The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-09-27
SINKING IN FIVE MINUTES

come on board, and he presently did SO,
the Migontte
SINKING IN FIVE MINUTES
after she was struck. We then found
our boat had been stove in on the port
side, and she leaked a great deal; but
stopped it as well as | could with a piece
OF waste | found on the bottom boards,
anu this kept the water out till the morn.
ing, when Captain Dudley made it more
secure. Parker took the shipwreck very
kindly, believing that we should soon see
land: but Of course the rest of us knew
better than that. He was nice, steady
and good boy-as good boy, in fact, as
ever sailed with in my life. We did
not open our first tin of turnips till
three days after the wreck, having
eaten nothing at all in the mean
time. We knew the tins con-
tanned only turnips, for / had acted
as sort of cook on board the Mignon-
cite. On the fifth day out | was steer
ing, and saw turtle swimming almost
TO windward OF US; in fact, We had al
most passed it when | saw it. It's head
was some distance out of the water,
and pointed it out to the others. |
and the Captain pulled the boats head
to sea, and Mr.. Stephens got hold of
the creature by the fins and turned it
over. | let 20 the fore one, and, al
though 1t was a pretty good. sized fish,
1t came on as light as fly. The turtle
lasted US till the twelfth day. We ate
everything, skin and all, throwing the.
shell overheard If we saw little
bit of the turtle fat lying about that
had been left, we picked it up and
ate it.
PARKER, THE BOY,
had several times expressed desire to
drink the sea water, and and the other
two strongly warned him against such a
course, saying that if he did SO it would
Kill him, but his reply always was, 81
must drink something" One morning
| think We must then have been fifteen or
sixteen days out, but | can't remember
exactly-about five o'clock, Dickey told
US he had drank the bailer, which would
hold quite quart empty, and half full
again. He h d been gradually getting
weaker, and was, in fact, the we kest of
US all. The salt water put his inside out
OF order, and he suffered very much from
diarrhGa, being at times in an agony of
pain IF III this cause, and we all thought
he would ole. He appeared a; times
be delirious; he would lie N the bottom
of the boat and try to sleep, and if he
went off, when he woke up h. would say
he wanted to ship. To get On t oal d a
ship was all ever heard HIM express
wish to do. sa d to him several times:
"Cheer up, Dickey, it will u come
right" ana the Captain and Stevens did
all they could in the same way. We
had several time spok between The
lhr,e of us about casting lots as to who
should kilt d, and Parker had heard
this, but | ami Mr.. Stephens would not
hear OF it, and said that ii we ere to d
we would
ALL DIE TOGETHER.
Excepting Parker, Mr. Stephens suffered
more than any of us. lie was seized
with pains internally, and his legs were
SO much swollen that he could hardly
move. One night he was so bad that |
thought he was going to die, and took
hold of his hand, and we prayed together
to the Almighty to save us. July Goth
when Parker's life was taken, was very
fine day. Excepting little piece OF
the skin of the turtle, with little drop
of water we had caught in storm
which passed over our heads, we had had
nothing for eight days. Dick was lying
in the bottom of the boat, groanng with
pain; but he never said anything to
lead US to suppose that his life was
burden to him. believe the captain and
Stephens had spoken about it In the
night, though nothing had been said to
me directly or indirectly Of any intention
to kill the boy, and Mr.. Stephens, l be-
lieve, would never have consented to 1t.
had been at the helm three or four
hours, and was lying in the bows Of the
boat; and Stephens made signs to me
which und, rstood to mean that the
Captain intended to take the BOYS life, az