Notes By the Way in a Sailor's Life Part 2

Ship "Northfleet" (at sea),

November 18th, 1858.

We take much pleasure in awarding to Mr. Knights, 2nd officer of this ship, this unsolicited testimonial, expressive of our high sense of the coolness, judgment and courage he displayed on the morning of November the 13th, 1858, when, under circ.u.mstances of great difficulty and imminent danger, when in charge of the cutter, with five men, in a gale of wind and high tumultuous sea running, he was, by the interposition of Divine Providence, mercifully allowed to be the means of rescuing the master, mate, and crew (9 in all) of the brig "Hebe," of Southampton, reported to be in a sinking state.

J. R. Fittock, Master, R. N.

W. J. Stuart, Lieutenant, R. N.

H. J. Tribe, Captain, R. N.

R. Picken, M. D., R. N.

H. Ward, Captain, R. N.

James Driver, Engineer, R. N.

G eo. A. F. Day, 2nd Master, R. N.

Wm. Donnelly, F. W., R. N.

A. W. Stratton (late Master and Owner of brig "Hebe").

Chas. Clarke, Mate.

The first signature to the testimonial is that of Mr. J. B. Fittock, Master, R. N., father of Mr. Consul Fittock, well known in China. The following letter on the subject was also written to the London Times by the master of the "Hebe":--

Heroism at Sea.

To the Editor of "The Times."

Sir: I wish to acknowledge, through the medium of your journal, my sincere thanks to Captain B. Freeman, of the ship "Northfleet," of London, for having rescued myself and eight men, the crew of the brig "Hebe," of Southampton, when in a sinking state, and at the same time blowing a gale of wind, with a high sea, in lat.i.tude 48 80' N. and longitude 12 20' W. At the same time, I cannot pa.s.s by the courage displayed by Mr. Knights, second mate, and five of the crew of the "Northfleet," in the management of the boat which took us off. Yours respectfully,

A. W. Stratton, Master.

12 Wood Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, Nov. 30.

The Board of Trade recognized Captain Knights's gallantry by presenting him with a telescope (by Troughton & Sons, London) and recording the fact on his certificate in the following terms:--

"Certified that a telescope was presented by the British Government to Arthur E. Knights for gallantry in saving life at sea."

Recently, Captain Knights received from his old chief, Captain Freeman, who was master of the "Northfleet" when the rescue of the crew of the "Hebe" took place, a large oil-painting descriptive of the scene, accompanied by a letter, from which we take the following extract:

South Hackney, Feb. 25th, 1887.

I have sent you (by favour of Mr. W. Howell, the chief officer of the "Glenroy") the painting that Captain Stratton gave me of the "Northfleet" rescuing the crew of the brig "Hebe," of Southampton, and I beg your acceptance of it. I am sure you will like to have it, as you were the princ.i.p.al actor in the scene--and I have a copy of it done by the same artist. I well remember (as if it was only yesterday) how anxious I was during the time you were away on the job, and how my heart was frequently in my mouth (as the saying goes) when the old ship gave an extra heavy lurch, and you and the dear old cutter were out of sight for a few seconds in the trough of the sea; and I often think now what a wonderful and merciful thing it was that we got that boat up without accident,--but you see we had so many willing hands on board that they ran away with her as soon as she was hooked on.

The painting represents the "Northfleet" in a storm under close-reefed topsails, fore staysail, and main trysail, and the "Hebe" under close-reefed topsails, with heavy seas breaking over her, her boats and house washed away, her stern-post (struck by a heavy sea) started, and the brig in a sinking condition. The cutter, manned by a crew of five, with Captain Knights in charge, and with the rescued crew of the "Hebe"

in her, appears under the stern of the "Northfleet," one man of the "Hebe's" crew being hoisted on board by a bowline running from the spanker-boom. The whole of the "Hebe's" crew were got on board the "Northfleet" in the same way,--the cutter, containing Captain Knights and the crew from the "Northfleet" being then hooked on and run up without accident.

It may be mentioned that the "Northfleet" was the ill-fated vessel which some years afterwards was run down, while at anchor under Dungeness, by the Spanish steamer "Murillo," when over three hundred lives were lost.

Presentation of a Telescope by the British Government.

In the early part of the year 1859 I received a letter from the Board of Trade, notifying me that the British Government had been pleased to award me a telescope in acknowledgment of my service in rescuing the master and crew of the brig "Hebe," and requesting me to write a statement, of what took place before and after the rescue, and hand it to the President of the Local Marine Board, on a day named, and to be then presented with a telescope.

I appeared at the place and time appointed, and the President rose from his seat and read my statement to the gentlemen of the Board. He then asked me if I had rendered any previous service to British or foreign subjects in distress; if so, had I received any reward or remuneration for the same. If not, then the Board would make application and obtain whatever might be due for such service. Or, did I wish for any further reward for the present service from any Society in Great Britain, application should be made.

I replied that I had not rendered any previous service to any others in distress, and that what I had done on this occasion was voluntary and spontaneous, without thought of reward. I considered it only as a duty to my fellow-man; and since the Government had been pleased to acknowledge the service, I was truly grateful. I was then complimented by the gentlemen of the Board, and was presented with the telescope. The inscription on it is my greatest pride to this day, as is also the honorary testimonial, stamped on my Government certificate of competency by the recommendation of the Local Marine Board.

To the President and Gentleman of the Local Marine Board, London.

In lat.i.tude 48 30' N., longitude 12 20' E., on the morning of the 13th of November, 1858, at 7 A. M., it being then just break of day, I saw the brig "Hebe" about three miles on our lee-bow, having the signal of distress flying. I immediately reported it to Captain Freeman, who came on deck and gave orders to bear down upon her and see what was wanted.

When near enough we hove to and hailed the brig, asking what they were in want of, and they answered, saying "For G.o.d's sake, send us a boat, as we are sinking." Captain Freeman then asked if they wanted to abandon their vessel, and they repeated their supplications, every one on board appearing to be in the greatest mental distress, making signs that their vessel was going down. The men were working vigorously at the pumps at imminent risk of being washed overboard, as the sea was breaking completely over them.

It was now 8 o'clock, and Captain Freeman gave orders for all hands to remain on deck and to clear away the cutter. I then got into the boat and asked who would go with me, when I got several volunteers, out of whom I took five,--viz., Burland, Hill, Hendrickson, Hansen, and c.u.mmins. The boat was lowered very successfully, when we got clear of the ship. The brig was about a quarter of a mile astern. Heading for the ship, I pulled alongside and told them to give me a good line over their quarter, long enough to veer and haul upon. I told the captain of the brig to get his log-book and chronometer, with a few of his own personal effects, but I would not take either bed or bag belonging to any one. I then told them to stand by and to jump in their turns, one by one, as I should direct. We then hauled the boat up with her bow alongside the brig's quarter, taking care lest the stem of the boat should get knocked out, getting one of them off at a time, dropping clear while the heavy seas pa.s.sed, then hauling up again. In this manner we succeeded in getting them off, nine in all, in about forty minutes, making them lie in the bottom of the boat as ballast till it was covered. We then pulled to the ship. When we reached her, they had a block at the spanker-boom-end, with a single line rove and bowline, into which the men got and were hoisted one by one on deck. After they were all up, I sent one of the boat's crew up, and then went alongside and hooked on the boat, which was quickly run up. There was no other mishap than the breaking of an oar in coming alongside. We had on board about three hundred invalid soldiers and sailors from the Canton war at this time.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

A. E. Knights.

Inscription on Telescope.

Presented by the British Government

To

Mr. Arthur Knights Second Officer of the "Northfleet"

In Acknowledgment of His Gallant Conduct In Rescuing the Master and Crew Of the "Hebe"

In November, 1858.

The Ship "Bombay."

(November, 1858.)

At the time that the ship "Northfleet" was rescuing the crew of the brig "Hebe," the ship "Bombay," belonging to the same owner,--Mr. Duncan Dunbar,--was on the side of the same storm, at about one hundred miles distance, and had the wind from just the opposite direction, but with much greater force, and came near being lost.

The "Bombay" had embarked some troops in Portsmouth for the Indian Mutiny, and was ordered to proceed to Queenstown in Ireland to take on board some two hundred more soldiers.

When the vessel got near the entrance of the harbour it was nightfall, and, the wind being unfavourable, when the pilot got on board, he recommended the captain to make everything easy for the night and enter the harbour next morning, when he expected the wind to be fair. But during the night the wind increased and became a violent northeast gale, and the vessel was blown out of the Irish Channel into the Atlantic Ocean. For some days the wind blew with hurricane force. The ship lost some sails, and was at last carrying only a close-reefed main topsail and fore staysail. The sea was mountainous and lashing the ship from all directions. Then late in the day, to the dismay of all on board, the lee main topsail-sheet gave way, and the sail was flapping like thunder and lashing the mast and rigging most furiously. The ship, now having nothing to steady her, was helplessly rolling in the trough of the sea, at the mercy of the waves, which threatened to engulf her, as they were breaking on board from every direction. The deck-houses were washed away and the decks were filled with water, which began to find an entrance to the 'tween-decks, where the poor soldiers were battened down. In this plight it was necessary to get the remnant of the topsail secure, and if possible get a new sail in its place, so as to steady the ship. The second officer was ordered to get the sailors and do this, but he soon reported that the sailors, many of whom were foreigners, would not go aloft. The chief officer then went forward and called for men, and asked if there were any British sailors among them. If there were, for G.o.d's sake, to go aloft with him. He led, the way, followed by seventeen British sailors. They had nearly completed the work of securing the sail when the ship gave a tremendous roll on the top of a very heavy wave and the mast went by the board, carrying with it the chief mate and his seventeen followers, and not a soul could be saved. Oh, to think of the horrors of that dark and fearful night!

Now came the trial for Captain John Flamanek and the remaining portion of his crew. The broken mast and yards, still held by the broken rigging, was lashing against the ship, threatening to break in her side and send all to the bottom. It was necessary to cut away this wreckage as soon as possible so as to free the ship, but before this could be accomplished daylight had set in. Then the captain asked the officer commanding the soldiers to let some of his men give a.s.sistance. This he refused to do, and made complaint that his men's food was not being prepared for them as it should be. The men cried shame of their commander, and volunteered to do whatever they could to a.s.sist the captain.[*] The weather moderated, and some sails were set on the vessel, which finally una.s.sisted reached Falmouth. Two steam men-of-war had been sent in search of her, but missed her.

[*] For his dastardly conduct the military commanding officer was later dismissed from the army, and was never allowed to enter Her Majesty's service again.