Yikes! He was one tough cookie Edie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Monks" <flyingarethusa@gmail.com> To: "Gordon Shank" <gdshank@comcast.net>; <MARINERS@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 9:27 PM Subject: Re: [MAR] Characteristics of a Master Mariner > Greetings, > > Perhaps a glimpse of one gentleman might help? Robert Karl Miethe rounded > Cape Horn forty-two times, and was alive at age of 97 in 1974. He > suffered injury during a storm whilst a master. A broken collarbone, one > kneecap dislocated, and was gashed severely on the head. He supervised > the setting and strapping of his shoulder, ordered the mate to knock back > the kneecap with a belaying pin, and sew up the scalp. "Pinch the sides > together and sew like a sailmaker". Twenty-four stitches later he > returned to the deck to take charge. > > Peter > > > > On 2011-08-11, at 2:03 PM, "Gordon Shank" <gdshank@comcast.net> wrote: > >> Appreciating the generalization of the question I nevertheless was >> interested in anyone's perspective as to the capabilities of a Master >> Mariner during the 19th century. >> >> >> >> As close as I can determine my gg grandfather was a Sea Captain/Master >> Mariner for 50+ years from the 1830's through the 1880's. >> >> >> >> His cargo often consisted of coal, pig iron, timber, sugar or molasses. >> On >> many voyages he transported immigrants from the UK to Australia, New >> Zealand, Canada or the United States. A few of his other more frequent >> destinations included India, the Philippines, Singapore, Malta, Antigua, >> Trinidad, Barbados, Brazil and Cuba. >> >> >> >> Other than a good working knowledge of the sea and sailing ships I >> suspect >> MM's needed to be excellent leaders of men and capable of managing the >> commercial aspects of these voyages. >> >> >> >> I would love to hear others' opinions on the topic. >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >