River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-01-06
other. A beautiful young creole Girl,

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pleading voice said, May stay with
| youl" So we stood together
H. another instant and the
/ water rushed over the deck, reaching
/ the spot where we stood.
We heard Mr.. Waits voice
crying to us, Crush TO the other
side we started together, aud the
next second we had gone down with the
vessel.
AS the waters washed over us, some
tremendous force parted Lallie from
me; desperately / chung to her dress,
but this, too, slipped from my fingers,
and was alone with my God. knew
that / was downing; all the sutferings
Of strangulation were on me, and |
had not tbs faintest hope Of life, yet
my consciousness never deserted me,
ana wnv2 | found my h0ad rising
above water [ was almost Mortified
with surprise my hand struck hard
substance, and | clutched an iron chain
suspended from boat; it was upset,
but sailors were elinging to the up.
raised enthusiastically j felt there
could be no help from them, so | spoke
not a word in a few moments the
boat was broken TO pieces the men
chung TO the fragments, and friendly
plank struck me on the cheek. l recol-
lected that in this position q person
could be sustained some time, so /
rested lightly upon it; one by one all
these men disappeared from around
me barrels and floating timbers then
one woman floated near me and dtsap-
peared; again was alone with my
plank upon the mighty ocean. l was
not struggling for life, only passively
resting on my frail support. | was
conscious that | was drifting off from
the ship, and had not the faintest
thought of succoI, for had not seen a
life-boat, nor knew that one person
from the steamer had been rescued.
Suddenly | felt triangular piece of
timber float under my feet, and found
that | could rest upon it. Again |
hoated with the plank under my chest,
and the timber at my feet I began to
feel benumbed and coda death-hke
faintness seemed to come upon me.
and as / raised my eyes for the last
time, as thought, TO heaven, large
white beat was coming near me. /
had barely time to cry &" Help q
woman y and in another instant strong
arms were about me. Who are
you 2" ] cried. A voice replied, &C. An
English sailor, who has come to save
you. They drew me in, helpless and
cold, and laid me in the boat rowed
off again, and in q few moments
picked up Miss Edgar, of New York.
We had been three-quarters of an hour
IN the water, and were the last ones
saved. The boat belonged to the shlp
Loeb Earn, which had run into the
steamer, and, when picked up, we
were a mile away. We were taken to
the ship, drawn up withropes on deck,
and then, one by one, recognized the
passengers rescued as we had been.
The boats cruised around for hours af-
terward, but we were the last found.
Nobly did the English Captain res
cue us all from death, took us on his
ship, gave all warm hannels to put on.
and, wrapped in blankets, had the elev.
en- ladies laid in his cabin. His own
bow was so much injured that when
this ship, the Trimountain, of New
York, came up few hours afterward.
the gentleman desired that we should
come. on board. Captain Surmont
gave the necessary orders, and the
twenty-six passengers and tifty-nine
officers and crew of the Vile du Havre
we're transferred here. We have been
on board five day., and hope to reach
Cardiff next Monday. Captain Urqu.
hart, OF this vessel, is q noble-hearted
man from Essex, Conn, and is as kind
and generous as possible to us. We
are destitute-have neither clothes nor
money-but all the gentlemen passen-
gers act rs If they were our natii.
raj protectors, and our common suffer
ings make the ladies feel as sisters
rescued from the very jaws of death,
We have yet much to thank God for. !
dare not say a word about my own sor.
row or / could not find strength tc
write. All the passengers are going &c
Paris, and as soon as possible will
return home in one of the Cunard line
Mr.. Cramer, from Troy, and two young
ladies from Newport, Misses Hunter
who have lost father, mother. and sis
ter, also wish 10 return so think ",
had all best return together. Judge
Peckham's last words were, Wife, i
we are TO so down, let us go brayely.
III you receive this yoI
will know that we have reached the
shore. God bless you all
Your atlectionate sister,
Mary A RtrrErFy