The Dolores star., 1922-03-03
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sure of your backing in situation like that Inc
wireless is fine thing to have. too, but 1t adds to
the responsibilities of the man on the bridge FOR
instance, here few messages"
Pausng, Captain Abbott dug sheaf of papers
out of his dispatch box and handed over n batch
of wireless messages picked up at the height OF
the Storm
abbott, West wInd-Are you standing by ship
firing rockets? Answer forthwith, request Rear
Admiral Australian navy. PARkES.
"Parkcs is agent Of the u S. < A. line In sgd
ney. He was busy with the wireless that night
Here's another:
Abbott, West Wind: Radio at hand. Cannot
get tugs to you. Dagetty. Newcastle, In COM
muncation with navigation department seeking
aid. Know you will do all possible to hang on
Good luck. PARKES.'
"Also the executive officer of the Australian de-
stroyer squadron wanted specific information. as
witness:
".Abbott West Wind: Are You in need of as
sstance Destroyer? Can boats live in prevailing
sea? Are your anchors holding? Send your pO-
stion. EXECUTIVE FLEET,"
These are merely the official messages Others
from ships In our asking to stand by
when we were driving ashore at top speed and all
wanting to know whether anchors were hold
ing, which they d-ned well weren't added some
thing to the tang of life the West Winds bridge
that night.
About midnight there was lulI and thought
the worst was over but In those cyconic storms
the hardest blow is toward the end. Half an hour
later 1t was worse than ever. and everything on
deck that could be Jared loose went away.
above the roar of the wind. the screaming Of
the screw when she lifted her stern 20 feet out
Of water. and slamming of big seas on her counter.
we could hear the surf crashing on those perpen-
dicular rocks. That was notice enough we were
too darned close for any good use.
"Under such conditions doesn't relish carry
Ing on radio conversation with every shore Of
fetal who feels like asking few questions. What
Interested me just then how could save the
ship and our own lives rather than in answering
questions such as Are you standing bYr We were
standing wherever we could get hold md that was
mighty precarious.
For about an hour 1 thought we might turn
turtle any minute. You see, hadn't cargo
enough aboard to hold her down and she was
bouncing like rubber ball. l had pumps rigged
forward and began shooting oil over the bows
That had much to do with coming through
safe. 1t kept the seas from breaking aboard and
gave chance to get about on deck We were
lucky to have the oil.
"When dawn broke the storm died We vera
close on the rocks. With the wind moderatinp
we sneaked up on our anchors, got 'em both aboard
and crawled in over the bar 1t was certainly n
treat to feel a level deck under our feet again
ave took on cargo and made for Sydney That's
where Sinbad came aboard acting as important
as though he owned the boat. Our last call was
at Brisbane, where we finished loading and start.
ed for home. We just missed bubonic plague
quarantine order Mt Brisbane If we'd been nm
hour later the West Wind would have been ".
ing there yet.
From the minute left Brisbane our troubles
. were over. We made better time than any on
the outward voyage, although were only log
ging six to seven knots, but it's steady MS does II
and so long as she kept plugging along was sat
isfed. We hove to for hour off Pitcairn island
and the traders tried to swap two ring-tailed
monkeys for Sinbad.
"Tve heard lot about these Pitcairn islanders
descended from the mutineers of the Bounty Some
people say they're all half crazy from intermar
rage and too little contact with the world out
side, but from what I've of them they're g
smart lot of folk, mighty religious and sharp trad
ers
''The Pitcairners are short of cats and pay well
for them because of the rat plague. Our fire-roon
gang heaved clinkers mt the boat crews for insult
ing the ships mascot. The remainder of the route
Boston November and later came on dowr
home. The West Wind is laid up don't know
when she'll go to sea again."
Over at the Port of Call In Jane street. fore
gathered last night council of sea lawyers benz
providing for proper care Of Snbad the Sailo,
pending that temperamental travellers decision Il
ship again. Present were Scotty. Mac Lee, Walsh
and Lyons Of the West Winds freroom force
forming a fund to supply the family cat witt
chopped liver and grade milk this winter
Meanwhile. Sinbad recumbent a red sill
cushion embroidered with gilt fringe, stretched
uxuricusly before the hearth fires gratefu
warmth and blinked and blinked and blinked