The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-25

another night OF terror was so over
powering as to induce that calmnes;
which accompanies despair. MOnda y
morning she again drew upon hel
scanty store of biscuit and milk. Snow
and hail had given place to rain. Find
ing a piece of rope she fastened it tc
that which hung from the roof anC
made convenient loop in which she
could rest one elbow at time. Thi:
helped her remain seated and her bills.
tered hands got better.
The Captains watch hanging on {
nail in the cabin had ceased to 90 al
1880 Monday. When the lonely woman
fancied the day had advanced tc
| about that hour she wound it up. Thi;
she did daily until her release, when,
as she somewhat triumphantly SAID
the watch was found to be not so fal
wrong. I'he presence of the watch,
too, was a source of quiet comfort
Searching around the cabin during the
moments when the lurching ceased,
she found a stout sailors jacket. which
she put on above her shawl. Thus a
sufficient degree of heat was maintained
in her body TO prevent any serious
shivcring, which in the night might
have been very dangerous.
Monday night, ike the two which
had preceded it, closed dark and cheer
| less. Tuesday morning brought no
improvement in the weather. The
same scanty meal was again partaken.
| Toward the afternoon the weather mod
Grated, and it was possible to sit with
out holding the rope. The cold in her
eXtrcmitieS was the chief cause of the
old woman's suffering Wednesday the
sun was shining brightly, and continued
50 all day There was in this a glim-
mer of comfort. and the poor, lonely
creature sat down to her last meal on
board with the last half of her biscuit
and drinking from a bottle of milk.
She then climbed upon the box and
looked out. 1t was midday. and the
bow was directed toward the sun.
Looking behind, to her mOmentary
delight she saw land which she knew
by the sun to lay northward, and that
the course of the vessel was for the
time sOutherlv. She described the land
as a range of low hills with much high
er snow covered hills in the distance.
The course of the vessel soon left them
far behind. By Thursday morning the
craft had lost every rag of sail and was
drifting stern foremost. More cheer
less hours passed. Early Friday morn
ing the wind sprung up. The sea was
violent, and hunger and horror again
oppressed the old woman. Her thirst
increased and she eagerly licked drops
from the cabin windows. Through
Saturday the storm continued, but after
midnight, then one hundred and sixty
eight hours having passed, she felt
the first indication that either
help or destruction was at hand. The
vessel began to strike violently on
some submerged rocks, and with the
rise and fall of the sea she found a bed
now on one inclination and then on an
other. The timbers began to break and
strain, and as the vessel struck rock
after rock the noises produced by the.
humping, the shifting of the furniture,
and oscillation of the mast which now
began to give way were to the prison.
er most demonstrating.
When Sunday morning broke, weak
and exhausted as she was from starva-
ton and exposure, and notwithstand-
ing that the vessel was still rolling
among the rocks, Elizabeth Mouat con-
trived to raise herself once more upon
the box and to look out. Here at last
was land. The vessel was still beating
along stern foremost. At about eight
o'clock the COlumbinc ran upon Il
shingly beach, leaned over to one side,
and remained fast, the mast in the same
minute going over into the sea with a
loud crash. As the vessel leaned tow
ard shore the water in the hold made
its way into the cabin and soon rose to
a foot.
The place where the Columbine came
to land after its erratic voyage across
the North Sea was the little island of
Lepsoe, on the coast of Norway, twelve
miles north of the fishing town of
Aalesund. This island is four miles
long and two broad, consisting mainly
of one huge rock one thousand six
hundred feet high with. at several
places, narrow seabOard powders.
Where the COlumbine stranded there is
only very short stretch of shingly
beach, and had the vessel struck few
fathomS either to the east or west of
the identical spot on which it now lies
it would only have been dashed to
pieces against the precipitous rocks
and become an irrevocable wreck, and
Elizabeth Mouat would have been
killed.
The solitary passenger was now
eagerly looking out from the hatchway,
which stood breast high to her from
her footing on the box beneath. She
was able to see young lads who had for
some time been watching the smack.
She waved her arms and raised her
voice to its highest pitch. As the
poor woman screamed for help
the lads shouted in return. Sew
eral ran off to the nearest hamlet,
called Farstad, for assistance. A num-
Der of fishermen arrived. but as the
vessel was distant from the beach six
hundred yards and was in heavy surf
it was evidently going to be work of
considerable difficulty to get on board
One fisherman with rope around his
waist walked into the sea, but was sew
eral times beaten back. At length,
getting hold of part of a sail and a
rope hanging from the bow he climbed
on board and was soon afterward fol-
lowed by a companion. Meantime
Elizabeth had by a desperate effort
climbed out on the deck. where she
had never been since she had gone on
board, and the men found her sitting
almost helpless. Their language was
unknown TO her. but they soon gathered
that the helpless woman was the only
living creature on board. Bymeans of
a rope from shore and with the assist
ance of the recurring waves. the vessel
was pulled as far up on the beach as
practicable and made fast.