I jumped directly up, and, sure enough, the mast was broken in several places. Captain Kodgers had gone below to get some rest, having been on deck all night. Mr. Geisinger, with every other officer, were doing their best, I reported to him the state of the foremast. " Well, sir," said he, " do the best you can with it." The top-gallant masts were already housed, but the top-masts were on end, the weight of which very much endangered the mast; but to get them down was out of the.•stion. quest. ' Our rigging, which had been put over the mast heads in cold weather, had now now become so slack that it was very little support to the masts.
But it was no time now to reflect upon what had been done. Our business now was to do something for the preservation of our lives. I called my carpenter's crew, four in number, around me, we knocked out the mast wedges, and in the meantime the boatswain's mates were clearing away the mast-fishes, this " useless lumber" and others, were passing the lashings around the masts, all ready for securing the fishes. I requested the gunner to get up four of his largest gun tackles, two on each side, and haul them taut with jiggers; this was soon done although she was wallowing in the sea, at such a rate that it was almost impossible to hold on. The fishes were put in their places.
I got into a bowline, and was hoisted high enough to fasten the heads with spikes; with a maul in one hand and spikes in the other, and contriving to hold on, so that, when I swung against the mast, I could hit the spike; but before they were fastened, my poor body was badly pounded against the broken stick. In two hours we had it secure, or at least, we were not afraid of its going over t}ie side. Our attention was now called to the mainmast, which was broken one-third off under the saddle. We unshipped the main boom, and got up two large tackles on each side, as we did with the foremast, and with much difficulty managed to set up two shrouds on each side, and fished it firmly, now with the fishes on both masts, well spiked and woolded, we felt that we could get short sail on both.
The gale now began to abate. None of the fleet had been seen since the evening before, and the last ship we saw was the Macedonian frigate; she passed close by, and to leeward of ns; and was under a close-reefed maintop-sail, and fore and mainstorm stay-sails. She had met with some damage to her main rigging, which they were repairing. And while lying in this apparently destitute condition, we fired minute guns for about four hours, but concluded that, in all probability there was nothing within hearing of our guns, so it was of no use to waste powder. Towards sunset it ceased blowing; and the clouds indicated fair weather. On the morrow, we commenced getting sail on her, the bowsprit was broken nearly off at the knight heads; but it held on, and was of some service; we set a top-gallant-sail on each top-mast, and two close-reefed top-sails below, and turned her head for New York; and in fine weather, we could set small sails about in any direction where they would draw.
It was very fortunate for us that neither of the masts went over the side, for had that been the case we should have inevitably gone to the bottom; for the mast in falling would have cut through the side, and being under water as wre were, nothing, but the All-powerful arm of Jehovah, could have saved us; and had it not been for the fishes, the masts could never have been kept on end. And much also deponded on the promptness and the alacrity, with which all this was done. On the second day, after we had got pretty well to rights again, Capt. Rodgers sent for me to come on the quarterdeck. Said he to me, " Young man,* how long have you been in the United States service?" " Since October, sir." "What is your age?" 11 Nearly twenty-two, sir." "Well sir; allow me to say, you are one of the most active men I have ever met with, and it is to your exertions, * Capt.
Rodgers had joined the brig only a few days before we sailed, and had not yet become acquainted with but few of his officers, which was the reason of his addressing me as young man. UNITED STATES BRIG, FIREFLY, IN A GALE, MAY 18th, 1815. that we are indebted for the preservation of this brig, and I may also add of our lives too; and it shall be my first business, if we arrive safe in New York, to obtain for you a warrant from the President of the United States." I thanked him, bowed, and retired. 1 soon saw that this compliment caused some little jealousy or envy from my messmates, the gunner and boatswain, but it soon wore off, and we were on the best terms, and in sixteen days arrived safely in New York.