The Life of a Ship from the Launch to the Wreck | Page 6

sail was taken in the ship went easier, and the men
assembled on the deck to await further orders. The gale increased, and
suddenly the small bit of the fore-topsail that was hoisted burst into
shreds with a clap like thunder, and carried away the fore-topmast with
all its yards and rigging, part of the bowsprit, and the top of the
mainmast. "Clear away the wreck!" shouted the captain. Some of the
men ran for axes, and began to cut the ropes that fastened the broken
masts to the ship, for there was a danger of the ship striking against
them and knocking a hole in her side while she plunged. Still the gale
increased, and the mizzen topmast went overboard. The "mizzen" is the
mast nearest to the stern. It is the smallest of the three. The lightning
now began to flash, and the thunder to roar, while the crew of the Fair
Nancy stood on her deck clinging to the bulwarks, lest they should be
washed overboard! Little Davy looked at the man next him, and saw
that it was Ben Block. "Oh, Ben!" said he, "what an awful night it is!
Do you think we shall be lost?"
Ben shook his head. "I don't know, lad; but the Lord can save us, if it
be His will. Pray to Him, boy."
"My poor mother!" murmured Davy, as the tears rose to his eyes, while
he prayed to God in his heart that he might be spared to see her again.
At that moment there came a wave so big and black that Davy thought
the sea was going to turn upside down. It came on like a great dark
mountain, high above the ship. "Hold on for your lives!" cried some of

the men, as the wave fell with a fearful crash and turned the ship over
on her side--or on her "beam-ends," as sailors call it. They were in
awful danger now, as the sea began to pour down into the cabins, and
the masts and sails being in the water the ship could not "right," or
become straight again. "Cut away the masts!" roared the captain. The
deck was now standing up like a wall, so that the men could not walk
on it, but they managed with great difficulty to reach the mizzenmast,
which a few strokes of the axe sent overboard. Still the ship lay on her
beam-ends. "Cut away the mainmast!" cried the captain. The order was
obeyed, and with a loud report, like a cannon shot, it went overboard
too. Immediately after the fall of the mainmast there came another
wave, from which they never expected to rise again. It dashed down on
the stern and drove in the cabin windows; but the worst of it was, that it
swept away all the boats belonging to the ship. They had been securely
fastened to the deck; but this wave carried them all away, so that now,
if the ship sank, their only chance of escape was gone. The same wave
snapped the foremast across near the deck. This was fortunate, because
it enabled the ship to "right" herself, and once more the men were able
to stand on the deck. The storm continued to rage still, however, and
some of the men were sent to work the pumps, for there was a great
deal of water in the ship now; so much, indeed, that she could hardly
float. Another party were ordered to fit up a small mast, which they tied
to the stump of the foremast. This new one was called a "jury-mast;"
and as they could not sail without a mast of some kind or other, they
were very glad when they saw it up and a sail hoisted on it. During the
night, however, another heavy wave broke this mast away also; so they
were again left to toss like a log on the stormy waters.
All this time the men were working hard at the pumps, but, although
they worked for many hours without stopping, the water continued to
increase in the hold, and they saw that the ship had sprung "a leak;" that
is to say, some of the planks had started, or the seams had opened, and
the water was pouring into it so fast that it was evident she would soon
sink. This was very awful indeed. Some of the men began to cry to God
for mercy, others tore their hair and ran about like madmen, while some
sat down and silently prepared to die!

The morning light came at last. But what a sad sight it rose upon. The
once noble ship now lay a wreck upon the water, with the masts and
sails gone and her shattered hull ready to sink. The captain,