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White Wings Vol I. Fifty Years Of Sail In The New Zealand Trade, 1850 TO 1900

Leak Breaks Out Again

Leak Breaks Out Again.

When the ship had passed the Cape, and it was too late to beat back to Capetown, the leak got as bad as ever it had been off the South American coast, and everyone had a most anxious time.

There was nothing for it but to hold on, and eventually the ship made port, still leaking badly. A sail had been rigged under the hull, and other precautions were taken, when the leak broke out after passing Cape of Good Hope, because no one knew what was going to happen. The boats, fully provisioned, were swung out, to be in readiness whatever happened. Owing to the amount of work the pumps had to do the pump leather supply gave out when the ship was in the southern seas. One day an American ship was sighted, and the Crusader signalled her asking for some leather, but not the slightest notice was taken of the flags, and there was nothing for it but to make shift with whatever could be found. A bucket brigade was formed from the young men among the immigrants to supplement the pumps. It was a most anxious time for everyone on board. The incident shows how easily something quite unforeseen may happen at sea, and also possibly gives us the key to some of the mysteries of the sea—mysteries surrounding the fate of gallant ships that have sailed away and never been heard of again.