some
tiihes IL was hish ~ the ar sometimes
6nNTn hntnu