Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-02

4 - ASi6 SWIM tudt ne anu
TWO other members of the crew took
while the Tranquebar lay at anchor
"a the bay. They started out to
swim to the next boat which was
about a half mile away. but before
they finished they had completed a |
swim Of nearly mile and a half and
were pretty well exhausted from
their efforts.
The last trip that Mr.. .LittledeId
ever took for business was in the
winter Of 1S66-67 when he went as
second mate on the ship Emma,
from New Orleans to Havre. France.
The captain Of the ship was Abra-
ham Rich. formerly Of Farmingdale.
The Loss Of the 3. SewaIl
Mr.. Littlefeld was a member of
the crew OF the bark, the B. Sewall
which was wrecked on sand bar in
1865 while on the way to Galveston,
Tex. In speaking of this disaster,
Mr.. Ltlefield said:
AFTER being discharged from the
United States Navy at the close of
the war, I remained about home in
Maine until late in November, 1855,
when began to feel the "call Of the
sea" and I wanted to get out of the
cold weather. so one day took my
bag and hammock and went down
to Bath to find a chance to ship for
some southern port. A new bark of
900 tons named B. Sewall was about
ready for sea, so I signed articles
with Mr.. Allen, the shipping master
at that time at Bath. The most of
the crew were from towns along the
river. Captain Hussey at Topsham
was in command; Charles Morse was
mate; B. +. Russell, second mate;
and "Shantie Jack" Livingstone,
steward. A tug took us down to
Parker's Flats where we came to
anchor, as conditions were not favor
able to go out of the river. While
laying there, the crew all seemed i'm
pressed with the idea that she was
| to meet with disaster and would
have left her If we could have done
! SO.
'In a few days we sailed for the
Belize, or the mouth of the Mississ-
ippi river. When we got most there
we ran onto a sand bar. Then we
struck and refused to get her off, but
the captain promised us an extra
good feed of hot biscuit and cheese
so we got out boat and ran
kedge anchor out astern. and took 1t
: to the windlass, and after while
we pulled her off. I think. as near
as 1 can remember. that tug took
| hold either before or with us.
after getting off the shoal we
! sailed down to Pilot town, so-called.
! at one Of the passes or mouths OF the
! Mississippi river and the captain got
his orders to go to Galveston, Tex,
! so we made for that port, but owing
to either poor navigation or. as the
captain said. a strong tide setting
down the coast. we went past our
mort and went ashore II miles west
| Of Galveston. At daylight we were
so far in towards shore and the Wlnd
blowing from the south, it was I'M
possible to work off shore. She soon
struck. After dropping an anchor
she worked into shoaler water. rip
ping out the windlass and soon re-
NAMED stationary. We cleWed up
and furled the sails and then 'he
captain concluded to lower BOAT
and pull out to sea.
"The captain, his wife, second
| mate Russell, two other sailors ana
got into it and pulled out to sea-
the mate having instructions to FOL
low in another boat. Thisswas per-
hans about o'clock in the morning.
| Well we rowed all day, but before
dark we could see the spars OF sew
eral vessels at anchor ahead OF us
which, the captain said, must be at
| Galveston as there was no otllef
harbor in that vicinity. After dark
we could see the lanterns in the rig
ping so we steered for that and about
nine O'Clock, or later, we pulled under
the stern of an English bark and
hailed her, telling our condition. A
chair was quickly slung and lowered
from the spanker boom and all were
hoisted aboard.
"When / got to the deck l started
to walk but went down like a wet
rag, but was assisted by two English
sailors. All the time while in the
boat the salt spray flew over us and
we were all wet. and our hair filled
with salt when the water dried out.
After awhile the mate of the English
ship brought me a tumbler most full
of brandy saying Here my lad, put
that inside Of your shirt, it will do
vow good" 1t did. l would say here
that Mrs. Hussey stood the exposure
better than the men did and said
words of encouragement to the men
when they were cursing their luck
and other polite remarks. Fifteen
hours sitting on a thwart and row.
ing with cold salt spray flying over
me Is an experience which / do not
care to repeat.
"The next morning the captain was
set ashore where he could commune
cate with his owners, or agents, and
it was decided to strip all rigging
from the wreck as fast as possible. A
tug took us ashore and then we
started for the wreck which lay
about II miles west of our city. We,
the ships crew. four of us, started
in company with a two-mule team
and rode or walked, as we chose.
| When we arrived at the scene of
the wreck we found Mr.. Morse and
the others, whom we left on the ship,
had built large tent made from a
sail which they had, with the ships
range taken ashore.
II would here explain that after
the boat had left the ship the mate
told the others that if any of them