Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-09-19
A Daring
Deed
A Story Of the Sea.
A Story Of the Sea.
By WARREN MILLER

The steamer Tecumseh was moving
along at a ten knot gait off Norfolk.
Va, when the lookout called:
Boat ahead on the port bow
With his glass the captain swept the
quarter of the ocean indicated and saw
a cockleshell skiff pulled by single
man. He was alone In the boat and
beyond sight Of land.
Put her OF three points to west
ward" said the captain to the helms
man.
The ship was steered In the direction
of the man in the boat. and as it drew
near him broad stripes revealed them
selves on the garments he wore
Escaped jailbird"' exclaimed the
captain in disgust
A rope was lowered, and the convict
was pulled aboard He walked aft to
where the captain stood waiting for
him and said:
you see By my garb, captain. that l
am an escaped prisoner. broke away
last night. made my way TO the coast
before morning. seized boat and pull
ed out. where hoped to be picked up
by passing ship. must throw my
self on your mercy not to put me back
where came from. II you intend do
ing so beg YOU rather to toss me
overheard for I prefer to die rather
than return to that horrible life"
1T 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 70
turn Won over to the authorities"
There was a look OF agony In the
mans eyes as he turned away In com
pany with the mate to take his place
among the crew. He was young-not
more than enty-seyen-vigorous and
refined looking. He had eaten nothing
since the day before. Food was given
him; but. though he needed ii. he had
not the heart to eat more than he alb
solutely required
Bad weather set in that night from
the northeast. blowing cold blast.
The ship was riding obliquely across
the waves which dashed up against
her bows. now raising skyward and
now pointing toward the bottom.
1t was about midnight that while
the stern was raised high In the air
an enormous wave struck II with ter
rifle force. There was n sharp report
and the helmsman found that the
wheel turned without assistance
Something had happened to free the
rudder and render 1t useless. The ship
was at the mercy Of the waves.
When the captain. who was on deck,
learned of the trouble he blanched-
He 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 a few mo-
ments was rolling In the trough of the
sea- Orders were issued to get up such
sails as would be of service in steer
ing. With the help OF these, though
the ship steadily lost ground. those
aboard OF her gained time. Morning
came, and there was the shore like a
faint cloud resting on the horizon. and
with powerful glass a white line
could be seen breaking against it.
Some steering gear must he rugged
or within a few hours the ship wouA
be breaking up under the waves roll
ing on that coast.
An investigation was made, and the
rudder itself was found to be sound
though the stock was shattered. leav
ing the huge steel mass, weighing three
tons. swinging from side to side with
every wave and threatening TO stave
hole i'll the vessels stern. To save
the ship and the lives OF those aboard
of her IL was necessary that the rud
der should not only be secured. but
that 1t be again converted into "A means
OF steering the ship.
The captain conceived plaa, but
owing to the rolling Of the ship did
not consider Its execution feasible II
was to make fast two 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
times 1t was high in the air. sometimes
far down below the surface. At the
rudder's rise a man could be lowered
on to 1t in the hope that he might put
the chains through the ring, but before
he could do so he would be buried many
feet in the brine.
The captain lined the crew up on
deck, told them Of his plan, admitting
that several men might be lost in the
Gttenpt, and called for volunteers Half
a minute passed before man moved
then the convict stepped forward and
said:
I'D rather he drowned down there
than go back to prison. I'll make ar
attempt"