, 1866-02-23

hatchet had become so badly blunted that it
no longer cut, aud their progress was very
slow. But they were hopeful as they saw
how mnch bad been accomplished, and with
:, Alas their zeal came well nigh running
them. They struck through the plank in one
place, and 80 great was the pressure Of the
vessel on the nlr In the hold TINT It ESCAPED
through the aperture with something like
tho nofso Of the steam whistle.
The schooner began to settle agnin, when
the Captain tore OH a portion Of bis shirt and
With his hatchet drove 1t into the hole, and
stopped the rapid escape Of the air. He
then charged the Others to work nway in
other places until the light could be seen
through tho thfn wood left all around the
plauks they wcro intending to remove. This
was soon af1er accomplished and they then
Two important matters were then to be con,
sidered. First, how to break out the planks
Second, how to secure themselves from being
swept of from the bottom when they should
emerge and subject themselves to the waves,
still at times breaking over them. They had
one coil Of small rope, the only one which did
not 20 out when tho hatch came of, and as
Providence directed, the only one that could
haTo answered the purpose for which 1t was
used.
This they secured, and cutting of piece
Of sufficient length, they lashed together sev-
cral jofsts, and madc Of them a small batter
Ing ram. Then they fastened lines to 6ome-
ends Of tho same to their own bodies. 50 as to
hold by them when the seas should 70 over
the bottom. They also prepared to take out
with them one end Of the remaining coil, to
use for any purpose found ncedfnl.
Al things being thus made ready, they all
gathered under the proposed opening, md
taking hold Of the jolsts, they drove them
against tho planks with all tie power they
possessed.
The pressure Of the atmosphere aided them
and tile blow Has successful. The p2anks
went out, and The Captain, who stood directly
under them, was carried through the opening,
and landed On the fiat bottom Of the schooner,
without an effort on his part This was dono
By a rush Of the compressed air, which shot
him out like m nrroW.
Instantly he helped the others to escape,
for, rs rms anticipated; as soon as the air
could rush out, the water rose rapidly In the
held.
When they finished cutting, there vas
scarcely more than three feet Of air rcmninipg
and IN i've minutes after they were On the out.
eide, tbs schooner had settled eighteen Inch
cs. This was Thursday, the 25th, and for
about sExty-four hours they had not tasted
iood, or quenehcd their thirst. During the
greater part Of this time they had been stand
ing IN salt water, from two to four feet deep
great quantities Of salt In the hold Of the YES
sci, and hundreds OF times they were COM
pletcly submerged in that brine. How they
could have lived so long In such condition,
in m atmosphere so dense-with no food or
Water-much more, how they could have
achieved such wonders, In cutting their way
out, with single and small blunted hstchct.
Is wonderful beyond q parallel.
They were greatly exhausted; but the
fresh air revived them, and they eagerly
swept the horizon TO see If any vessel was In
sight to give them hope Of speedy succor j;
but they saw nothing save the wide expanse
Of rolling waters. They were disappointed,
lain, feeling that everything depended on
some Immediate preparation Tor the approach.
Ing night, encouraged the men to aid
Lin III erecting support on the outside of
the wreck. and getting some scantlins
from the hold, as 1t floated under the aper.
tuEc through which they came out, they be-
gan the work.
The reader will rocollect that the Enigma
was described as i schooner built to run in
shallow wnters, but with q centre board
dropping below her keel, which made her
tolerable sea.golng crnfl. When she was cap
sized this centre board, made Of four-inch
plank. fell back into It's place, In the hold Of
the schooner, so tlat there were left places at
each end Of the board, about four inches
sqnarc, into which joist OF scantlines could
be thrust down so as 10 stand firmly. This
pecullarty in the construction of the Enigma
enabled the Captain to erect two standards,
and with bis rope, taken out for the emer.
other, md then fastened their ropes oyer
head, inst cad Of, as at first, in the vessel.
The reader may Imagine that this was
quickly and easily done; bat never was there
greater error. It was their most difficult
work, rs frequently the sea swept over The
d rfnjt
for the ropes, upon which they held Us they
saw the heavy seas coming, They were 50
much exhausted when thus much was done
they were obliged to suspend further labor,
and holding BY the rope attached TO the
1ney aSRs xa aiS she
and thus spent the night They could not
lie down without being submerged In the
wares that were frequently dashins over tho
bottom, and as It was, sometimes browsing as
they stood there, their feet would bc taken
from under them, and nhcy were only saved
by the ropc.
Tie next morning found those four men in
. most terrible condition. Hunger Was max
ing its ftrcest demands, and their thirst made
them almost frantic: Ono thing, not men
TONED thus far in this story, must here receive
attention, and that Is the fact that The cap
tnln had with lin in this voyage tavorite
dog. lie had passed through with the strug-
glc In the cabin and in the hold of the scloon-
er, and escaping With many hard bruises and
almost drowned, he wRs there on the outside
with lis mnster-
The men demanded his blood for drink, and
Ills flesh for food. The captain wss willing
tl,at his dog should die for rti1eir good, hut le
feared to have the men drink his blood lest
bad results should be realized !; but his words,
to which, up to that time, they had listened
as to an orucle of wisdom, conld not dlssuade
them from their purpose, and they killed the
which was ilshed up from the schooner snj
fhcv drank Il ~ IF Il lad hero Mil. An;1a.-
son. who drank more tban The nthcrs was
soon taken iusuuc and thew were ol,i,,r1 -
lush lin 10 one Of the uprisbts, TIE diners
were badly Affected by tfe blood, and ' when
understand what The blood fai dam ~ Nav ~
and 10 realize The conilftinn In vhich tSe 1I dna
VA. when Killed they arrree,I ti,nt h5s ha55
sho1,ld mi he eaten. and ther threx Il s,vcy.
board. ~ ~ >'@'@ '' 'A''~' ~ WE
: It was nj, act of self denfl waorthy Of record
6syi9E listed no 70 foed 1 for thiss days, during
Of f,,1Drecodented trial. .harlship md sutisr;ng
ctn,id cssf nwav the ticsF whfch 1hov Innma3}
to tear from liz homes Of that Inr 'Tu III q
.u,eht fn;unc them. ' s's A~''''
Thai day thew managed to lash somc short
nfeces NJ sranfj}nn At Tieht anr3cs VIZ sAyn ~
urriulfR. Yt1nlDp lines from t{ln Inn 1f fha
uprigbfs' down af,d out 10 The ends III tbosc
ntieces. tins suppnrtfng them firmly and nn
tbcee pfeces thef placed i've LONE sc.nt5inr
lashinc them also, and thus formed I. nlaf.
form fwo fect ahoyetbe bottom Of tha sehnn,,.
er. On which they could lie or III In he
most Of the time clear Of the sea. Hcra theT
-osicd onJ iosE1nw tI,ensc1rca IN .S,,s thsyy .hy
rot somn s1cen. Ali ala nof s1een ~
lie snme time: fnr fhey kent n cnnatant
watch Tor vessels. lopiug cacf, 1,onr to he
rescued from their terrible Condition. But
their suilerines had only begun. and thew
were doomed TO wait In ever increasing arony
of hunger, thirst and disappointment for
many. days. Sunday night It rafped. The
men managed to get some pieces Of board,
ports of small salt boxes. and Washing them