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Sociology

Poverty - by James Platt

An American frigate was running for New York, pursued by three British men-of-war closing around her, and escape seemed impossible without running through the passage known even now as "Hell Gate." The rocks here are dreadful and dangerous. Only a year or two since the American government., at an enormous expense, blew up great reefs of these rocks, and many years before blew up a number of others; but at this time none had been removed. The British ships forced upon her, and one ball cut the American captain off the taffrail into the sea. Some of the officers wanted a boat lowered to pick him up.

No," said the pilot, he has died a warrior's death. To lower a boat in this sea would be to lose more lives. We must run through Hell Gate, as the only way of escape." The sea was dashing furiously on the rocks, one sheet of nothing but white foam before them. He turned her course into Hell Gate, and steered her safely through the boiling sea. The danger was awful in the extreme. When he resolved to run through it was blowing it furious gale. He stood over the compass and "conned" the ship; that is, gave directions how to steer to the man at the