Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-03

about, the coal runs out, and the fires
that have been kept going with wood
and oil, and everything that can be
everything that can be thrust into the
furnaces, are drowned: when the pad
die wheels are only in the way, every bit
Of sail set Is blown clean out of the bolt
ropes, and at last the ship begins to
drift fast from a lee shore2
That was our case, and every hour
the sea seemed to get higher and the
wind more fierce, while I heard from
more than one man how fast the water
was gaining below.
NY mate and didn't want any tell
ing, though. We'd been driven up out
of the stock-hole like pair of drowned
rats, and came on deck to find the bull
warks ripped away, and sea every now
and then leaping abroad, and washing
the lumber about in all directions.
The skipper was behaving very well,
and he kept us all at the pumps, turn
and turn in spells, but we might as we'll
have tried to pump the sea dry, and
when, with the water gaining fast, we
told him what we thought, he owned it
WIS uO use, dIlu VIC gave LII.
We'd all been at it, crew and passen-
gers, about forty of us altogether, in
| Guiding the women-five of them they
were, and they were all on deck, dashed
in a sheltered place, close to the poop.
And very pitilul it was to see them
! fighting hard at first and clinging to
the side, but only to grow weaker, half
drowned as they were; and I saw two
sink down at last, and hang dropping
like from their lashings, dead, for not q
soul could do them turn.
l was holding on by the shrouds when
the mate got to the shippers side, and
[ saw by his blank white face what he
was telling him. Of course we couldn't
hear his words in such storm, but we
didn't want to, for his lips said plain
enough:
''She's sinking!"
Next moment there was rush made
for the boats, and two of the passengers
cut loose couple of the women; place
was made for them before the first boat
was too full, she was lowered down, cast
off, and big wave carried her clear of
the steamer. [ saw her for moment
on the top of the ridge, and then she
plunged down the other side out of our
sight-and that of everybody else; for
how long she lived, who could say She
was never picked up Or heard of after
| wards.
Giving bit of cheer our chaps turned
| to the next, and were getting In when
there came a wave like mountain, rip
ped her from the davits, and when I
shook the water from my eyes there she
was hanging by one end, stove in, ar d
| the men who had tried to launch her
gone-skipper and mate as well.
There were only seven of us now,
and could see besides the three women
dashed to the side, and only one of
them was alive; and for bit no one
moved, everybody being stunned with
horror; but there came lull, and feel
ing that the steamer was sinking under
our feet I shouted out to the boys to
come on. and we ran to the last boat,
climbed in, and were casting off, when
l happened to catch sight of woman
dashed to the bulwarks there.
"Hold hard +" I roars, for saw one
of them wave her hand.
"Come on, you fool" shouts my
mate, she's going down -
L pray [ may never be put to it again
like that, with all man s selfish desire
for life fighting against him. For
moment shut my eyes, and then began
to lower; but was obliged to open them
again. and as I did so, saw wild,
scared face, with long wet hair clinging
to it, and pair of little white hands
stretched out to me as if for help.
&c Hold hard p shouts.
No, no. roared out two or three,
there isn't moment, and as TIE boat
was being lowered from the dagits I
made a jump, caught the bulwarks with
my hands, and climbed on board, Just
as the boat kissed the water, was un-
hooked and foated away.
Then as I crept hand over nand to the
girls side, whipped out my knife, and
was cutting her loose, while her weak
arms chung to me, felt horrible feel
ing Of despair come over me, for the
boat was leaving; and I knew what a
coward [ was at heart, as had to fight
with myself SO as not to leave the girl
to her fate, and leap overheard to swim
for my life. [ got the better of it,
though-went down on my knees. SO as
not to see the boat, and got the poor
trembling, clinging creature loose
Now, my lass" [ says, "quick -
and I raised her up" hold on by the
side while I make fast a rope around
you.
And then stood up to hail the boat
the boat as warn't there, for in those
brief moments she must have capsized,
and we were alone on the sinking
steamer, which now lay in the trough
of the sea.
AS soon as I got over the horror of
the feeling, sort of stony despair came
over me; but when saw that pale, ap-
pealing face at my side looking to me
for help, that brought the manhood
back, and in saying encouraging things
to her [ did myself good.
NY first idea was to make something
that would float Us; but I gave that up
directly, for I could feel that I was
helpless; and getting the poor girl more
into shelter, I took bit of tobacco in
sor6 Of stolid way, and sat down with
cork 1ife-h11Ov under NV arm ono