The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-12-12


Though I have now lost everything /
have in the world save her /, ought ia
rejoice that we have escaped together.
We left Calais Sunday morning. and
had a good run until the storm struck
us. Wednesday night the gale was
terrific. There were only three hands
on board beside my wife; one of these
was boy. and could not be counted on
to do mems work. The storm had
caused us to be up much, and we were
| well nigh exhausted when the report
came up from below that we had sprung
alcak. The night was dark and dreary.
and the waves were high. No vessel
was within hail from which we could
get assistance. All that remained for
MS to do was to man the pumps and
battle as long as we could against the
water in the hold, which was slowly
but surely gaining on us. At this time
all hope seemed out of place; before
morning the Ferris would be cables
under the waves. and all that would be
left to tell the tale of our life and death
would perhaps be found floating on the
water by passing ship days after the
| storm was over. Only one who has
been in similar circumstances can
realize how little life seems worth.
"But at that hour. when it seemed
impossible to make successful effort,
Belle came from the cabin, her face
white, but determined. and said: Don't
| give up, there is hope yet. Hasten to
the pumps. 1 will steer the ship" And
in truth she did, all the long hours of
that fearful night. She stood at the
wheel. using her entire strength to keep
the vessel up into the wind. The rest
of us pumped, pumped until it seemed
that our limbs would break. Nerved
by the fearfulness of the situation we
worked with full force all the time, and
much to our satisfaction found that the
water no longer gained on us. Our
hope and prayer was for the morrow,
because when daylight came there
would be chance for help. Before
dawn our hearts again sunk. Nature
could no longer stand the test, and our
boy, who had been making manly eff
forts. sank to the deck. So exhausted
was he both in mind and body that
blood commenced to ooze from his ears
and nose. l. myself, the moment my
efforts were relaxed, grew faint. l felt
almost unconscious of what was going
on around me. 1t seemed as if the fatal
hour were come. Death no longer was
a dreaded visitor. His presence would
| be almost welcome.
| "'But Belle, who had been steering
all these long hours and had shouted
out words OF encouragement to US. now
left the wheel and hurried to my side.
Don't give up yet. husband: we may
be saved. O, for daylight" With these
words she grasped the handles and
vigorously commenced to work the
pumps. / followed her efforts, and
leaving the schooner to drift we gave
,all our attention to the pumps. Soon it
was dawn. 1t was with feelings of a
new lease of life that we continued our
work. Occasionally one would stop and
glance over the waste of waters to search
for a passing sail. Again and again
disappointment greeted us, but suddenly
my wife looked up, and. gazing mo-
ment. cried: "A sail! now we may be
sayedr
81 looked up, and sure enough white
sail was above the horizon. Our flag
was at the masthead, and we waited
with strange feelings to see if they would
see our condition. But. no! No change
was made in their course. and once
more we turned to the pumps with ach-
ing hearts. All but my wife were dis
appointed and gloomy. She. however,
put on cheerful face and, working
harder than ever before. sad, Now we
must pump until we see another ship
"a little later another vessel hove in
sight, and our hopes for q second time
grew as we came nearer together. The
vessel passed us in plain sight, but no
indication of our discovery was seen.
On, on they went, directly away. 1t
seemed for sure that we must go down.
The fates were all against us. Our
chances for life were but delusion.
What did the half-hour following the
last disappointment / scarcely know
My wife's feeble words of encouragement
came as if in dream. How rapidly
through my mind passed recollections
of home, which are so dear to man!
Little would l have thought one year
before, when we were married, that a
| short twelvemonth would bring about
such situation as that we were in.
Then would determine that Belle
should not drown, and would force my
self to greater efforts.
when it was announced that an
other ship was in sight could scarcely
hope; too strong was the belief that like
the others she would pass on her way
without seeing us. But Providence had
not so ordained, and soon we saw for
sure that we were seen. The huge iron
steamers prov was turned and the
black smoke that poured out of her
stacks showed us we would soon be
safe. then got all the party into the
boat and waited for the ships arrival.
l wanted 20 put a force on board to
pump her and keep her afoat until we
could get to land, but my wife said if
| remained on board she would. so /
left. 1t would have been of no use,