THE COLLISION.

Northern Advocate, 20 February 1911, Page 3

THE COLLISION.

I was second engineer in a yacht once. Twin screw and barque rigged she' was, and her name was the Halcyon. One morning in March the Halcyon t>teamed out of New York Harbor tound for a course in the West Indies. W'd quite a crowd aft. Swells they were—the women all in furs and carrying little dogs, and the men dressed up like brothers of the Czar of Russia. As I say, the passengers aft were most refined, and changed their clothes three times a day. There was only one that pleased me, and that was a girl. It was a bit unusual, for she was a "blonde, and I like them dark. Still her colour was natural, and she walked as if she owned a pair of legs.- ---■ Which was more than I could say for the other women.

For two days we had a bit of a ;3torm, and the passengers were seasick as dogs—all but this girl. She'd come on deck in oilskins, a sou-west; er on her yellow hair, and the wind making her cheeks as red as the flag of England.

I'd always take a turn or two on deck when no passengers were about and the third day out I was standing in the forrard alleyway—lee side. This yellow-haired girl was sitting in a deck chair by the saloon door. Suddenly the Halcyon gave an extra

strong heave, the chair lashings parted, and the girl and chair piled up against the rail. She didn't scream for help, and I liked that. It showed a good nerve. I lifted her up and made fast her chair again.

"It'll not fetch aAvay now," I said, when I had it lashed.

"Thank you," said she, and she tmiled like I was a friend. I touched my cap and started to move a\vay, but stie called me back.

"Are you one of the officers?" she asked when I stood in front of her.

"Second engineer, miss." And I touched my cap again, knoAving full well I was no fit person to be talk-

ing to her

"Won't you sit down?" said she next.

I sat, and she started in to do the polite. I was surprised. I've not met £ny real ladies, and those I have come across said little to me, but this one talked like I was as good as she was How she did it I don't know, but in two twinkles she had me telling her all about the Donna Dolores and the arms for Honduras.

"I don't wonder you love the sea," said she, when I had done.

• "It's my business, miss; but I c'on't know about loving it." "It makes men."

She talked a bit more, and then * T.ent away, for it was time to turn to. When I got beloAV I asked the chief who was the girl with the blue eyes and yellow hair.

"That'll be Miss Stevens," he said. '•Have you been trying to pick hsr up? Best not. She's engaged to the own-

er's son."

The chief was right. I had seen the owner's son—a pasty-faced young man with no chin to his jaw. I wondered what he'd say if he kneAV I'd been talking to his girl.

We coaled at Key West, and the first week in April saAV the yacht hef.ded for New York.

The first night out there was a concert in the saloon. Some of the passengers sang, and a fine looking lady l>layed the piano. I was just going away from the porthole when Miss Ktevens stood up and tucked a fiddle mder her chin. Man, dear! She ?nale the thing talk —all good Scotch tunes. too. The last piece she played was Annie Laurie, and it brought to mind my old mother and the days at home In-fore I ran away to sea.

I looked for the OAvner's son, and

there he was over in a corner mixing a drink. Mixing a drink! Ani she was playing Annie Laurie! It was sacrilegious, that's what it was--full a? bad as wearing your hat inside a church. He was no man for her, and I wondered she didn't see it. But after all, she Avas not to blame She "vas only a woman, and a Avoman can't take a man's lines correctly; it takes another man to do that.

Three days later I had a bit of a row with an oiler. He was wasting too much. There's no sense in swilling the cups. I spoke him fair and gentle, but he would not listen to reason. He did it again, so I just took him by the neck and rubbed his face in a puddle of oil. He tried to fight, and then I knocked him down. The captain saw tit to interfere. He'd been looking on from the top platform, where he'd no business to be. "Ye must not be brutal," said he. I told him just where to go, and what I thought of his family. "I'll have you fired," said he, grinning with rage. "Fire away!" I was hot all over. A fine captain he was—ragging an . officer before his men! I'd nevei heard the like before. If he'd any complaints, he should have given them to the chief. "I will," said he, and he went on deck. The next night, when I way on watch, the siren began to blow at twominute intervals, and I knew theiv was a • fog. After half an hour's squalling it stopped. I thought that was odd, for a fog on the coast is generally a laster. When the third relieved me I went on deck, and the log was thick as soup. I went aft and met the second mate. "What's wrong with the siren?" I asked. "Nothing that. I know of," said he. "Then why ain't it sounding?" "Owner's orders. He sent up word io the bridge that the screeching distrrbed his rest, and to stop it at once." "It's a bad business. The old man ;.-* liable to lose his ticket if there's, any

accident."

"If he don't obey orders he'll lose his command. As it is, he's dancing on the bridge this minute, trying tc look four Avays at once."

"He should sloav her down. Off the Jersey coast in a fog is no plac 3 for full speed. I Avas expecting the bell for half speed all through my Avntch, but nothing like that. She's doing her sixteen knots right noAv."

"Blame the owner again," said the second mate, and he SAVore. "He said to drive her, fog or no fog, and never mind the siren. Oh, this yachting life is fit. to give a man grey hairs' If I —what's that "

I looked and there Avas the Ijoav of a steamer ■ lifting out of the fog, not tAventy feet from the starboard quarter.

"Ship on us!" yelled the second mate, and Aye both ran forrard. Then came a crash and a jar that knocked us flat. I got up and ran below. I was just in time to help the third engineer keep the black gang from deserting. They were fair mad with fear, and we had to knock two of ihem filly before they'd obey orders and close the watertight doors in th 3 after bulkhead. The yacht had been hit abaft the mizzen-mast, and if the bulk« head held, there Avas more than a chance she could sAvim all right.

While the third and I were scrapping Avith the ash-cats, the chief ran down the ladder and shut off stoam. I'd heard the gong clang for stop, but there Avas no chance of reaching'the throttle Avith four firemen falling ever themselves trying to get at me.

The Halcyon was quite a bit down by the stern, and the water Avas over the footplates by the time the doors were closed. Things looked scary, I can tell you. The chief bade me start the. bilge pumps. No sooner had I turned my back than the firemen bolted up the ladder and on deck.

"Let.'em go," the chief. ''We'll get 'em back soon enough."

There Avas the noise of a regular Donnybrook on deck, and I misdou*'ed the creAV and passengers were lighting for the boats. I told the chief so, and the three of us went up on deck. The steamer had disappeared, f-nd I cursed her.

The deck lights had been swit'.'eU on, and the main deck was a Bedlam. The women were crowded arouni th 9 saloon door. They all had on nightgowns, and some fur coats as well, and they were screaming fit to crack .heir throats. Miss Stevens —God blesr- her for a brave girl—Avas attending to the OAvner's lady, who'd fainted on a deck chair. The crew Avere trying to loAver the boats, and the captain, the mates and the men passengers were fighting them off from the davits. I got a be-

laying pin in each hand, and helped

the afterguard. The skipper had ragged me proper for pounding the oiler, as I have said, but I couldn't stay idle while he was being licked by the deck hands. The chief and the third mixed in, too; and, after a bit, the crew sheared off and obeyed orders.

Then the skipper—he was blowing like a whale—made a speech to the passengers, and said there wasn't any danger, and he promised to land 'em all in New York the next afternoon. Then he ordered the boats prov:s'on-

Ed, and swung outboard in read'ness to lower. That scared the passengers into a fresh panic, but the skipper told them that it was only to play safe in case the unexpected happened. He was bound it shouldn't happen if he could help it; and he set on the mate and ten men to strengthen the bulkhead. I can tell you, I had respect for the skipper after that. He was not the lump of putty I'd set him down for.

The after-compartment was *ull of water, and the stern-deck was on a level with the sea. There was a hole z\x feet across to mark where the &ieamer struck. It was too big to plug, and our only hope was the bulkhead. But I had faith she'd hold. 'Twas a God-fearing firm of t=hipti.ilders built the Halcyon, and there's a whole lot in that.

Soon we got the bell for the fullahead, and the chief opened her Avide Five knots were all we could get out of her. The firemen had turned to by this time, but they were jumpy still, as I could tell by the way they looked at the bulkhead. To teU the tiuth, the bulkhead was bulging a bit.

That put the fear of Hades into their hearts and they bent their back« as if they were feeding the fires in a ,'iner trying for a record. I kept a spanner handy, though, and I bade the third t.tand by. He was a very willing man ii: a fight, was that third engineer.

"Where are Aye?" I asked the chief, when there -was tirae to breathe.

"Off Atlantic City," said he. "The lightship on the nor'east end of Five Fathom was on the port bow when I went on Avatch. 'Tis but a hundred miles or so to NeAv York Harbor. We will make it easy."

"Send we don't have a storm."

Half an hour later doAvn came the second mate and told us the owner's son, tAVo other passengers, and four

seamen were missing. "Drowned?" I asked.

"Heaven knows," said he. ' They haven't been seen since the collision, and the owner's crazy."

"They got away in a boat, maybe."

"We've searched the ship, and ihere is not a boat nor a lifebelt missing."

"They're gone, then," said the chief, "where many a better man's gone before 'em. Cheer up, Mr Mate, Aye may

join em yet."

"Don't joke," said the second mate, and he looked at the bulkhead with a hurry. I misdoubted the deck was more sanitary that the engine room. Then he went on deck in a shiver Even a feAv inches of water rush'ng to and fro has a nasty look.

The siren had been sounding regularly since the accident, and I know the owner had learned a lesson. He was a great man ashore, and he oAvned s couple of railroads; but even a great man can't safely steam full speed through a fog without blowing a biren, Maybe you can do that in Wall-stn.tt — which was Avhere he Avorked, the chief told me—but not on the high seas.

In the morning, when I went on deck, the fog had lightened a bit. The passengers Avere standing about in little groups talking low and ncrA r ous. JJiss SteA'ens Avas sitting in a deck chair, all alone. She'd been crying— T could see that. Oh, Avell, thought I, Fhe'll be getting over her sorrow in a month or two, and then she can find another man. There's plenty in this world. When night came on the wind hauled to the Avest'ard, and the fog blew away. The skipper had been keeping his yacht well off shore, and it Avas midnight before we raised ■ the red lights of Scotland Lightship. Two hours later a pilot boat hove alongside.

"Ahoy there!" baAvled her skipper. "What's happened to you " "Collision!" shouted our old man, ' But were all right. Send us a pilot." "I'm lowering a boat now. V'hat ship is that?" "Yacht Halcyon." "Halcyon, Halcyon! Why, man you Avere reported in collision and r.unk!"

"Mistake! The Halcyon's good for many a thousand mile yet!"

The passengers were landed at Tompkinsville, and when I got hold

of a morning paper, there it was in black and white: —"All about the sinking of the yacht Halcyon by the French steamer Vasrsovienne."

It told how the owner's son and. six (thers had clambered aboard the steamer by way of the bow just after fhe had struck, and that they'd seen the yacht go down as the Varso\h-nne backed off in the fog. The evening papers printed a denial, but that did not make the morning account leps interesting. It showed up the owner's £.on for what he was—a rank coward.