Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-15

ring in the bow bodily out Of her, so that
she returned to the surface. But those in
her did not return-at least, not yet. Once
| more, two or three days hence, they would
arise from the watery depths and look up
on the skies with eyes that could not see,
and then vanish forever.
Turning from this awful and most NOV
ing sight, they rowed slowly through
quantities of floating wreckage-barrels.
hencoops, lin one of these they found two
drowned fowls, which they secured and
many other articles, such as oars and
wicker deck chairs-and began to shout
vigorously IN the hope OF attracting the
attention OF the survivors in the other
boat, which they imagined would not be
far off. Their efforts, however, proved
fruitless, owing to the thickness of the
fog; and in the considerable sea which was
running it was impossible to see more
than twenty yards or so. Also, what be-
tween the wind, and the wash and tur-
MOL Of the water, the sound of their voices
did not travel far. The ocean is q large
place, and rowing boat is easily lost
sight of upon its furrowed surface: there
fore it is not wonderful that, although the
two boats were at the moment within half
mile of each other, they never met, and
each took its separate course in the hope
Of escaping the fate of the vessel. The
boat in which were Lady Holmhurst and
some twenty other passengers, together
with the second officer and a crew of six
men, after seeing the kangaroo sink and
picking up one survivor, shaped a course
for Kerguelen Land, believing that they,
and they alone, remained to tell the tale
of that awful shipwreek. And here it NAV
be convenient to state that before night
fall they were picked up by a sealing
whaler, that sailed with them to Albany,
on the coast of Australia. Thence, an &C
count of the disaster, which, as the reader
Will remem Der, created a deep impression.
was telegraphed home, and thence in due
course, the widowed Lady Holmhurst and
most Of the other women who escaped
were taken back to England.
To return to our heroine and Mr.. Nee
son
The occupants of the little boat sat look
ing at each other with white, scared faces.
till at last the man called Johnnie, who.
by the way. was not a tar of a very anna
vessel came into collision, had informed
her that he was making Kerguelen Land,
which was not more than sixty or seventy
miles away. They had a compass in the
boat, and they knew the course the Kan
CARGO was steering when she sank. Ac-
cordingly, without wasting further time,
they got as much sail up as the little boat
could carry in the stiff breeze. and rap
BILE cast of countenance, possibly owing to
the fact that his nose was knocked almost
fiat against the side of his face, swore
violently, and said, ''It was no good stop
ping there all the etceteraed day." There
upon Bill, who was a more jovial-looking
man, remarked shat he, Johnnie, was
etceteraed well right, so they had better
hoist the foresail"
At this point Augusta interposed, and
told them that the Captain, just as the
nearly due east before the steady westerly
wind. All day long they ran across the
misty ocean, the little boat behaving SPLEEN
didly, without sighting any living thing,
till, at last, the night closed in again
There was, fortunately, a bag Of biscuits
in the boat, and a breaker of water; also
there was, unfortunately, a breaker of
rum, from which the two sailors, Bill and
Johnnie, were already taking quite as
much as was good for them. Consequent
ly, though they were cold and wet with
spray, they had not to face the added
horrors of starvation and thirst. At sun.
down they shortened sail considerably,
only leaving enough canvas up to keep the
boat ahead of the sea.
IT,