170 FISHERMEN'S OWN BOOK. 



Saving the Cable. 



BY DICK SKYLIGHT. 



One of the chief dangers to which a vessel at anchor on the Banks is lia- 

 ble, is that of having another vessel drift across her bow during a gale. If 

 this should happen there is little probability of either of them escaping de- 

 struction. We had such an experience in the "gully" between Banquereau 

 and Sable Island, on the 23d of June, 1877. The wind, which had blown 

 fresh all day, increased towards sunset, and there was a sharp combing sea 

 running. We paid out all our cable and cleared up things on deck. Just 

 as it was growing dark I saw the Lizzie — which was lying directly ahead 

 of us — break adrift and fall off broadside to the wind and sea. 



At first I thought her crew would heave in her cable and set sail to clear 

 us, but as she kept drifting and had no riding-light up, I was reluctantly 

 forced to the conclusion that the watch on board of her was asleep. If that 

 was the case, the only thing to do in order to avoid a collision was to cut 

 our cable and go adrift too, unless we could sheer our vessel away from her 

 path. The tide was running to leeward, so that we had some command 

 over our vessel with the helm \ one man was, therefore, stationed at the 

 wheel ready for action ; the jib was cut loose, and a rope taken from the 

 clew to each bow, so that we could sheer the vessel either way, as the case 

 should demand. When the drifting vessel was about two hundred feet dis- 

 tant, she was driving right athwart our hawse, so that our jib-boom pointed 

 straight between her masts. We had previously fired our gun several times ; 

 but as there was no sign of life on board of her, the moment to try our plan 

 had arrived. While I stood ready with the axe to cut the cable in case of 

 a failure, the wheel was quickly put hard-a-starboard, the jib run up and 

 hauled well over on the starboard bow, so that it caught aback, and our ves- 

 sel slowly sheered to port, while we held our breath in suspense. The ma- 

 nceuvre succeeded very well indeed, for we passed around her stern with- 

 out striking. It was a close shave though, for her main-boom cleared our 

 rigging by only a few feet. The quietness and good "order that our crew 

 had observed, while danger threatened and discipline was necessary, were 

 now broken by a general yell, which brought the other crew on deck, bare- 

 headed and stocking-footed, to receive, from my justly indignant men, some 

 remarks and advice that were certainly forcible if not polite. But we saved 

 our cable, and, as a consequence, could continue fishing, and therefore felt 

 thankful that nothing worse had happened. 



