memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第32章

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les　an　hour。　　We　stopped　at　Acapulco；　and；　in　eighteen　days；　passed　in　sight　of　Point　Pinoa　at　Monterey；　and　at　the　speed　we　were　traveling　expected　to　reach　San　Francisco　at　4　A。　M。　the　next　day。　　The　cabin　passengers；　as　was　usual；　bought　of　the　steward　some　champagne　and　cigars；　and　we　had　a　sort　of　ovation　for　the　captain；　purser；　and　surgeon　of　the　ship；　who　were　all　very　clever　fellows；　though　they　had　a　slow　and　poor　ship。　　Late　at　night　all　the　passengers　went　to　bed；　expecting　to　enter　the　port　at　daylight。　　I　did　not　undress；　as　I　thought　the　captain　could　and　would　run　in　at　night；　and　I　lay　down　with　my　clothes　on。　　About　4　A。　M。　I　was　awakened　by　a　bump　and　sort　of　grating　of　the　vessel；　which　I　thought　was　our　arrival　at　the　wharf　in　San　Francisco；　but　instantly　the　ship　struck　heavily；　the　engines　stopped；　and　the　running　to　and　fro　on　deck　showed　that　something　was　wrong。　　In　a　moment　I　was　out　of　my　state…room；　at　the　bulwark；　holding　fast　to　a　stanchion；　and　looking　over　the　side　at　the　white　and　seething　water　caused　by　her　sudden　and　violent　stoppage。　　The　sea　was　comparatively　smooth；　the　night　pitch…dark；　and　the　fog　deep　and　impenetrable；　the　ship　would　rise　with　the　swell；　and　come　down　with　a　bump　and　quiver　that　was　decidedly　unpleasant。　　Soon　the　passengers　were　out　of　their　rooms；　undressed；　calling　for　help；　and　praying　as　though　the　ship　were　going　to　sink　immediately。　　Of　course　she　could　not　sink；　being　already　on　the　bottom；　and　the　only　question　was　as　to　the　strengh　of　hull　to　stand　the　bumping　and　straining。　　Great　confusion　for　a　time　prevailed；　but　soon　I　realized　that　the　captain　had　taken　all　proper　precautions　to　secure　his　boats；　of　which　there　were　six　at　the　davits。　　These　are　the　first　things　that　steerage…passengers　make　for　in　case　of　shipwreck；　and　right　over　my　head　I　heard　the　captain's　voice　say　in　a　low　tone；　but　quite　decided：　〃Let　go　that　falls；　or；　damn　you；　I'll　blow　your　head　off！〃　　This　seemingly　harsh　language　gave　me　great　comfort　at　the　time；　and　on　saying　so　to　the　captain　afterward；　he　explained　that　it　was　addressed　to　a　passenger　who　attempted　to　lower　one　of　the　boats。　　Guards；　composed　of　the　crew；　were　soon　posted　to　prevent　any　interference　with　the　boats；　and　the　officers　circulated　among　the　passengers　the　report　that　there　was　no　immediate　danger；　that；　fortunately；　the　sea　was　smooth；　that　we　were　simply　aground；　and　must　quietly　await　daylight。

They　advised　the　passengers　to　keep　quiet；　and　the　ladies　and　children　to　dress　and　sit　at　the　doors　of　their　state…rooms；　there　to　await　the　advice　and　action　of　the　officers　of　the　ship；　who　were　perfectly　cool　and　self…possessed。　　Meantime　the　ship　was　working　over　a　reef…for　a　time　I　feared　she　would　break　in　two；　but；　as　the　water　gradually　rose　inside　to　a　level　with　the　sea　outside；　the　ship　swung　broadside　to　the　swell；　and　all　her　keel　seemed　to　rest　on　the　rock　or　sand。　　At　no　time　did　the　sea　break　over　the　deckbut　the　water　below　drove　all　the　people　up　to　the　main…deck　and　to　the　promenade…deck；　and　thus　we　remained　for　about　three　hours；　when　daylight　came；　but　there　was　a　fog　so　thick　that　nothing　but　water　could　be　seen。　　The　captain　caused　a　boat　to　be　carefully　lowered；　put　in　her　a　trustworthy　officer　with　a　boat…compass；　and　we　saw　her　depart　into　the　fog。　　During　her　absence　the　ship's　bell　was　kept　tolling。　　Then　the　fires　were　all　out；　the　ship　full　of　water；　and　gradually　breaking　up；　wriggling　with　every　swell　like　a　willow　basketthe　sea　all　round　us　full　of　the　floating　fragments　of　her　sheeting；　twisted　and　torn　into　a　spongy　condition。　　In　less　than　an　hour　the　boat　returned；　saying　that　the　beach　was　quite　near；　not　more　than　a　mile　away；　and　had　a　good　place　for　landing。　　All　the　boats　were　then　carefully　lowered；　and　manned　by　crews　belonging　to　the　ship；　a　piece　of　the　gangway；　on　the　leeward　side；　was　cut　away；　and　all　the　women；　and　a　few　of　the　worst…scared　men；　were　lowered　into　the　boats；　which　pulled　for　shore。　　In　a　comparatively　short　time　the　boats　returned；　took　new　loads；　and　the　debarkation　was　afterward　carried　on　quietly　and　systematically。　　No　baggage　was　allowed　to　go　on　shore　except　bags　or　parcels　carried　in　the　hands　of　passengers。　　At　times　the　fog　lifted　so　that　we　could　see　from　the　wreck　the　tops　of　the　hills；　and　the　outline　of　the　shore；　and　I　remember　sitting　on；　the　upper　or　hurricane　deck　with　the　captain；　who　had　his　maps　and　compass　before　him；　and　was　trying　to　make　out　where　the　ship　was。　　I　thought　I　recognized　the　outline　of　the　hills　below　the　mission　of　Dolores；　and　so　stated　to　him；　but　he　called　my　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　general　line　of　hills　bore　northwest；　whereas　the　coast　south　of　San　Francisco　bears　due　north　and　south。　　He　therefore　concluded　that　the　ship　had　overrun　her　reckoning；　and　was　then　to　the　north　of　San　Francisco。　　He　also　explained　that；　the　passage　up　being　longer　than　usual；　viz。；　eighteen　days；　the　coal　was　short；　that　at　the　time　the　firemen　were　using　some　cut…up　spars　along　with　the　slack　of　coal；　and　that　this　fuel　had　made　more　than　usual　steam；　so　that　the　ship　must　have　glided　along　faster　than　reckoned。　　This　proved　to　be　the　actual　case；　for；　in　fact；　the　steamship　Lewis　was　wrecked　April　9；　1853；　on　〃Duckworth　Reef；〃　Baulinas　Bay；　about　eighteen　miles　above　the　entrance　to　San　Francisco。

The　captain　had　sent　ashore。　　the　purser　in　the　first　boat；　with　orders　to　work　his　way　to　the　city　as　soon　as　possible；　to　report　the　loss　of　his　vessel；　and　to　bring　back　help。　　I　remained　on　the　wreck　till　among　the　last　of　the　passengers；　managing　to　get　a　can　of　crackers　and　some　sardines　out　of　the　submerged　pantry；　a　thing　the　rest　of　the　passengers　did　not　have；　and　then　I　went　quietly　ashore　in　one　of　the　boats。　　The　passengers　were　all　on　the　beach；　under　a　steep　bluff；　had　built　fires　to　dry　their　clothes；　but　had　seen　no　human　being；　and　had　no　idea　where　they　were。　　Taking　along　with　me　a　fellow…passenger；　a　young　chap　about　eighteen　years　old；　I　scrambled　up　the　bluff；　and　walked　back　toward　the　hills；　in　hopes　to　get　a　good　view　of　some　known　object。　　It　was　then　the　month　of　April；　and　the　hills　were　covered　with　the　beautiful　grasses　and　flowers　of　that　season　of　the　year。　　We　soon　found　horse　paths　and　tracks；　and　following　them　we　came　upon　a　drove　of　horses　grazing　at　large；　some　of　which　had　saddle…marks。　　At　about　two　miles　from　the　beach　we　found　a　corral；　and　thence；　following　one　of　the　strongest…marked　paths；　in　about　a　mile　more　we　descended　into　a　valley；　and；　on　turning　a　sharp　point；　reached　a　board　shanty；　with　a　horse　picketed　near　by。　　Four　men　were　inside　eating　a　meal。　　I　inquired　if　any　of　the　Lewis's　people　had　been　there；　they　did　not　seem　to　understand　what　I　meant　when　I　explained　to　them　that　about　three　miles　from　them；　and　beyond　the　old　corral；　the　steamer　Lewis　was　wrecked；　and　her　passengers　were　on　the　beach。　　I　inquired　where　we　were；　and　they　answered；　〃At　Baulinas　Creek；〃　that　they　were　employed　at　a　saw…mill　just　above；　and　were　engaged　in　shipping　lumber　to　San　Francisco；　that　a　schooner　loaded　with　lumber　was　then　about　two　miles　down　the　creek；　waiting　for　the　tide　to　get　out；　and　doubtless　if　we　would　walk　down　they　would　take　us　on　board。

I　wrote　a　few　words　back　to　the　captain；　telling　him　where　he　was；　and　that　I　would　hurry　to　the　city　to　send　him　help。　　My　companion　and　I　their　went　on　down　the　creek；　and　soon　descried　the　schooner　anchored　out　in　the　stream。　　On　being　bailed；　a　small　boat　came　in　and　took　us　on　board。　　The　〃captain〃　willingly　agreed　for　a　small　sum　to　carry　us　down　to　San　Francisco；　and；　as　his　whole　crew　consisted　of　a　small　boy　about　twelve　years　old；　we　helped　him　to　get　up　his　anchor　and　pole　the　schooner　down　the　creek　and　out　over　the　bar　on　a　high　tide。　　This　must　have　been　about　2　P。M。　Once　over　the　bar；　the　sails　were　hoisted；　and　we　glided　along　rapidly　with　a　strong；　fair；　northwest　wind。　　The　fog　had　lifted；　so　we　could　see　the　shores　plainly；　and　the　entrance　to　the　bay。　　In　a　couple　of　hours　we　were　entering　tine　bay；　and　running　〃wing…and…wing。〃　Outside　the　wind　was　simply　the　usual　strong　breeze；　but；　as　it　passes　through　the　hea