Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07
Ry CAPTAINTH.L. DICKINSON.

q wildly, as the mercilesS water
=. swirled about, hims ~ -,
By CAPTAIN ii. L. DICKINSON.
TIME pitiful helplessness Of that
g. frantic figure was heartbreak-
ing. His hands we're stretched
II -. out to. meain mute appeal. If he
-. had a+voice I.Was utterly unable
to hear it amid. the perfect inferno Of
screening wind and Numbering seas.
/, For the moment 1 was engulfed with
one consuming thought: ~ Would II
be humanity possible to avert the i'm
pending crash that would positively
spell the doom of every one involved?
A hasty leap over the engine head
and I had done a desperate thing Yes,
I had taken a long chance. I had
swung the helm hard-a-port. ~.
This meant plunge for us INTO that
all but fatal trough had fought so
hard to avoid. Would it not seem In
sane of one to expect that en-eighths
cabin side to withstand the onslaught
OF. the countless tons of water in those
demon driven seas?
A certain rightly of the body seemed
necessary at this moment to aid my
mental powers to lucid processes. Then
as I stood rigid in momentary expecta-
ton of a death-dealing crash from at
least one of those threatening sources
1 relaxed into blessed relief as felt my
faithful little ship lifted high and then
plunged far to one side. How miracu-
lous! Instead of crashing into us, the
first monster sea had caught us and
swept us with it.
Perhaps my next act found its princi"
pal justification in that unexpected side
move toward deliverance. Anyhow, ]
came back with another long shot; yes,
a thousand-to-one chance. l swung my
helm hard-a-starboard this time and
again leaped for the hatchway. This
venture was a gamble pure and simple,
but it proved our salvation by the
barest part of second, for as my
head cleared the deck I saw the wreck
dashing by. That swing Of the rildder
had averted the impending crash by
the barest margin. In addition, it
brought us up into the seas again just
where that heavy wreck had broken
them down slightly.
A sickening doubt clutched at my
heart. Would be able to save the poor
unfortunate of that sinking wreck?
With something approximating hope
coming to life, on the spur OF the mo-
ment I threw the helm back amid
ships and kicked the clutch into neu-
trail as dashed through the hatchway
again and lunged in frantic haste for
the coil of / Il Inch anchor line that l
had long made practice of keeping
beside the air tank; the lower end ever
secure to the emergency anchor. $.
Imagine my shock at finding this coil
now missing. Then as my hands came
4
the coil had been swept astern, and OF
course overheard
In desperate effort to rehaul enough
of this line to save that pitifully pleads
ing figure as, his wreck was swept by, /
raced to the, after end of the cabin
deck, where I was thrown fiat on the
slippery deck by the terrific surge OF
the boat beneath me, but in a flash j
had seized enough of the line and was
in the attitude of heaving 1t to him as
the wreck made wicked plunge and
went down amid a mighty sea. At the
same instant he ventured all his
strength in desperate leap toward me.
On my part there was now but o spark
Of hope, then CHASTITY despair.
\ y
THE soul-sickening thud that reached
me when the poor half-crazed fell
lows head struck the deck rail just be-
low me as it emerged from receding
sea has awakened me more times than
once since that Inflated night.
Instantly I had leaped to the knee
deep deck below. and, at the risk. OF my
life, but he had gone. I was staggered
by the realization. I felt compelled to
keep going over it to get a sense OF its
reality. =,
Not a bare second should have lost
in getting back to the engine room ana
putting the Jewel once more under COM
troll: but so whipped, SO completely
overwhelmed was 1 over my failure to
save that poor, helpless fellow that /
remained there like a crazy man amid
all that turmoil. knew no. comfort
that could lessen the bitterness. OF my
knowledge that I had failed to save
him, Somehow the anguish Of those
few moments never will be effaced, for
that experience still remains hideous
memory.
Suddenly was jolted into vivid
of my own desperate predlca- :.
ment when the jackstaff light crashed
to the deck beside me, leaving the situ-
alton in utter darkness. A terrific
plunge of the boat had snapped it from
the staff pole, very much like swapping
a spool from the end OF a whip.
Even then I was loath to leave that
Inflated spot. glared into the surging
waters all about me in a vain attempt
to persuade myself that it was not Ut
teriy hopeless.
yet, in the light of my many years
of varied experiences on the water, IL
would hardly seem reasonable 10. expect
one to realize any better IMAM the
utter futility of sacriflclng anotner
priceless moment in that rated spot.
AS I made all possible haste across
that plunging deck to regain the en-
CINE room. my already shattered spirits
receded into my shoes as 1 observed
for the first time that both the side
lights were missing actually washed
overheard from. the light boxes.
The seriousness of the situation be-
gan to impress me now as never before.
In addition to being at the mercy of
many square miles of tumultuous water,
as well as the unbroken wrath of the
elements, another danger nearly as
great had added itself unannounced to
my constantly increasing list OF UNI
pleasantries.
The destruction of my running
lights brought to my consciousness
with no gentle force the serious TACT
that l was now helpless prey to. any
large steamer that might be fighting
her way through the storm. This was
indeed a situation most regrettable,
but, Of course. no longer possible to
avoid.
I still preserved a lighted lantern at
the engine, but it was very necessary
to keep it darkened in order to obtain
any view whatever through the window.
To determine whether the gale had
changed its course, took a hasty
squint at the compass and found I was
maintaining about the same general
direction, southwest.
was really feeling encouraged at
this time, inasmuch as I had covered
considerable distance and felt reason
ably sure of being able to hold safe
course to the bay during the onslaught,
should 1t strike.
I threw back the hatch and followed
it into the open. OF course / was
greeted with an incessant lombard
mont nf CalfIuac E,,otu 7 u,a,,Ia l.o