56 National Geograjjhic Magazine. 



in the trough of a heavy S.E. sea, that was threatening every 

 moment to engulf her. She was then about 12 miles E.S.E. from 

 Sandy Hook lightship, and in twenty minutes the gale struck 

 her with such force from N.W. that she was thrown on her 

 beam ends; she instantly righted again, however, but in two 

 hours Avas so covered with ice that she looked like a small ice- 

 berg. By 8 A. M. the wind had increased to a hurricane, the 

 little vessel pitching and tossing in a terrific cross-sea, and only 

 by the iinited efforts of the entire crew was it possible to 

 partially lower and lash down the foresail and fore-staysail. No 

 one but those on board can realize the danger she was in fi'om 

 the huge breaking seas that rolled down upon her; the snow and 

 rain came with such force that it was impossible to look to wind- 

 ward, and the vessel was lying broadside to wind and sea. A 

 drag was rigged with a heavy log, anchor, and hawser, to keep 

 her head to sea and break the force of the waves, but it had 

 little effect, and it was evident that something must be done to 

 save the vessel. Three oil bags were made of duck, half filled 

 with oakum saturated with oil, and hung over the side forward, 

 amidships, and on the weather quarter. It is admitted that this 

 is all that saved the boat and the lives of all on board, for the 

 oil prevented the seas from breaking, and they swept past as 

 heavy rolling swells. Another drag was rigged and launched, 

 although not without great exertion and danger, and this helped 

 a little. Heavy iron bolts had to be put in the oil bags to keep 

 them in the water, and there the little vessel lay, fighting for 

 life against the storm, refilling the oil bags every half hour, and 

 fearing every instant that some passing vessel would I'un her 

 down, as it was impossible to see a hundred feet in any direction. 

 The boat looked like a wreck; she was covered with ice and it 

 seemed impossible for her to remain afloat until daylight. The 

 oil bags were replenished every half hour during the night, all 

 hands i-^king turn about to go on deck and fill them, crawling 

 along the deck on hands and knees and secured with a rope in 

 case of beinv>- washed overboard. Just before midnight a heavy 

 sea struck the boat and sent her over on her side; everything 

 movable was ti vown to leeward, and the water rushed down the 

 forward hatch. But again she righted, and the fight went on. 

 The morning of t.ie 13th, it was still blowing with hurricane 

 force, the wind shri -iking past in terrific squalls. It cleared up 

 a little towards evening, and she wore around to head to the 



