Notes by the Way in A Sailors Life | Page 9

one of the boat's crew up, and then went alongside and
hooked on the boat, which was quickly run up. There was no other
mishap than the breaking of an oar in coming alongside. We had on
board about three hundred invalid soldiers and sailors from the Canton
war at this time.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
A. E. Knights.

Inscription on Telescope.
Presented by the British Government
To
Mr. Arthur Knights Second Officer of the "Northfleet" In
Acknowledgment of His Gallant Conduct In Rescuing the Master and
Crew Of the "Hebe" In November, 1858.

The Ship "Bombay."

(November, 1858.)

At the time that the ship "Northfleet" was rescuing the crew of the brig

"Hebe," the ship "Bombay," belonging to the same owner, - Mr.
Duncan Dunbar, - was on the side of the same storm, at about one
hundred miles distance, and had the wind from just the opposite
direction, but with much greater force, and came near being lost.
The "Bombay" had embarked some troops in Portsmouth for the Indian
Mutiny, and was ordered to proceed to Queenstown in Ireland to take
on board some two hundred more soldiers.
When the vessel got near the entrance of the harbour it was nightfall,
and, the wind being unfavourable, when the pilot got on board, he
recommended the captain to make everything easy for the night and
enter the harbour next morning, when he expected the wind to be fair.
But during the night the wind increased and became a violent northeast
gale, and the vessel was blown out of the Irish Channel into the
Atlantic Ocean. For some days the wind blew with hurricane force. The
ship lost some sails, and was at last carrying only a close-reefed main
topsail and fore staysail. The sea was mountainous and lashing the ship
from all directions. Then late in the day, to the dismay of all on board,
the lee main topsail-sheet gave way, and the sail was flapping like
thunder and lashing the mast and rigging most furiously. The ship, now
having nothing to steady her, was helplessly rolling in the trough of the
sea, at the mercy of the waves, which threatened to engulf her, as they
were breaking on board from every direction. The deck-houses were
washed away and the decks were filled with water, which began to find
an entrance to the 'tween-decks, where the poor soldiers were battened
down. In this plight it was necessary to get the remnant of the topsail
secure, and if possible get a new sail in its place, so as to steady the
ship. The second officer was ordered to get the sailors and do this, but
he soon reported that the sailors, many of whom were foreigners, would
not go aloft. The chief officer then went forward and called for men,
and asked if there were any British sailors among them. If there were,
for God's sake, to go aloft with him. He led, the way, followed by
seventeen British sailors. They had nearly completed the work of
securing the sail when the ship gave a tremendous roll on the top of a
very heavy wave and the mast went by the board, carrying with it the
chief mate and his seventeen followers, and not a soul could be saved.
Oh, to think of the horrors of that dark and fearful night!
Now came the trial for Captain John Flamanek and the remaining

portion of his crew. The broken mast and yards, still held by the broken
rigging, was lashing against the ship, threatening to break in her side
and send all to the bottom. It was necessary to cut away this wreckage
as soon as possible so as to free the ship, but before this could be
accomplished daylight had set in. Then the captain asked the officer
commanding the soldiers to let some of his men give assistance. This
he refused to do, and made complaint that his men's food was not being
prepared for them as it should be. The men cried shame of their
commander, and volunteered to do whatever they could to assist the
captain.[*] The weather moderated, and some sails were set on the
vessel, which finally unassisted reached Falmouth. Two steam
men-of-war had been sent in search of her, but missed her.

[*] For his dastardly conduct the military commanding officer was later
dismissed from the army, and was never allowed to enter Her Majesty's
service again.

Is There a Fatality Attaching to Men or Inanimate Things?

In another part of this book I have mentioned the ship "Northfleet." In
regard to that vessel the above question might almost be answered in
the affirmative. The vessel was launched at the place from which she