Page 20. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2009
Maritime History:
Wreck of the Schooner
ENIGMA
From the Bangor Daily Commercial an hour’s sleep.”
13 July 1901 Anderson – for he was the one taking his
lunch – was just rising to go on deck when a
WRECK OF THE SCHOONER ENIGMA sea mightier than they had felt before struck
Thrilling Account of the Loss at Sea the schooner, tripped her, and almost in-
October, 1865, of this Maine Built Vessel stantly she was bottom upward. The captain,
By Rev. L. J. Fletcher Cyrus Morse, and Henry Small were thrown
In the following narrative, incredible from their berths almost naked, they having
as some parts of it may seem, there is no word taken off their clothes on retiring to dry them,
of fiction. There is in this story a verification as they had been wet through for several
of the old adage that “truth is stranger than hours. They rushed for the companion-way
fiction” and it is here written as related by and tried to open it, but the pressure of the
the captain of the ENIGMA, a man of un- water was so great it could not be moved, and
doubted veracity and the principal actor in they were shut in beyond the possibility of
the scenes herein described. escape by that, the only passage from the
The story was published in book form cabin. The water was slowly coming in upon
some years ago and is of particular interest to them, and in a few minutes was two feet deep.
Bangor people because of the relationship of They were in utter darkness and hopeless of
the builder and master to prominent citizens ever seeing the light of day. They talked of
of this city. young Marr, the one who was on deck at the
The ENIGMA was a schooner of about time of the disaster, and felt that he was the
100 tons burden, built by F. O. Moses, Esq., only one who had any chance of escape. He
of Bath, and owned jointly by him and J. T. might go off with the deck load of lumber, and yet in a moment afterward Henry Small was As the light came into the hatchway the
Morse, master, of Phippsburg. She was built possibly cling to it, or parts of it, till he should dashed that way and putting out his hand to water came in also, and they believed the
to run in shallow water, her model being quite be picked up. For some time they scarcely save himself, it came directly where the schooner was sinking; but presently their
flat on the bottom, while she was prepared for thought of praying for themselves, so intent hatchet was falling, and was cut in a most fear was removed, for the air in the hold, which
deep water by a centre-board, which could be were they in their petitions to God that Marr fearful manner. He was disabled, and from could not escape except in one place – and
let down several feet below her keel or drawn should be saved to tell the story of their sad that moment could render no assistance to there very slowly – sustained the weight of
up at pleasure. She sailed from Bath, bound fate to dear friends at home. his companions in peril. vessel and cargo, and they soon found that
for Charleston and Mobile, on the second of Oh, what thoughts loaded the soul in The others helped the captain, and in they had more than four feet of air between
October last, loaded principally with lumber those fearful moments! The whole past less than an hour, as they believe, they cut the bottom of the schooner, then over their
and potatoes. J. T. Morse, master and part flashed upon them in an instant, and they saw through the finish, through the two-inch heads, and the water in which they stood.
owner, Cyrus Morse, Gillmore Marr, Joseph their lives clearly mupped, apparently with- plank, and were in the hold. Had the calamity There was a promise of life for some hours,
Anderson and Henry W. Small, cook and out the loss of a single event. overtaken them before they reached Charles- perhaps for some days more. They could hear
sailors, were the names of those on board. Home, never before so truly appreci- ton and while the hold was full of cargo, they the waves as they struck the wreck over their
She encountered some rough weather before ated; friends, whose smiles and words of love would have found no means of escape from heads, and they knew by the sound that the
reaching Charleston, South Carolina, but were never half so precious as when in that the cabin, and could not have lived another bottom was above the water. They were con-
behaved well, and arrived there in 11 days in extremity – memory reproduced them; work half hour. When they got through into the fident also that the winds had subsided, and
good condition. After discharging a portion well done and work unfinished; hopes rip- hold the water was about four feet deep in the the thought came to them of the possibility of
of her cargo, consisting mostly of potatoes ened into fruition, and others long cherished cabin, and they had but two feet of air left in cutting out through the bottom, when, in case
taken from the hold in the after part of the now lost in despair, and still others, cherished which to breathe. Benumbed with cold, half of success, some passing vessel might dis-
schooner, she sailed from Charleston on the more fondly than in their brightest days, drowned, and badly bruised, they crawled up cover and taken them off. They had taken the
18
th
of October for Mobile. Everything went pointing as they did to immortality. These, to that part of the hold where the lumber was hatchet with them into the hold. They had
finely until the 22d, when the wind, which had with their full power of association and sug- nearest to the bottom of the vessel, and struck upon nails and bolts in cutting
been increasing for some hours, began to gestion, with their effects of joy or sorrow, strange as it may seem, they fell asleep. through the bulkhead, still it could be used to
blow severely and soon became terrific. All satisfaction or regret, were strangely real to Up to that time they had not seen each some advantage, and they resolved to make
on board trembled for the little craft, but as them as in the hands of the angry waves they other since the vessel went over. They went the attempt. This was on Tuesday the 24
th
,
she stood up finely they rode out hours of the waited for the next sea to crush the schooner to sleep in the darkness, as they think, about some time in the forenoon, and they set to
sweeping gale, confidence in her safety in- and change their cabin to a tomb. two or three o’clock, three or four hours after work at once. The inside planks were of hard
creased, and the men became cheerful and The water was rapidly rising, and soon the schooner was captized, and they slept till wood three inches in thickness, and the out-
well assured. But the wind increased to a gale filled half the space of the small room. The sea, after daylight, for soon after waking the wreck side planking four inches. They had now to
and the gale grew to a hurricane. All day the still leashed by the tempest, tossed the wreck was struck again in such a way as to throw her strike up overhead, and there was much the
situation was one of great peril and growing about with great violence, and as the men upon her side, and for an instant they thought same difficulty in standing as when working
worse every hour. clung to the sides of the cabin – the only way she would come over and right herself again. in the cabin, but with their blunted and broken
Still the schooner was stanch, mad only they could keep their feet – the water would In this they were doomed to disappoint- hatchet they began the unpromising and
25 strokes of water in an hour, and all on board completely cover them, and they were some- ment, though had she come over they would almost desperate task. The captain, Cyrus
believed she would weather the storm. times obliged to let go their hold and rise to doubtless have been crushed to death by the Morse, and Anderson had the work to do, as
At this time they were off the Abaco the surface to avoid drowning. Then they lumber, as it would have fallen back into its the wound received by Small was found to be
Islands, and kept very nearly to their course were in danger from the waters that might place. As it was, the incident gave them a even worse than at first supposed. Each
with the little sail they were able to make. Thus instantly dash them to the other side, and momentary gleam of hope, the only one worked in his turn until exhausted, then one
things continued until evening, when, being in utter darkness, they could not ward which had cheered them for an instant during of the others relieved him, and so the inside
though the sea rolled fearfully, there were off the blow or lessen its force. those hours of terrible imprisonment, and planks were slowly hacked or rather worn
indications that the gale had spent its great- Why did they not lie down in the water they would gladly have risked the conse- away. To reach and cut away the others was
est force, and leaving but two on deck, the and die at once? Why did they so contend quences could the sea have lifted the vessel a more difficult and tedious work, and the men
others retired to the small cabin, prepared to against what seems to them an inevitable a little further and brought her right side up gave over, saying it was of no use, they
sleep, in hope of a bright tomorrow. fate? They expected to perish in an hour at the again. But though this was not done some- should never accomplish such a task, and
At 11 o’clock one of the men whose farthest, yet they clung to every moment as thing desirable was accomplished by what had rather die as they were than labor on thus
watch was on deck came into the cabin for a if an eternity of being depended thereon. mountain wave, and thus a new hope was hopelessly and then perish, as they were sure
drink of water and reported everything out- Love of life, how strong, how universal are inspired. to do. But the captain repeated the old adage,
side as favorable as could be excepted, and they mysteries! Thrown upon her side, the deck load of “While there is life there is hope,” and kept at
taking a piece of bread in his hand he sat down In this situation the captain conceived lumber slid out from under her, the masts went his task. His example gave courage and inspi-
on the stairs leading to the companion-way, the plan of cutting through the bulkhead into away, one of the hatches came off, and the ration to the others, and they joined him to cut
and while eating talked of their situation as if the hold of the wreck, where they would have light of the sun shining down through the out a place about two and one-half feet
the danger was already past. more room, more air, and escape the increas- water outside was reflected dimly through square.
The captain improved that moment to ing waters for a while longer. This idea was the opening thus made, so that for the first All the afternoon and all the night they
remind the others of the gratitude which is suggested by coming in contact with a small time they saw each other. The captain, bare- worked, and on Wednesday could see the
due to Him. hatchet that was in the cabin, and feeling his footed, with nothing on but his shirt and light through some parts of the plank where
“Who plants his footstep on the sea. way to the spot which in his opinion promised pants, and bleeding from cuts and bruises he they were bruising away the wood. Their
And rides upon the storm.” the most speed success, he commenced cut- had received within the cabin, was a sight hatchet had become so badly blunted that it
“Many a poor fellow,” said he, “has been ting through. most pitiable to behold. Small, with his terrible no longer cut, and their progress was very
dashed upon the rocks or gone down be- He could not see where to strike. He wound, was in a shocking condition, and slow. But they were hopeful as they saw, how
neath the waves we have defied. could not stand firmly in the place where he they looked at each other with feeling no much had been accomplished, and with re-
“Many a proud ship has failed to with- made the attempt, yet he worked with all his words could express. IT was the most trying doubled force the hatchet was plied again.
stand this war of wind and water which our remaining energies. The other men were anx- moment they had experienced, for they not Alas! Their zeal came well-nigh ruining
little craft has passed through so proudly. ious to help him, and coming near, he cau- only felt the fearfulness of their condition, them. They struck through the plank in one
Keep a sharp lookout, Anderson, and the tioned them to hold on where they were lest but they saw it in all its hopelessness and place, and so great was the pressure of the
other boys will be ready for their watch after they should be thrown against his hatchet; horror. vessel on the air in the hold that it escaped
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32