Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-04-28
THE RESCUE AT SEA.

the papers for weeks after teemed with ac-
counts of the marvellous escapes OF some
of her passengers was a Mrs. Berry and her
little girl, the latter a slender, golden hair
ed beauty, great favorite with all on
board. .-..
Mrs. Berry,a quiet, resolute, little wo-
man of 80, or thereabouts, was the wife OF
a sea captain, trading between New York,
San Francisco and China. His ship had
undergone extensive repairs eight months
before at San Francisco, and Mrs. Berry
had gone on there to enjoy the society of
her husband. After the ship had sailed,
Mrs. Berry had fingered on the Pacific
coast to enjoy the delightful climate and
agreeable manners of the people there. She
was now returning to New York IN the
Central America, to meet her husband, who
had sailed from China and was about due
in New York.
The splendid steamer had full compile
ment of cabin and steerage passengers, and
many thousand dollars in treasure. Her
human freight were looking forward to
speedy termination of the voyage, and on
the noon of the day my story commences
the good ship was speeding proudly over
the billews. She was following the gulf
stream, and was somewhere off the Carolina
coast where the wind veered to the east
ward and commenced to increase in vio-
lence. AS the afternoon wore away the
sea became rough, and by nightfall the ship
labored and plunged in the big waves that
sometimes flooded her forward deck.
During the night the engines were slowed,
the ship made snug, and the usual means
adopted to insure the safety of the steamer.
By daybreak the gale was a regular bowling
hurricane, the wind had shifted north. and
now roared through the rigging with that
peculiar sound that battles description.
Daylight show ed sad condition of at
fairs on board the steamer. Broken bull
warks, the clanking sound of pumps, re-
vealed the story of the night. 1t was found
that the pumps did not prevent the water
rising in the hold, and it was evident to the
officers that if the storm continued the wa
ter would reach the fires.
In view of that fact, a hurried consulta-
ton was held. and it was resolved to stick
to the ship as long as possible, in the hope
that some outward bound vessel would
come to their aid. The day slowly moved
away, and all hopes of rescue vanished.
The sun at last sunk in a dark, gloomy
looking cloud that lay along the western
horizon The wind had shifted into the
northwestern fact, was going around the
compass, as it always does in hurricane
and the sinking steamer about in the
vortex was fast breaking up. Great
broad pillows were surging past the doomed
ship, and ali around, as far as the eye
could reach. lay spread out tossing will
dernesS of water.
At last the fireman were driven from
their posts and the fires went out, and the
enqine at last stopped. Some of them
tried to lay her to with storm trysail, but
it was blown out of the bolt ropes, with a
report like cannon.
Then the first and second officers made
preparations to escape. On the gallows,
just over the quarter deck, were secured
two fine metallic lifeboats. The first officer
cleared one of them away, and succeeded
in swinging it over leeward. Sending two
seaman into it to keep it from being dashed
against the ships side, he turned to the
crowd of panic stricken passengers, and
taking Mrs. Berry, deposited her in the
bottom of the lifeboat safely. As Mrs Ber-
~ fell into the boat, the steamer rolled
heavily to port. and when she rolled back
again Mrs. Berry's daughter was dropped in
to her lap. Just forward of the lifeboat
and the third officer was lowering large
launch and as the mate dropped Mrs.
Berry's child, the ship swung heavily to
port, and at the same time pitched violent
ly forward.
The heavy launch swung backwards and
came in contact with the life-boat, and the
shock tumbled the two seaman overheard.
In the confusion laundering lubber on
deck cast off the line that held the life boat
and the next passing wave swept Mrs. Berry
eight fathoms to leeward.
As the boat rose on the crest of mon
ster wave the woman was seen standing with
disheveled hair and outstretched arms, wild
ly appealing for aid. But, alas! she was
beyond all but her Heavenly Fathers aid.
For few moments the slender woman
in the boat was prey to the widest emo
tons, but in those few moments the boat
had drifted from under the shelter of the
steamer, and when it was again borne up
on the crest of towering wave the fierce
blast of the hurricane flung the boat bread
side on, and almost filed it with water.
Her little girl chung to her with convulsive
energy, and looked up at her with white
face and eyes open wide with terror, and
then the boat slid down into the black abyss
that seemed peopled with the horrors of
the grave.
Before the boat mounted another wave
the sight of her child's despairing features
fred the brain of the mother, and she in
stinctively grasped the rudder and turned
the boats head around.
Hour after hour the boat drove before
the huge pillows that raved and Kissed be-
hind it. and during all that time who can
judge of the horrors of her situation:
Around her a broad expanse of tossing
water, and above her the black, threatening
sky, where the binding tightening played
and the deep thunder crashed, and yet,
with bated breath and horror stricken face,
she sat at the rudder and guided the boat
over the foaming pillows.
Mrs. Berry had acquired in the society OF
her husband sufficient knowledge of nau-
tical matters to know what to do now, and
in her feeble way she did the best she
could have done. She kept the boat before
the wind and sea, expecting every moment
to be swallowed up by the waves.
will now change the scene to the eastern
edge of the sulf, and on board trim
British frigate that was snugly lying to, and
waiting for moderate weather to make he1
destination, which was one of the ports in
the Bermuda Isles,
The watch on deck were discussing the
unusual severity of the weather, and, clus-
tered under the weather bulwarks, keen
eyed watchers we're stationed at the look
outs, and the officer of the deck was pacing
the deck and occasionally laundering or
ders through his trumpet.
The gray headed captain was on deck, too
because the frigate was in the track of the
West India traders, and the Bermudas lay
under his lee, SO he peered anxiously to the
windard. Suddenly prolonged and blind.
ing fash Lit up the sea, and as the thunder
rolled and crashed overhead; hoarse voice
shouted: My God, there's boat going
by, and two women in it."
The captain, standing on the horse bloch
also saw the boat, as it urged pastthe quar-.
ter, and he descended from his place Of OBJ.
servation and joined the officer of the deck
Mr.. Risley, said the captain, there's {
boat just gone by to leeward, and I wan
you to send two of your cleverest fellows
to look out for it. I'm going to pay of, ant
pick the women up if I can. We never cal
I lower a boat in this sea, and want you t.
rig whips ON the lower yards, snatch tn,
bright and make bovine. Rig the whip
well 'out on the lee yards, and bear;a hand
Now then, lay aft here, the watch, and tn
old Captain took the trumpet from his Of
: efcer, and Numbered to the helmsman t
put the wheel hard up. 81 4tH