,9ieLOOKOUT Photo by Lcroj' Gates When Winter Comes to 25 South Street ... A View of the Institute from Jeanette Park THE SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK VOL. xxx No.2 FEBRUARY, 1939 EDIT R'S ::':01'£: In re, ponse to many retluests from L )01,0 ''I' readers we arc having another SEAMEN'S ::':Ui\lI3[1{ of TH ~ L 0"-­ OUT. The article', poems, tories and illustration in this issue have been contributed by merchant 'cam 'no The Lookout Vol. xxx February, 1939 No. 2 \'OL, XXX, FEBRUARY, 1939 II~" CL ~ PUBLISHED MONTHLY ]1uL Smm:1uL by the By Gerry Mefferd SEAMEN'S CHURCH EDITOR'S NOTE; On Thursday evening, INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK January 12th, Gerry Mefferd the "land­ lubber" from Iowa (who learned to 25 SOUTH ST., NEW YORK, N, Y. navigate by shooting the sun with an Telephone BOwling Green 9·2710 Iowa cornfield providing the horizon) CLARENCE G, MICHALIS who sailed for three years on a world­ President girdling voyage in a 45-foot ketch "Hur­ THOMAS ROBERTS ricane", showed his pictures and told of Secretary and Treasurer his experiences before a large and en­ REV. HAROLD H. KELLEY thusiastic audience of merchant seamen Superintendent in the auditorium of the Seamen's Church MARJORIE DENT CANDEE, Editor Institute of New York. We asked 27­ Entered a.s second ela.ss matter July year old Mefferd to write a short piece 8, 1925, at New Y or~. N. Y" under for THE LOOKOUT on one of the the act of March 3, 1879. highlights of the "Hurricane's" cruise. SubsC1'iptitm He might have selected the pig-hunting One Dollar Annually expedition in Galapagos, or diving among sharks and coral for pearls in Tuamotus, Single Copies, Ten Cents or the fire-walkers of Mbenga in Fiji, Gift. to tbe Institute of $5.00 aDd over or racing another world-girdling yacht include a year'. subscription to "The Lookout." "Director" in a South Pacific gale. But Address all communicatioKS to he chose the experience of being wrecked SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE on a coral reef near ew Guinea. OF NEW YORK 25 South Street ROBABLY the mo t thrilling P experience of the yoyage Ray Kauffman and I took around the world in his forty-five foot ketch "Hurricane" was when we were Photo b)' Captaill Ray Kauffman Gerry Mefferd "Shoots the Sun". shipwrecked forty miles southeast of New Guinea. again t the counter and climbed It happened in tbe black of night higher into the rigging as they swept when an uncharted current set us over the ship. \Ve felt her bang on seventeen miles off our course. Her the coral and we knew that as soon keel struck a shuddering blow on as we could get away we would a sunken reef. I awakened out of have to leave her. a sleep on deck to find us sur­ She was already leaking when we rounded by white breakers. The got below and the musty smell of ship was being tossed like a toy by the coral reef was filling the cabin. the big seas. Vvriting of that awak­ \Vading waist deep among floating ening, I am surprised that we were pans. pillows, books and match not panicky. On the contrary, we boxes we dug out Ii fe preservers, were fJuite logical. \ Ve groped our food and water. Consulting a chart way to the bigh side and clung to we learned that we had a twelve the rigging, waiting to see what the mile stretch of open ocean to cross. seas were going to do to us. \Ve didn't know whether three of \Ve saw waves rise black and us could make it in a ten foot PllOfO bv Scamau Or1..'illc H(lJldlo,~ sinister astern, heard them thunder dinghy or not. "Medico" to the Rescue-( See page 8) the little boat afloat. Somehow we peg Canada. In the Nayy I was get back in the American forces made land. 'ent through the Gunnery School; was to return to my ship and de­ When we stepped ashore at Wari came out of the Gunnery School a clare myself as an American, which Island we were met by a wild look­ seaman gunner and joined pecial I did. I was asked if I would put ing ban~ of tattooed savages who, service or what they called the Sui- same in writing; I did. I wa im­ by refusl11g to take us to the white cide Club. I was then given four mediately taken off the ship and se~tlement of Samarai some forty days leave. I returned to my ship taken ashore and put in the Brig J11lles away, kept us captives for and was sent to the Belgian Coast, at Chatham, England. I\-Iy uniform four days, hoping that the Hurri­ and the North Sea after a year of \"as taken from me and I was put cane would break 'up so they could thi kind of work. I was given 4 in prison clotl1es. This offense was salvage her. In desperation one days leave again. I went to London so severe that I wa to go before night, we stole a native dug-out to spcnd ame and during thi leave an dmiral for trial. I was tried canoe and Ray and two friendly who should I meet but my shipmate before dmiral Sturdy who fought native boys sailed for help. Berr;. who had shipped in the Bark the battle a f the Faulkland I lands Luckily the sturdy little ship held to Australia in 1914. He "vas in against Von Spree. I was taken together until he got back with kilts. and had just returned from before him with a guard on each another boat and thirty natives. the front for a short leave. Need- side of me. He read my statement Ie s to ay we had a great time that I was an American and wanted The 45 foot ketch "Hurricane" Working day and night, we dug a canal across the reef. At low tide together for the next two days. to get back in the American forces On returning from my leave and that I had joined the British Jlist before dawn we la'unched we hove the boat down on its good ~he volunteers were asked for, for Xavy under false nationality. He d!nghy and placing our gear in side and made temporary patches lt balled out over the bow-sprit. something which no one knew any- laid the statement dO'wn and looked ~addling with canvas and bunk boards. vVe thing about. except that the chances at me, and said "Jackson are you through the surf we got took out the ballast and pumped her m the lee of the reef and rowino­ oj coming hack were pretty n ar aware that you leave yourself open dry. Then on a spring tide we along in the smooth water we could nil. Something was in the wind. I to be shot ?" My answ l' was "No see sharks and giant clams which kedged her over the reef and into went to the Captain to \"olunteer, ir.' He said' \\ ell you do. I am would have made upsetting fatal. the lagoon. At a shipyard in Sa­ he asked me these questions. after going to give ) au a \\ eek to think When we stood out into the open marai we put thirteen new planks looking over 111y record. "Jackson", this over." I was taken back to the cy sea we were lost in the long ocean in her port side. say' he. "are y u married; are you Bri ; the next morning an officer swells. On their peaks we could see Small boats that go on outside \\"illing to do anything that I may came to the Brig and asked me if an island in the distance. We rowed reefs and come off again are few ask?" I told the captain that I wa I had thought it over. and I asked feverishly for three and one half and far between. A lucky lull in the not married. and that I was willing him just what the Admiral meant, hours. And as a breeze was pickino­ southeast trades is all that saved to do anything for the country for by me thinking it over, and I was up, we bailed frantically to keep the Hurricane. which I wa fighting. and also that told that jf I was still a Canadian I was only sorry that I only had I wouIeI be sent back to my ship. one life to give. as I was one sailor PI a e don't laugh hut when the tBlo~ that knew what he was fighting for officer came back next morning I ]iuL 4 )mW1tUrJ.rI1l- (Hi('fht) and not ( light). The \Va a Canadian, J was that day By Charles Jackson Captain eemed to give me a smile sent back to my ship as if nothing and aid after looking at my rec- had ever happened. EDITOR'S :'\OTE:. Gn Sunday afternoon, WHILE stopping here at the January 1st, Station W~~C~ broadcast Institute in 1914 with my pal arc!. I accept you. This brings us up to the early a program from the audltonum of the BI k' f h' I )Jaw while all thi. j taking place part of March 1918. at which time Sea.men's Church Institute of ~ew York erry 00 mg or a s Jp, was America had declared \Var. and II wa sent for at Chatham.