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Page 95
"East-south-east, sir," replied the second lieutenant, who had the deck.
"Make it south-east."
"South-east, sir," repeated Kendall. "Quartermaster keep her away two
points," he added to the petty officer conning the wheel.
"Two points, sir," said Bennington, the quartermaster
"Make the course south-east."
"South-east, sir."
After all these repetitions it was not likely that any mistake would
occur; and the discipline of the ship required every officer and seaman
who received a material order, especially in regard to the helm or the
course, to repeat it, and thus make sure that it was not misunderstood.
It was Sunday; and no study was required, or work performed, except the
necessary ship's duty. Morning prayers had been said, as usual, and
there was to be divine service in the steerage, forenoon and afternoon,
for all who could possibly attend; and this rule excepted none but the
watch on deck. By this system, the quarter watch on duty in the
forenoon, attended in the afternoon; those who were absent at morning
prayers were always present at the evening devotions; and blow high or
blow low, the brief matin and vesper service were never omitted, for
young men in the midst of the sublimity and the terrors of the ocean
could least afford to be without the daily thought of God, "who plants
his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm."
Every man and boy in the ship was watching the speck on the watery
waste, which the glass had revealed to be a dismasted, and perhaps
sinking ship. The incident created an intense interest, and was
calculated to bring out the finer feelings of the students. They were
full of sympathy for her people, and the cultivation of noble and
unselfish sentiments, which the occasion had already called forth, and
was likely to call forth in a still greater degree, was worth the voyage
over the ocean; for there are impressions to be awakened by such a scene
which can be garnered in no other field.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE WRECK OF THE SYLVIA.
The people in the dismasted ship had discovered the Young America, as it
appeared from the efforts they were using to attract her attention. The
booming of a gun was occasionally heard from her, but she was yet too
far off to be distinctly seen.
On the forecastle of the Academy Ship were two brass guns,
four-pounders, intended solely for use in making signals. They had never
been fired, even on the Fourth of July, for Mr. Lowington would not
encourage their use among the boys. On the present occasion he ordered
Peaks, the boatswain, to fire twice, to assure the ship in distress that
her signals were heard.
The top-gallant sails were set, and the speed of the ship increased as
much as possible; but the heavy sea was not favorable to rapid progress
through the water. At four bells, when all hands but the second part of
the port watch were piped to attend divine service in the steerage, the
Young America was about four miles distant from the dismasted vessel.
She was rolling and pitching heavily, and not making more than two or
three knots an hour.
Notwithstanding the impatience of the crew, and their desire to be on
deck, where they could see the wreck, the service on that Sunday
forenoon was especially impressive. Mr. Agneau prayed earnestly for
those who were suffering by the perils of the sea, and that those who
should draw near unto them in the hour of their danger, might be filled
with the love of God and of man, which would inspire them to be faithful
to the duties of the occasion.
When the service was ended the students went on deck again. The wreck
could now be distinctly seen. It was a ship of five or six hundred tons,
rolling helplessly in the trough of the sea. She was apparently
water-logged, if not just ready to go down. As the Young America
approached her, her people were seen to be laboring at the pumps, and to
be baling her out with buckets. It was evident from the appearance of
the wreck, that it had been kept afloat only by the severest exertion on
the part of the crew.
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