The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-30

Nfall III ttial DDAt AAA lds d1l H4NtLNA tn
Th0atIS Hyke; but she just kept a. she
Wa, aud dent seem 10 sink au inch.
There was no use Of rowing away. for We
had no placs to row to ami BESIDES, We
thought hat passing ships would be
much more likely 10 see that stern stick
ing high IN the air than our little boat
Ne had enough 10 eat, AID at night two
IF US slept while The other watched, iii
yIding of the time, and taking turns 10
thi. La the morning there was the
Thomas luke standing stern up just a.
before. There was a loug swell on the
ocean now, and she'd rise and lean over
a little on each wave, out she'd come ~
again Just a. straight as before. That
night passed a. the last one had, and 10
the morning We found We drifej q
good deal farther from the ThonaaS LIKE,
but she was floating just as she bad been,
like a big buoy that's moorcd over a
sand. bar. We couldn't see a sign Of the
boats, and we about gave them up. We
had our breakfast, was a pretty poor
meal, being nothing but hard-take and
what was left of q piece of boiled beet.
After we'd sat for 4 while doing nothing,
but feeling mighty uncomfortable, Viii
liam Anderson said Look here, do you
know that ! think We would be three
fools to keep skivering all night and hv-
ing ON hard tack in the daytime, when
there's plenty on that vessel for US
to eat, and to keep Us warm. If
she's foated that way for two days and
two aights, there's no knowing how much
longer she'll float, and we might as well
go on board and get the things we want
as no All right, said |, fer | was
tired of doing nothing, and Sam was as
| willing as anybody. SO We rowed up to
the steamer, and stopped close to the
deck, which, as ! said before. was stand
Ing straight UP out of the water like the
wall of a house. The cabin door, which
was the only opening into her, was about
twenty feet above Us, and the ropes which
which we had tied TO the rails Of the
| stairs inside we're still hanging down.
Sam was an active youngster, and he
managed to climb up one of these ropes +;
but when he got to the door he drew it
| up and tied knots in it about a loot apart,
| and then he let it down to us, for neither
William Anderson nor me could 20 up a
rope hand over hand without knots or
had Il lot Of bother getting up, but We
did it at last. and then we walked
up the stars, treading on the front part
Of each step instead of the top oft, as we
would have done if the stairs had been in
their proper position. When we got to
the floor of the cabin, which was now
perpendicular like a wall, we had to clam
Der down by means OF the furniture, which
was screwed fast, unit! we reached the
bulkhead, which was now the floor Of the
cabin. Close to the bulkhead was a small
room which was the stewards pantry, and
here we found lots of things to eat. but
all iumbled UP in a way that made Us
laugh. The boxes OF biscuits and the
tin cans. and a lot of bottles in wicker
covers, were piled up on one end of the
room, and everything in the lockers aud
drawers was jumbled together. William
Anderson and me SET to work to get out
what We thought we'd want, and we told
Sam to climb up into some OF the states
rooms. of which there were tour on each
side of the cabin, aud get some blankets
TO keep Us warm, as we'll as a few sheets,
which we thought We could rig up for
an awning to the boat for the days were
Just as hot as nights were cool. When
we'd collected what we wanted, William
Anderson and me climbed into our own
rooms, thinking we d each pack a valise
with what we most wanted to save of our
clothes and things; and while we were
doing this, Sam called u to US that it
was raining. lie was sitting at the cabin
door looking out. | first thought 10 tell
him to shut the door SOS to keep the rain
things really were, | laughed at the idea.
There was a sort Of little house built over
the entrance to the cabin, and in ore end
Of 1t was the door; and in the way the
ship now was the open doorway was I'M
derneath the little house. and Of course
no rain could come in. Pretty soon We
the rain pouring down, beating on the
stern Of the vessel like hail. We go to
the stairs and looked out. The rain was
falling In perfect sheets, in a way you
never see except round about the topics.
It's a good thing we're inside said vii
Anderson. for if we'd been out in this
rain we'd been drowned ia the boat [
agreed with him, and we made up our
minds to stay where we were until the
rain was over. Well, it rained about
four hours and when it stopped, and we
looked out, we saw our little boat nearly
full of water, and sunk so deep that if one
of US ! al stepped on her she'd have zone
down, sure. Here's a pretty kittle of
fish, said William Anderson; there's
nothing for Us to do now but to stay where
We are | believe in his heart he was
glad Of that, for if ever a man was tired ola
little boat, William Anderson was tired Of
that n we'd been III for two days and
two nights. At any rate there wasno use
talking about it, and we set to work to
make ourselves comfortable. We got
some mattresses and pillows ont of the
state rooms, and when it began to get
dark We lighted the lamp. which We had
filled with sweet-oil from a flask in the
pantry, not finding any other kind, and we
hung it from the railing Of the stairs.
We had a good nights rest, and the
only thing that distul bed me was Viii
liam Anderson lifting up his head every
time he turned over, and saving how
much better this was than that blasted
little boat. The mex morning we had a
good breakfast, even making some tea
With a spirit lamp We found, using brandy
instead Of alcohol. William Anderson
and | wanted to get into the captains
room, which was near the stern, and
pretty high up. so a. to see If there was
anything there that We ought to get
ready to save when a vessel should come
along and Pick Us up but We were not
good at climbing. like Sam. and we didn't
see how we could ret up there. Sam
said he was sure he had once seen a lad
der in the compartment just forward of
the bulkhead, and as William was very
anxious to get up to the captains room,
we let the boy go and look for it. There
was a sliding door in the bulkhead under
our feet, and We opened this 'ar enough
to let Sam get through and he scram
bed down like a monkey into the next
compartmert, which was light enough,
although the lower half of it, which was
next to the englne-room, was under the
water-line. Sam actually found a ladder
viii LnnL.l.. nnn nrA &c