St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-12

to look pretty serious for us ali. OF
course we had lost our bearings to
certain extent, and although we knew
we were in the vicinity of the Samoan
islands, we were not sure exactly where
we were drifting to. Finally the ship
struck and went aground. There were
between 400 and 800 sailors on board,
and guess nearly every one of them
thought that his time had come. A big
mole was stove in the side of the ship,
and she reeled over while the waves
kept dashing over her like huge mount
tains of water. By the aid of the boats
most of us managed to get to shore
while the rest swan in and were thrown
high and dry on the beach. The roll
was called and it was found that but one
man was missing-I have forgotten his
name now-the poor fellow having had
: mis- skull broken by big piece OF fall
ing tackle.
I'VE remained on the island about
month and half, and were taken care
of by the natives. In the meantime we
had cleared as much of the wrecked
ship as we could possibly, getting out
some ammunition, guns and provisions
A steamer from Sydney, Australia,
, finally came along and picked US up
and took us to San Francisco. From
there the men have scattered all over
the world by this time, as most OF them
shipped again from San Francisco. l
have been in the service nearly three
years, and think perhaps | will ship
again when l get to New York, Then,
and see the old folks again before they
die. The Trenton was one of the best
men-of-war in the service, and the gov
eminent will Miss her. l miss her, too,
as / had many happy time on her. A
sailor becomes attached to his ship, you
know, after he has been on her long
time"
lone of the Sailors" continued Sailor
Peterson, SCOT married to an Indian
girl while on the island, and when we
were picked up he took he with him
and stopped off at Honolulu, where he
now is living, l think. His name was
johnson, and he was from England and
had served in the British navy before
he entered the United States service.
He was handsome fellow, but little
cracked, l think, as he acted very queerly
at times. He said himself that at times
his mind was affected, and that it came
from bullet wound that he had re-
ceived nearly four years before. When
we were on the island he took sick came
very ucdtly SuuullIS OIl, ouu lSahJ
think he would have gone had 1t not
; been for the girl he married, as she
nursed him day and night for over three
weeks. She was about eighteen years
of age. plump, pretty amid as straight
as an arrow. The boys all called her
DAISY" and, to tell the truth, l
never knew her real name. When
johnson got we'll he proposed;
through an Interpreter, to marry her.
and the next night the ships chaplain
spliced them. We had a little jollifca-
! ton that night and everybody sang
songs. I hope Johnson likes his wife
and has learned to ''parley voo'' with
her by this time. as he was a nice fell
low and we all liked him.
Peterson was Dane, and from his
dialect had not been away from his ma
tive country a very long time; but he
was so loyal to the stars and stripes that
he would not talk his native language.
/ A bystander asked him: Kan du tale
Dansk?" (can you speak Danish) but
he replied in English: ''Of course can
speak Danish, but don't intend to. L
am in America now and working under
the American flag, and / shall
speak nothing but the nations lam
guage. When l 20 back home
to Denmark shall speak the language
my mother taught me, but until then l
am an American" He said this with
conscious pride; and, as he mentioned
the stars and stripes, he dotted his
2 ''middy" cap in honor OF the flag of his
adopted country.
He and his companion left at 8 O'Clock
for the East