Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03


bridge at this point, removing his
cold cigar for the purpose. Make
fast to the Samson post!"
The second mate waved his hand.
He painted out orders and aided his
men to stagger to tho forard end of
the house. The endless fall and the
tail-block were not light to handle.
A GAINSf the for'ard end Of the
= house a Samson post stood both
on tho port and starboard sides.
Each post was stout cylinder of
steel like a short mast, to which the
derricks for handling tho cargo out
Of the midship holds were attached.
AS the port side was the lee, the Sec
ond mate made the taiI-block we'll
fast around the port Samson post.
When he completed that task he un-
bent the rocket line and passed 1t
back oversize again Then he waved
to tho man he had signaled from the
after end Of the house. That man
waved his red handkerchief again.
Ashore the signal was answered.
Immediately afterward the endless
fall began to run and whine through
the block and the we'll CREASED sheave
turned around. The men ashore were
hauling q line out to the ship-a
stouter limo yet, a small hawser. 1t
came presently, bobbing through the
high surf. made fast to tho fall.
When IL finally damned in the
sheave OF the block, tho second mate
signaled, and the man at the house
end waved. Those ashore stopped
heaving. The seamen unbent the
hawser and 1t was made fast about
eighteen inches above tho ta!l-block
on the Samson post. Then they I'M
bent the stopper they had held the
hawsers weight with while taking
their turns around the post.
The signaler waved again from the
ship.
Those ashore lay back on the haw-
ser and hauled 1t taut, making it well
fast around a great bowlder that
stood halfway between the cliffs and
the waters edge. Then they fastened
breeches buoy to the hawser and
hauled it TO the Carroway by means
Of the endless fall.
"All ready, sir" shouted the second
mate.
Good work! Women and children
by"
Aye. aye. sir"
The saloon passengers and what
few were left Of the steerage were
rounded up near the Samson post.
Continuous icy sprays drenched them.
They shivered in the bitter wind.
1,ar
sun. The fiddley house was black
with shivering men, firemen, engi-
neers.
The rising sea was battering the
Carroway. The fore hold was half
full. This tended to bring the bow
lower down at rest on the single.
Also It pla\ed a strain on the mid
ship section OF the hull.
The continuous swing Of the sea
caused the Carroway- to 1unge over
on her port beam still more, with an
occasional upheaval that made the
keel rasp gratingiy on the bottom
The carpenter reported depths in the
hunkers. and the chief and second
engineer, grieving over the engine
room from tho upper gangway graf
ings, told Of water that crept slowly
above the eccentrics.
A woman and her young baby got
into the breeches buoy. She was
frightened and wide-eyed. her baby
crying ptteously. Those ashore hauled
away. Down the swaying. jumping
hawser slid the buoy. It dipped into
the surf. It came out again. The
Carroway heaved UP and shuddered.
and the howser tautened fearsomely,
threatening to snap. The woman
screamed, and the sound echoed above
the roar Of the wilderness through
which she r"cketed. Then her canvas
craft touched single and a dozen
rough hands dragged her to safety.
The dripping buoy came bobbing to
! the ship again.
The captain leaned his elbows on
the after bridge rail and watched as
load after load went ashore. Occa-
sionally ne ruf1ed his white beard
with his gloved hand, but he said
nothing. Every moment he expected
the ship to 60 right over. Already
she was so low in the sea that two
or three extra large breakers had
sent water sloshing over the naviga-
ton bridge, around the captains sea
boots. The smok estack and ventila-
tors on the weather side of the fid-
dley protected the waiting passen-
gers and crew somewhat. But when
a full sea should go over the house.
smokestack and ventilators all would
| go by the board. The minutes crept
by.
< y x
THE last passenger had gone. The
crew started to land. The crowd
on the beach grew greater. "From
! over the inland hills. misty blue in
| the morning, from over the cliffs
| figures could be seen running to aid.
! The captain still leaned over the
bridge rail and chewed with his lips
at his cigar. Sadness swept him.
His ship! Finished! The captain did
, not move, though he was very wet
and cold.
The mate came along from mid
| ships. dragging the protesting young
wireless operator by the arm.
IT think picked some one up with
the emergency set" he said. II
| think-"
'tShut up" the harassed mate
snarled. Get up on the fiddley. You
for the shore!"
He forced the operator up the
monkey ladder. The captains lips
twitched as the young man shot to
| the single. For youth this was adj
venture; for him, tragedy.
The third mate was next, with the
cook. The chief steward and the
chief engineer went together. Only
the second mate, the mate, a couple
of seamen and the captain were left.
The aocopd rnafA and the two sea.