The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-10

out, hastily putting on my coat. and in
less than q minute l was in the boat
| with the rudder and the thole-pins
shipped and four hands ready to out
| oars as soon as we touched the water.
Duckling began to tumble ut one end
i of the boats falls.
don't let him lower away" roared
out one of the men in the boat. Hell
let us 90 with run. He'd like to see
us drowned!'
Duckling fell back, Sowing with
| fury, and. showing his head over as the
boat sunk quietly into the water, he
discharged volley of execrations at
us, saying that he would shoot some of
us, if he swung for it, before he was
done, and especially applying heap of
abusive terms to me.
The fellow pulling the bow oar
laughed in his face, and another
shouted out: We'll teach you to say
your prayers yet, you ugly old sim
nerm
We got away from the ships side
| and in a short time were rowing away
to the wreck. l should have feared to
leave in this manner. knowing the cap
tain to be capable of ordering the ship
! to make sail and leave us in the open
| boat. but knew the crew would never
obey such a command.
One of the men in the boat suggested
this. but another Immediately an
swered: They'd pitch the skipper
,, overheard if he gave such an order and
glad OF the chance. There's no love
for EN- among us. | can tell you; and
there'll be bloody work done ABOARD
the Grosvenor if tnisgs aren't Eaended
soon. rs you'll see
They all four pulled at their oa-s
savagely as these words were spoken,
and l never saw such sullen and fero-
cious expressions on mems faces rs
came into theirs as they fixed their eyes
! as with one accord upon the ship.
The wreck was soon near at hand.
Ny eyes were riveted upon it now with
new and intense emotion, for by this
time | could discern that the person
who was waving to Us was female
woman or Girl / could not yet make
out-and that her hair was like q veil
of gold behind her swaying arm.
ats woman" | cried in my ey-
! element: ..it's no man at all. Pull
smartly. my lads! pull smartly. for
| God sake,'
The men gave way stoutly. and the
swell favoring us, We were soon close
to the wreck. The girl. As | now per-
ceived she was, waved her handkeC-
chief wildly as we approached.
l waved my hat to the poor girl tc
| let her know that we saw her and had
come to save her. and steered the boat
right around the wreck that l might
observe the most practical point for
boarding her.
She appeared to be vessel of about
seven hundred tons. The falling of
her masts had crushed her port bui-
warks level with the deck, and part Of
her starboard bulwarks was also
smashed to pieces. Her wheel was
gone. and the heavy seas that swept
her deck had carried away capstans.
pinnacle. hatchway gratingS. pumps
every thing. in short, but the deck
house and the remnants of the galley.
l particularly noticed 4 strong iron
boats davit twisted up like a cork
screw. She was full of water, and lay
rs deep as her main-chainS. but her
bows stood high. and her fore-chains
| were out of the sea 1t was miraculous
TO see her keep atioat as the long swell
rolled over her in 4 cruel. foaming sue
cession of waves.
1t was not without much difficulty
that l succeeded in bringing oar boat
along side the wreck in such 4 manner
that could leap on board. When |
had done so | sprung with all my
strength. and got well upon the deck.
but fell heavily as | reached it. How
ever. was up again in 4 moment, and
ran forward out of the water.
Here was a heap OF gear-staysail.
and iib-haliiaris and other ropes, some
of the ends swarming overheard. l
hauled in one of these ends. but found
| could not clear the rattle: but. look
ing round. l perceived q couple Of coils
| of line-spare stun sail tacks or hal
lizards took them to be-lying close
against the foot of the bowsprit. | i'm
mediately seized the end of one of these
coils and flung it into the boat. telling
them to drop clear of the wreck aStern:
and when they had backed rs far rs
| the length of the line permitted. l bent
on the end of the other coil and paid
that out until the boat was some faith
oms astern. then made my end fast.
and sung out to one of the men TO get
on board by the starboard mizzen-
chains. and to bring the end Of the line
| with him. After waiting few min
utes. the boat being hidden, | saw the
fellow come Scrambling over the side
with 4 red face. his clothes and hair
streaming. he having fallen overheard
He shook himself ike 4 dog. and
crawled with the line, on his hands and
knees. 4 short distance forward. then
hauled the line taut and made it fast.
Tell them to bring the boat round
here" cried. land lay oft on their
oars until we are ready. And you get
hold of this line and work yourself up
70 me-"
Saving which, I advanced along the
deck, clinging tightly with both hands.
1t very providentally happened tina: the
door OF the deck-house faced the fore
castle within few feet OF where th.,
remains of the gallery stood. There
would be therefore. less risk in open
ing it than had il faced beamwise; for
the water. as it broke against the sides
of the house. disparted clear of the fore
and after parts; that i. the great bulk
of it ran clear. though, of course, =
foot's depth of it az least surged
against the door.
Icalled out to the girl to open the
door quickly. as ii slid in grooves like
panel, and was not 10 be stirred
from the outside. The poor creature
appeared mad. and l repeated my re-
quest three times without inducing her
to leave the window. Then. not believ-
ing that she understood me, l cried
| or1t. Va IAN L crliSh ~