Voyage of the Destroyer from New York to Brazil | Page 2

all down!
I was not in command at the time: better than that, the fighting captain was--But didn't the splinters fly! I thought of the poor "pirates" on the coast of Brazil and pitied them if, by their misguiding star, they should fall athwart the Destroyer, in her fighting mood.
It was six in the morning when we tripped anchor from Robins' reef, stowed all and proceeded down the bay.
The clear breath of heaven came free to every sailor on board and a voice that I knew hailed: "The ship is all your own." We were free unshackled from the land.
The Destroyer towed smoothly and steadily enough; and gliding along by the channel buoys she marked a fair rate of speed.
Off Sandy Hook, and clear of the shoals, the tow was stopped, that we might readjust the thimble in the towline, a sharp point having pressed against the rope threatened to cut it off. This thing, though small in itself, was the beginning of a series of mishaps that came soon enough. My sailors on the beak of the bow with tackle, crowbar and sledge-hammer fixed up the defective thimble, as far as a job of the kind could be remedied. The sailors wondering what longshoremen would do, if they hadn't old tars to finish their work at sea! I mention these things now for the guidance of sailors hereafter.t
The propellor at this point was disconnected, it having been decided to use steam only for the pumps and the whistle. A code of signals was arranged between the two vessels: Rockets and lights for the night: the Universal Code of Flags for the day, and the steam whistle for day or night, making a complete arrangement in all. Nothing was left undone by the agents in New York, looking to the safety of the ship and the completion of the voyage. Having been many years out of commission she got a great overhauling--on paper.
Her lockers bespoke in that department, the highest class of a seaworthy condition.
Long after when we were all under water and could get no fire to burn, one of the stokers, cloyed of good things, damned his fate that he should ever have to breakfast on cold roast turkey and cold chicken. I shall come upon this low wretch again on the voyage.
The crazy thimble being repaired, all seemed well and the Destroyer was again headed on her course.
The wind was from West to Nor'west, blowing a moderate breeze. The sea was smooth. The ship making good headway, skirted the coast with the land close aboard as far South as Winter Quarter Shoal; whence taking her departure she headed boldly away for the Gulf Stream.
At 6 A.M., Dec. 8th, the light on the shoal was visible a-beam. The latitude at noon was 37 degrees 03' N. Longitude at noon was 75 degrees 05' W.
Distance run in 28 hours 220 miles.
The wind has veered to the N.N.E. The sea is not so smooth as it was. The ship behaves well, however, all things considered, though occasionally now she rolls down low in the water and takes short cuts clean through the waves. Steam is up, it has been kept up since we left New York.
The steam pumps are at work--the vessel is making water. A calamity has overtaken us. The ship's top seams are opening and one of the new sponsons, the starboard one, is already waterlogged.
All hands are pumping and bailing to keep the ship afloat, but the water gains steadily, and by midnight, it is washing the fires and putting them out. Steam must be kept up, else we go down.
The sea is rough! What can we do?
Rounds of fat pork are heaped upon the struggling fires. Hard bread smeared with fish oil is hurled into the furnace by the barrel, and all available light stuff, as well, that will burn on the top of dead coals, such as tables and chairs, is thrown on the fire. There is no longer any draft, the rising water has cut the draft off. But the pork, and the bread and oil, and our furniture after a while--a long while it seems--makes a joyful fire that sends steam flying into the tubes and pipes to lend us its giant strength. Danger signals of rockets and blue-lights have been shown through the night.
The Santuit responded promptly to all of our signals, and handled the Destroyer with great care, on her part, in the rough sea. The storm continued through the 9th. But with energy taxed to the utmost, we gain mastery over the sea, and the water in the hold is so reduced by daylight, that coals may burn again on the grates. A number of holes and leaks have been found through which the water has been streaming all night. We