"Haul up the Rug."

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4419, 12 July 1884, Page 4

"Haul up the Rug."

" 1 sick a sail !" cried tho carpenter to his companion, Kolley, who having given up all bopo of rescue, had coiled himself up for duiU.il in tho stern of the battered lifeboat; " 1 sco a sail ! Haul up tho rug !'' The ear of tho sailor caught tho sound; it wuh as tho cry of life to the dead.

Sure enough they sighted a ship in the wost-south-west, and there wnshopc. They rallied their poor strength, hauled tho rug, got it on a bottom board, hoisted it ton feet above- water, and tearing their clothes into lashings, made it good. By noon tho vessel was within four miles of them, taking in all sail.

"So tho Story goes," and in this case the story is a truo one, find to sail a talc it is that I must tell it to the readers of tho St.vi.

Tho Bayard, with twenty-two hands, was an iron screw bound from Now Orleans to Kouen, laden with wheat, and she. was making fair way on her homeward voyage. On tho lUth of last December she was overtaken by a heavy (jale, which began to make havoc with tho doomed ship, and, her cargo having shifted, she bocamu a pray to the elements. First a heavy sea was shipped on the |>ort side, and thon another tremendous ono forward swept tho forecastle, and drovo tho crew to tho bridge. Thon came a third, which swept away tho port lifeboats. Tho captain stood among his crow as firm as a rock, ordered all steam on, and steered straight for tho coast of ISormuda. It was of no use. A billow smashed in the engine-room, and thi*. followed by othoif, extinguished tho tiros. Tho vessel was running with her lee rails under wator, and quickly began to sink. " Out with tho starboard boat!" roared the captain. Thia was a lifeboat, and, at tho risk of being swopt away, tho men descended to tho deck and stood by. " Out with the long boat •

The command was promptly oboyed, hut tho sea was master now. It boing irnpossiblo to launch tho boats, the two crews took their seats in thorn, and waited in solemn silenco tho sinking of their ship, for then was their only chance. Thus in tho lifeboat waited for their fate fifteen men, including tho captain, and the two poor fellows whoworo brought in safoty to South Shields. Eight others took their places in tho long boat, and, washed by innumerable scag, they waited for the end. Within tho hour tho Bayard burst hor main hatches and went down. Tho swire was tremendous, and tho two boats woro sucked under hor in tho rash. Tho longboat never roao to the surface, but two of hor crow came up and swam to tho lifeboat, which had rightod. They wero hailed and taken in. Fourothors woreonco descried at a distance on a raft, but they wore nover seen again. Tho capsizing of tho boat deprived the bravo men of all their little store of provisions, and darkness camodown upon them without food or clothing ; in fact, donudod of everything but their native courage. In the dead of night a heavy sea struck the boat, which again capsized. When she rightod, the captain, tho second mate, and several of the firemen had disappeared. From this moment pale death seemed to sit upon every faco, and ono by ono tho men fell away, no one know how or when, unable to battlo with tho elements and koop their seats. When morning broke, Kelley and Simmons found themselves alone ; the sea had gone down and was calm, but where was hope? Two weak, weary men, abandoned on tho wasto of waters, out of humanity'? reach, the occupants of a lifeboat—a lifeboat it was called, but a lifeboat without sail, oar, rudder, or provision. Thero was just the chance of being '' picked up," and they strained their eyes over tho groy horizon for a sail, but all in vain. Thoso companions in advoreity sat, and watched and slopt, and "took spells" at tho "look-out." Tho carpontor had a rug left by tho captain, and Kolley's sou'westor served to bale out the water, and between this occupation and keeping the boat's hoad to tho wind with a plank the weary hours passed on. How they worked and waited, and despaired and hoped, none can tell, but tho morning of the 17th arrived, and this struggle against naturo had been waged for six days. Thoy saw daybreak with a hopo almost dying out, quenching their thirst by rinsing their mouths with salt water, which they daro not drink, and lying on their backs with their mouths open to catch the falling dew. Once a shower fell, and Simmons caught about a quart of water—precious drops, which revived them for a timo. On tho last day of thoir sufferings, the two men wero so weak they they could not stir. Kolley, at least, could not, and poor Simmons undertook, so long as ho could, to keep tho long-continued "look-out." Faithful to tho last, his fidelity was rewarded, and, when courage was nearly gone, the hoped-for sail was in view. Then the words came gratefully upon tho car of hia poor comrade, "Haul up the rug," and soon the Spanish brigantine Encarnacion, of Fernandina, bore down upon them. The biave Spaniards received them with rough but thorough hospitality, hauled up the shattered lifeboat on to their deck, and landed our two countrymen at Ferrol on the 6th of January, and thence they were forwarded by the agent of tho excellent " Shipwrecked Manner's Society " to Plymouth, and then to Shiolds.

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