TRAWLERS TO THE RESCUE 



running to Brixham for shelter ; but when off the 

 Start she was forced to heave to. Already she had 

 been struck by heavy seas. When on the starboard 

 tack Clarke noticed an open boat under the smack's 

 lee. He shouted to the skipper and the mate to 

 jump up, saving, " Here's a sight under our lee !" 

 When they looked they saw an open boat driving 

 through the heavy seas. An oar was hoisted as a 

 mast, and from this a sailor's scarf was flying. For 

 minutes together the boat was hidden from view ; 

 but the men of the Provident had got her and were 

 determined that she should not be allowed to go. 

 The skipper swung the smack clear, then he and 

 his small band set to work to take in another reef in 

 the mainsail and set the storm-jib. Until this had 

 been done it would have been disastrous to attempt 

 a rescue. 



The boat, which was one of the battleship's cut- 

 ters, drifted towards the smack, from which she was 

 seen by Clarke, who had climbed the rigging. 



The skipper decided to gybe, a perilous manoeuvre 

 in such weather, as the mast was liable to give way ; 

 but he succeeded. Four times the smacksmen tried 

 to get a rope to the cutter ; each attempt being more 

 difficult than the last ; but finally they obtained a 

 good berth on the port tack. A small warp was 

 thrown and caught by the sailors in the cutter, and 

 this having been made fast round the capstan the 

 boat was hauled to the stern of the Provident. The 

 warp was passed round to the lee side and the boat 

 was brought up to the lee quarter. 



87 



