Evening star., 1923-12-16

, o.
Last week Chief Kenlon told
how he shipped. from Wellington,
New Zealand, as first officer OF a
clipper ship. bound for Cape Town,
South Africa, and which was to
call at the River Platte. On this
voyage occurred remarkable res
cue of two men overheard in a
storm, and an even more startling
experience, when their vessel, with
the foretop-gallant mast snapped
by the gale. cleared the rocks or
Cape Horn by less than 100 feet.
Following this closest Of calls. the
vessel limpcd into the harbor OF
Montevideo for repairs. Here we
now find them.
This Is the sixth of a series Of
eight unusual articles relating
Chief Kcnlon's adventures as
sailor. The seventh will appear
next week.
by JOHN kENLON.
r did not take US long TO repair at
Montevideo the damages our ship
had sustained in the amazingly
close call in winding Cape Horn.
A new foretop gallant and royal
mast was fitted and we soon cleared
away for our port OF destination.
Cape Town, South Africa.
Strong and favorable winds bowled
us along the thirty-fifth parallel Of
south latitude. The first day We log
Sed ESQ miles and made an equal rec
ord the second day. On the third day
rhe wind freshened to a strong gale,
but as it was still fair we held on
under as much sail as We could pos
sibly carry, finally having TO reef our
topsails and foresail.
One afternoon we sighted a float
ing wreck. AS we approached we
observed a number of men huddled aft
clingtng to the weather rail. Run
ming close under the stern of the
wreck, 1t was apparent that the ship
was dismasted. AS the wreckage was
to and prepared to stand by for the
night, hoping to effect the rescue of
the crew at dawn.
When morning came we were a
considerable distance to leeward of
the wreck. Wind and sea were heav-
ier than the night before, making res
cue impossible at that time. On the
morning Of the fourth day the gale
moderated sufficiently to permi; an
attempt at rescue.
Our ship was worked up 10 posi-
tion to windward Of the wreck and a
boat lowered. The same crew that so
successfully effected the rescue of
Jackson and Fleming was selected to
man the boat nj half an hour we
were close aboard to leeward of the
disabled ship.
The sea was too rough TO come
alongside. We came close enough.
however. to catch the end of heav-
ing line thrown from the desk OF the
rderelict. With this line larger line
was hauled to our boat. The end of
the second line was made fast on the
taHrail OF the ship. and man after
man was hauled along it. by means of
the heaving line, with a running bow
line around his waist thus improvis-
ing a breeches buoy.
Nine men were hauled into the boat
in this fashion, and landed on board
our ship. We returned and complet-
ed the rescue Of ten more men, which
made the full crew.
The ship lay on her beam ends, so
nothing could be done but to leave
her to add one more to the missing
that drift in the ocean lanes. a men
ace to navigation until blown up by
cruisers sent by the various nations
to clear the sea of such dangerous
Instructions.
WE squared away before a fair
" wind and a long true sea. our
ship reeling of fifteen and. at times,
sixteen knots per hour for a week.
Table mountain, the point Of land that
forms the southern. extremity Of the
continent Of Africa, came into view.
The Cape Of Good Hope was sighted
and soon we were safely moored in
Cape Town harbor.
Having discharged our cargo. we
received orders to sail for the East
Indies.
Leaving Cape Town. we hauled to
tho southwark, as mariners are wont
to DO for two reasons: first, to avoid
the current setting south through
Mozambique channel around the Cape
OF Good Hope, and secondly, to take
advantage OF the strong westerly
gales that blow almost continuously
between the thirty-flfth and forty
sixth parallels of south latitude
On the evening Of the seventh day
after leaving Cape Town the wind
veered to the northwest and the glass
became erratic, fiuctuating like the
pulse of a patient suffering from in
termittent fever.
Flashes Of lightning appeared on
the northwestern horizon. At first
these flashes were not unusual but
before long a murky darkness de-
scended like a pail. In short time
we were assailed by binding flashes
OF lightning and deafening crashes of
thunder. AS the storm ragged, scarce
ly an instant. intervened between
flashes. There was one continuous
roar like drum Are" on the western
front during the recent world war.
Suddenly. terrific crash broke
over the ship. The bolt struck and
spiintered the mizzen topgallant
mast. In it's descent 1t smashed the
mizsentop. but worse yet, the bolt
followed the mast down. setting fire
to the poop deck and the sail locker.
The destruction of the ship seemed
imminent.
We had no fire-hghting equipment
except g. few buckets. with which we
Immediately attempted to extinRuish
the flames. Dry canvas burns quickly