Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-02-15

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sharing with us that which they best
could spare-and also gave our Captain
his bearings.
But that night a terrible storm set in,
and when it's fury was spent we found
ourselves blown farther still out of the
highway of the sea, where no vessels
crossed our path; and then a dead
calm settled down upon us. Day
after day the sea was like molten glass,
the sky blue and dazzlingly clear and
bright, not cloud to be seen, and the
sun blazing down upon us so fervldly
that the woodwork upon deck blist-
cred our fingers when we touched 1t,
for we were in the month
of June, while the sails hung lifeless
down the mast, like the broken wing OF
bird, OF wilted leaves clinging to the
stem of plant. And the days went by
another, another, and another!-till
they heightened into weeks; and still
no change, no succor came.
Meantime food and water threatened
to give out entirely; our allowance was
reduced to few crumbs of biscuit daily,
and half a pint of water for each person
during the whole twenty -four hours.
Only those who have passed through
similar experience can conceive what
our sufferings were. We became mere
living skeletons, with great hungry eyes
which glared fercely, their natural ex-
preston having vanished. We lay about
on deck, each hugging our little water
flask, fearing that stronger hand than
ours might wrench it from us, for starva-
ton develops all the selfshness latent
in the human breast. Our tongues be-
came so swollen from thirst that we
could not close our mouths; but my
mother found that by dipping towels in
the sea and wrapping them around
our necks partial relief might be OBJ
tanned, through ABSORPTION OF the
water. Our thoughts ran upon food by
night as we'll as by day; when we were
so fortunate as to fall asleep for few
moments we dreamed of nothing
else So we made it a rule not to re-
late our dreams nor to rehearse our
longings, as talking of them only aggra-
waited our sufferings; but this made
silence settle down upon us, for We
could think of nothing else. I re-
member at this time gnawing an old
kid glove and trying to make believe
that it was the drum stick of chicken.
At length there was but one more
days scant rations left, and, to make
them go further, it was decided that the
number of persons to share them must
be lessoned, and lots were cast to de-
termine who should be thrown over
board to the hungry sharks that swan
around our vessel, should relief not
come before the next morning. The
cabin-boy, who at time of starting had
been inordinately fat was, however, left
out of the dreadful lottery because
little flesh still chung to his bones-"in
case the worst came to the worst"
My mother was woman who be-
lieved in the efficacy of prayer, and that
night she prayed without ceasing. just
at the gray dawn she sank into trou-
bled slumber, from which she was
reused by my fathers voice, saying:
"My dear, do not build too much hope
on it, but Captain Donegan, who has had
this watch, reports little speck on the
far horizon which he thinks may prove
to be vessel"
eff it does it will pass us by, as all
the rest have DONE" my mother an
swered sadly. Then, suddenly recol-
Letting herself, she said, with what little
energy she could command, "No, no!
how could I be so faithless! 1t is Gods
answer to my prayer"
"Don't be too sure, lest you be disap-
pointed, my love-" replied my father,
tenderly; "you know so many vessels
have passed just out Of our reach"
Eyes, I know they have" my mother
answered, quietly, but this one will
come to our relief" ...
My father nearly dragged himself up
the hatchway, and as soon as mother
ard could get dressed we followed
Child, as I was, I shall never forget
the scene that presented itself when
we got on deck. The entire ships
crew, with the two gentlemen passen
gers, were gathered on the side Of the
ship nearest the supposed vessel, and in
absolute silence the spy-glass was passed
from hand to hand, that all might see
the wished-for object.
At length we could distinctly
discern that it was little steamer.
Would it come to us, or would it pass
us by? The suspense was breathless.
You could almost hear the heart-throbs
of the statue-like figures that stood mo-
tionless, supporting themselves against
the sides Of the vessel. By and by we
were able to see it with the naked eye.
Yes, it certainly was coming towards us.