Tuesday 6 August 2013

Monday 15th August 1898 HMS Mohawk Lost anchor gives slip again with breaking link

Divers went away and got anchor ready
for coming up 1pm weighed anchor and proceeded
to the spot were lost anchor was, got over the anchor
and proceeded to take in Wire Hawser from steam
Cutter just as we picked up the hawsers there was
a puff of wind came which blew our stern round
very near to the reef on which we grounded the

Captain had to move the ship astern which caused a strain
to come on the hawsers which up set the the stern cutter
throwoing all the men that was in her in t he water
Barton Able Seaman very nearly lost the number of his mess
by being struck on the head with something half dozen men
jumped over from the forecastle when he was up the
point of sinking he was quite insensible when when brought on
board, steam cutter was all right as her air boxes kept her afloat
they only had to bale her out, as her engines and boiler had been
taken out, so as to make her more useful, we then carried
on getting up the anchor, we had shackled the ground & flat?
chains together and the end of them was shackled to the
ring of the anchor by the divers, we then manned the cat fathll?
and proceeded to hoist the 4 1/2 inch steel  hawser which we had
lost was foul of the fluke of the anchor and that besides
it was foul of the coral below, which made it very heavy
work, we continued to haul on the Cat Hall till we had got
the anchor with the crown just above water, was just on the
point of shackling on the last pendant to the balance when
a link in the chain that was shackled on the tothe anchor parted
and down went the anchor & all hopes tothe bottom again
this time in 23 1/2 fathoms of water taking wit it a 3 1/2 inch

steel hawser, we the dropped a mrk buoy overboard, and went
back to our anchorage, everyone thoroughly disheartened,
as it meant all that work thrown away for nothing and was
I had a great deal of pulley Hauley that day,
I turned in my hammock thoroughly tired out, but luckier than
a good many as I had a stiff glass of grog for a night cap

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