The Portland daily press., 1884-01-21

have completely lost their senses in the face of
, what appeared an inevitable doom for all.
Many were suddenly awakened from sleep and
20 al tne news OF serious danger came with a
quickness that hardly admitted of more than a
moment for realization of its awful possibili-
ties. Self-preservation, that eternal first law
OF nature, did not prevail everywhere, how
Cook.
Among the confused mass who were strug-
Cling and screaming was noticed middle aged
man and his wife. Their conduct was in mark
ed contrast with that of the other passengers
The panic which had seized the others was not
shared by them, but their blanched faces fold
that they realized the peril which surrounded
them. Inc only movement of muscles or
nerves was that produced by the chilling at
mosphere. They stood close together, their
hands clasped in each others, as if about to con-
template suicide together, and thus fulfill the
marital VOW of standing by each other in the
varying tide OF life's fortunes and misfortunes.
AS the wreck careened with the gale from one
side to the other, and while the spray and
waves were drenching them at every moment,
the husband turned and imprinted kiss upon
the companion of his life, and while thus en-
braced heavy sea broke over the wreck and
both were washed away and not seen after
ward Mr. Cook says the scene was one which
Will remain indelibly impressed upon his mem
ory until his dying day. The conduct IF tba
little Farnsworth boys of Townsend Mr. Cook
describes as heroic beyond conception Thav
both gained the rigging early after the dsas-
ter, and were near him and the CAPTAIN of the
steamer during the weary hours intervening
before assistance arrived The Youngest was
more gamy than his elder brother and. togeth-
with Mr.. Cook, they cuffed and pounded him
at intervals to prevent him from surrendering
TO cold and exhaustion. When at length the
revenue cutter arrived, they both seemed ami
mated with new life, and both jumped from
the rigging and swan to the rescuing boat with
as much cheerfulness and vigor as il they had
been disporting on summers evening in the
tepid waters of the sluggish Merrimac
Mr.. Cook is enthusiastic in his praises of the
heroic conduct of the officers and crew of the
United States rezAnE6 cutter Dexter,-aso Of
the attaches of the life saving station Of the
Boston Humane Society. The story of the
timely arrival OF the cutter is told elsewhere,
but the daring OF Lieut.. Rhodes is omitted
He did not ask any of the seamen in the res
cuing boat to go, but had line lashed around
himself, and in an instant he plunged over
board aud swan for the rigging to rescue
couple of men who seemed frozen but still
alive. He almost reached the wreck when he
was badly bruised by some ;of the floating de-
brls. His companions Immediately drew him
back through the surf. He insisted upon
second attempt. and no persuasions could pre-
vent him. This time he was successful IN
reaching the wreck, and the DOOR men were
dragged into his boat in a half frozen condi-
ton. He tried every means to arouse them,
but all in vain When he had reached the
sld6 OF Jn0 cutter Doth men were stiff and
dead. In many of his daring acts OF rescue,
Lieut.. Rhodes was accompanied and assisted
by Lieut.. Roche, and all the officers and every
man Of the crew of the Dexter, is gratefully
spoken Of by the fortunate survivors for their
daring in rescuing the shipwrecked passengers
Mr.. Cook remembers particularly two men
one seaman and the other passsnger,-who
held on in the rigging for five or six hours be.
fore they surrendered to the clements Up to
the last moment they were conscious, and as
they relaxed their hold from the ropes and
went down, their last words were of their FAM
lilies and homes. One man who had held out
against the stormy elements was killed by the
falling smokestack just as he was about to be
rescued, and by the same event couple OF the
crew were SO disabled that they only survived
the tempest few moments longer. The cap
tain of the Columbus insisted upon being the
last to leave tho wreck, and if it had not been
for Mr.. Cook he would probably have carried
out his idea and been among the lost. AS the
captain was not q swimmer, Mr. Cook COM
PEELED the captain to take the water first, and
Mr. Cook followed. Fortunately the captain
grasped friendly boat hook, which had been
extended and while he was being pulled
aboard at one end Of the tescuing craft, Mr..
Cook, the last man to leave, had SWAN around
to be rescued on the other side.