Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-11-09
"Let me CO." he said roughly, trying to

i eS, step IN mere IOF one second anu tel
Us the worst; speak up, man, and let Us
know all"
every well, Lord Holmhurst, I will.
We have run down a whaler of about five
hundred tons, which was cruising along
under reduced canvas and showing nc
lights. Our fore compartment is stove
right in, bullying out the plates on each
side of the cutwater and loosening the
fore bulkhead. The carpenter and his
mates are doing their best to shore it up
from the inside with balks Of timber, but
the water is coming in like millrace, and
fear that there are other injuries. All
the pumps are at work, but there's deal
of water, and If the bulkhead goes"
1--WE shall go, too" said Lord Holm
hurst, calmly. "Well, we must take to
the boats. Is that ALP"
'In Heavens name, is not that enough"
said the Captain, looking up, so that the
light that was fixed in the companionway
threw his CHASTITY face in bold relief. mo,
Lord Holmhurst, it is not all The boats
will hold something over three hundred
people. There are about one thousand
souls aboard the Kangaroo, Of whom more
than three hundred are women and chill
dren."
Therefore the men must drown" said
Lord Holmhurst, quietly. Gods will be
donen
your Lordship will, of course, take
place in the boats" said the Captain, hur
riedly. Il have ordered them TO be pre-
pared, and fortunately, day is breaking.
] rely upon you 20 explain matters to the
owners if you escape, and clear my char
acter. The boats must make for kcrguelen
Land 1t is about seventy miles to the
eastward"
You must give your message to some
one else, Captain was the answer; Il
shall stay and share the fate OF the other
men"
There was 10 pomposIty about Lord
Holmhurst now-au that had Eone-and
nothing but the simple, gallant nature OF
the English gentleman remained.
'No, no." said the Captain, rs they hur-
ried aft, pushing their way through the
fcar-distractcd crowd. Have you got
your revolver"
eyes"
''Well, then, keep it handy; you may have
to use it presently; they will try and rush
the boats"
BY this time the gray dawn was slowly
breaking, throwing cold and CHASTITY
light upon the hideOus scene of terror.
Round about the boats were gathered the
officers and some of the crew, doing their
best to prepare them for lowering. In
deed, one had already been got away. In
it was Lady iIolmhurSt who had been
thrown there against her will, shrleking
for her child and husband and about
score of women and children together
with half dozen sailors and an officer.
Augusta caught sight Of her friends
face in the faint light. "Bessie! Bcssiel
Lady HoImhurstr' she cried. Il have
got the boy. 1t is all right have got the
boyn'
She heard her. and waved her hand
wildly toward her; and then the men in
the boat gave way, and in n second it was
out Of earshot. Just then tail form
seized Augusta by the arm. She looked
up; it was Mr. TOmbcy, and she saw that
in his other hand he held a revolver.
"Thank Godl' he shouted in her ear. 81
have found you! This way-this way
quicl' And he dragged her aft to where
two sailors, standing by the davits that
supported Il small Don't, were Wcring her
TO the level Of the bulwarks.
"Now then, women!" shouted an officer
who was in charge of the operation. Some
men made rush.
"Womcn fiTsJ!-w0mcn 1irst.'
81 am in no hurry" said Augusta, step
ping forward with the trembling child in
her arms; and her action for a few seconds
produced a calming effect, for the men
stopped.
Come on!' said Mr.. Tombey, stopping
to lift her over the side, only to be nearly
knocked down by a man who made n des-
perate effort TO get into the boat. 1t was
Mr. Mccson, and, recognizing him, Mr..
Tombcy dealt him blow that sent him
spinning back
"A thousand pounds for a place." he
roarcd. "Tcn thousand pounds for seat
in n bOatm And once more he scrambled
up ut the bulwarks, trampling down
child as he did SO, and was once more
thrown back
Mr.. Tombcy took Augusta and the child
into his strong arms and put her into the
boat. As he did so, he kissed her fore
head and murmured, God bless you,
good bye"
At that instant there was a loud report
forward, and the stern of the vessel lifted
pcrceptibly. Tho bulkhCad had given
way, and there arose such yell as surely
was seldom heard before. TO Augusta's
cars it seemed to shape itself into the word
"SiHkRgr'
Up from the bowels of the ship poured
the 1iremen, the appearance Of whose
blackened faces, lined with white streaks
of pcrspiration, added new impulse of
terror to the panic-stricken throng. Aft
they came, accompanied by n crowd of
sailors and emigrants.
RuSh the hOutG - SIucr ont n voice with
strong Irish accent, cor sure we'll be
drownedp'
Taking the hint, the maddened mob
burst toward the boats like flood, bias
pheming and shrielling rs it came In
moment the women and children who
were waiting to take to the boat, in which
Augusta and the two seaman were nj.
ready, were swept aside and determined
effort was made to rush it, headed by o
great Irishman, the same who had called
ont.
Augusta saw Mr. Tombey Lord Holm
hurst, who had come up, and tho officers
lift their pistols, which exploded almost
simultaneously, and the lrishman and an
other man pitched forward on to their
hands and knees
Never mind the pistols, lads" shouted
II.
isn't room for half of us in the boats, come
onr' And second fearful rush was
made, which bore the three gentlemen,
firing as they went. right up against the
ncttings.
bill" halloaed the man who was hold
ing on TO the foremost tackle, "lower
away; we shall be rushed and swampedr
Bill obeyed with heart and soul, and
down sank the boat below the level of the
upper decks, just as the mob was getting
the mastery. In five seconds moro they
were hanging close over the water, and
whilst they were in this position man
lCapt at the boat from the bulwarks. He
struck on the thwarts, rolled of into the
water, and was no moro seen. A lady, the
wife of a Colonial Judge, threw her child;
Augusta tried to catch it. but missed. and
the boy sank and was lost. In another
moment the two sailors had showed of
from the ships side As they did so, the
stern of the Kangaroo lifted right out Of
the water SO that they could sea under her
rudder post. just then, too. with yell
of terror, Mr.. Mecsoa, in whom the ele-
mentary principle of self-preservatiou at
all costs were strongly developed, cast
himself from the side and fell with a splash
within few feet of the boat. Rising to
the surface he clutched hold Of the gun
walo and implorcd to be taken in.
KNOCK the old varmint over the knuck-
les, Bill shouted the other man; hell
upset us"
NO, no." cried Augusta, her woman's
l., .,-N,. I 49, l.