The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-24
THE STRATH MORE.
Letter from Mrs word-wortb, the Lady who
survived the " reck.


DEAREST F.: dnresay you never cx-
pectcd to see my handwriting again; but
| suppose must be the veritable bad half
penny, and of course have turned up once
more. We are now on board the ship
Childcrs, of Liverpool ON our way to Ran
COON.
Iwill begin my story from the poor shin
Straihmore We had rather tedious
voyage. was sick the whole way, ana If
IL the sickness stopped | had nausea.
could not cat lonthcd everything;
and when we got to tho line "low
fever" set in. In short. thought should
never re ich New Zealand, though Captain
MDonald showed great skill in medicine,
and was exceedingly kind and attentive.
ON one occasion. curiou,ly enough, he jok-
iugly threatened that il | did not got bet
ter soon he would land me on the Twelve
Apostles" lttle thinking then, poor man,
how soon his words were to como true.
Miss Henderson, the lady who occupied
the other berth III my cabin, and who. with
hcr brother, was going to NV Zenlaud 10
join their father. ALWAYS tended mo with
the greatest kindness and gentle care dur
ing my long illness. On the 3Olh OF june
iht WI hlShN bttOlt W. eliuths ittN
rather better, and got up to JOIN the other
passengers in agIme ut cards in the saloon
] had generally slept badly hitherto, the
fever always returning IN the night; but
on tits occasion, beng more fntigurd
than usual, ] slept souudly TIL bump!
bump, bump | was knocked violently
backward and forward IN my berth. |
tnou-ht. "surcly that Is "A curious mo-
tom but, determined not ~ be easily
alarmed, cudelvoTrI 10 compose myself
10 my horror there then followed
crunching aud grating sound when could
not be mistaken. | said To Miss llendrr-
son. ION! surely there Is someth .ng
wrong
Wcgot ont of bed and had just lit our
humps. when Cnurle ana Mr.. Henderson
cuinr 10 our cabin. MI Henderson never
spoke; but Charlie said IN very quiet
tones, " Mother. the shin has struck, and
j. quickls settling down. You have not
time To drts>--onlN - nom ut 10 put on
what you can They lett Us; We never
spoke. lhelprd the poor child to dress;
She WAS pale aud tremuiius, but quiet ana
collected. did not take lime to dress my
self lully, merely putting on my dressing
gown and the tweed tuuic you bou sht me.
My sealskin jacket was unfortunately
locked up, SO | hu ldicd on my warm
shawl, aud tied up NV head Warmly. This
took us about three minutes. at the end O.
which Time Charlie and Mr. Henderson
again appeared. | took your brothers
ann, ana we went mo the saloon. Miss
Henderson ana her brother following.
Charlie, bethnAing himself OF some II .eful
things he had forgotten, lett me IN the
saloon IN order TO ct them from ms own
cabin. Thinking he remained TOO long,
followed him aud begged him To come al
once, for had heard the captain IRON the
poop call aloud III an ngonized tone.
Now, then, come But while | had
b en- waiting Tor him, had run back to
the CABIN and got my Rosary, which | put
round my neck, aud seized u par OF
blankets. We made our way to the COM
paniOn-Datch, but II was partly fastened
up, so | was forced To drop my load OF
blankets and creep. through the small
aperture winch was left. Arm lu-arm, and
followed by Nj s. Henderson and her
brother we waikcd to where some sailors
were endeavorng To liuuch a boat. Guar
lie noticed to me that generally in ship
wrecks thu first boat launched IS lost; aud
though | heard SAILS" voice cry out,
I'm shoot amy man who gets in befot the
wOn"n, | SAID 10 Cnui Lee, Don't go la
thai boat; remember wherever We 20 II
there l. not room Tor YOU there Is not
Tor me- lie replied, No, mother, we
viii live or dire together"
We passed the Jo-clyn boys. Percy, the
elde.t-d line fellow heard say to his
younger brother, We will suck together
old boy, Whatever happens | saw poor
captain NJ Donald AZ the rigging, aud
would have spoken To HIM, bur knew he
was hrukru-hcartcd man, anu, Ike my
self. preparing Tor eternity. had not the
least hope OF brin. .ayed. Ju.t then |
heard Mrs. Walker, who unfortunately
had got separated from h,r husband aud
cnld, ask Charlie to look foI INN, but he
dId not near her; he was considering now
| could he got INTO the port lfrDoat
" Can you get on the bridge. mo herr" he
asked. | SAID d" Is though u was "A
place dared not nave attempted M day
hight on II calm day. 1 got mo 10. know
not how. Cnarle aud sailor named jack
wilson pulled me up INTO the boat
by the hands Tue moment / was
hited from the quarterback sea
swept over Il, some OF the water splash
me- on my race. That sea washed Mis-,
henderson from hcl brothers arms down
10 the mann deck, aud 80 the poor enid
was lost. Her brother told me nfierward.
that All she -alu 10 hun was ION. Tom!
we aha not THINK II would end tins way"
IN the mean time. the sailors were DOING
everything 10 have the boat tcads. on The
very si'sht nope OF her floating clear OF
The slilp, whlcu we Thought then wa, rap
lnly setting uoWn. We sal Awarding our
tate. \ few larcwe.ls were exchanged.
] said good 10y to my dear boy, AID a pdng
nj anguish went through me for his Young
Hic, 80 sopu to b" taken. II passed IN a
moment, duJ we We're preparing ourselN es
rs well ~ We could 10 meet our God when,
wonderful 10 relate, u heavy sea came
sweeping along over the poop, carr y
Ing everything win 1t 10 destruction;
but instead of dashing our boat To
pieces or tumbhug II rom the beams
on winch II stood down to the deck,
u between the main and mIZZUl RIGGING
INTO the sea. / thought M Tue Time we
were gong quietly INTO eternity. | felt
lhaTl"s grasp tgntrn, and with "A prayer
OH my lus tuluk j almost Vas gone. We
had hat4ly bIeuthtd WHEN Charlie sud-
denly almost threw me IRON hIm, ami
Wrenchlns AN oar out, shouted saved
saved ny miracle. Up, uds. ANA keen
her of the ship IL was pIlch dark IN the
dead OF winter night We hud few
clothes, aud the boat having been stove iu
on us passage across The deck, We were Sit
tlns almost up 10 our waists IN waiter.
Huge sprays washed over our shoulders;
ma 81, surrounded by breaker, ana sharp
rocks, we diI not know winch way to lurn
for safety. by diut of hard labor and
great caution we managed TO Keep
Ulear Of every obstacle, nad tho boat
was constantly baled To Tighten her but
win htile success. Indeed, had sho not
been a splcud,d l.febOnt, we should very
soon have sunk. | sal silent in my cOrnur.
trying 10 comfort aud warm poor spencer
JooeNn, who had hurt himself Jumping
INTO the boat. Percy poor fellow, frll
short IN his leap, aud was drowned. Char
he gave me Ia coat 10 hold while he pulled
an oar, aud thluk that 1855, winch was
IA I.. hta,I