Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-19

TO the gale, aud the drag was holding her
thus. l then explained to the people that
nothing morr could be done, and that they
might as wall lie down. When they were
down got o 1t an old oil cloth and covered
them from u e flying spray as much as posi-
BILE, and then took my seat amidships to use
the bailer. J did not rest over five minutes
at a time from midnight to daylight, and
when day fin ally broke and / looked about
me, my hear was like lead. The gale still
held of shore, with no sign that it might
change or alb ate, and the ocean around me
was a boiling caldron. The yawl was riding
like a cork, however, and the only water
taken in came from the wave crests broken
of and hurl,d at US by the wind When the
people finally crawled out l hardly knew
them. All we're pale, hollow eyed and de-
spairing, while Mr. Howe had look upon
his face which made me stare at him. 1t was
look Of mortal fear and desperation, and
realized that his mind was going The poor
women didn't seem to notice 1t, having SO
much trouble of their own, but little Ben
did, and he crept over to me and whispered.
Please, Jack, but you won't let papa
touch me, viii your
began TO call out in a cheerful voice that
the gale was abating, and that we were all
right, but Howe only looked at me in a cum
ming, crafty way, rs if he meditated some
trick. l got out the provisions, reused up
the women, and forced them 10 sip the wine
and eat little. The gentleman refused to par
take with Us, and by and by the women
began 10 notice his strange actions. This
brought about n climax. / saw him looking
steadfastly a his wife, and carefully moved
nearer to her. One OF the girls changed her
T,.,-f off
was about to take place, and l turned and
extended ms hand TO steady her AS / did
so Howe ut cred sort OF scream, sprang
upon and seized his wife, and, though
clutched her skirts, the fabric tore, and both
went overheard and out OF sight in an in
slant. Neither one rose to the surface, or, IL
they did, they were far beyond reach. The
sudden and awful tragedy deeply affected US
all, and the girls flung themselves down and
could not be reused up again until afternoon
Ben didn't ralize it so deeply, but it was like
a dagger at ny heart TO see him sitting with
closed eyes aud white face, and his lips franz
ing the words of the Lords prayer now and
then.
AT noon The wind and sea began TO GO
down and the sky to clear up. The gale had
blown itself out, and | now considered it only
"a question o. time when We should sight the
coast. The better state of affairs broug bit
new life to the girls, and was glad to have
them rouse up and show some signs of life
A rough ma like me is no real comforter to
one in distress, but | did the best could, and
finally got them interested in the question OF
saving them selves. By O'Clock / got in the
drag, shook 1ne reef out of the sail and stood
of on soU Invest tack, but before | had
made five m les the wind died out entirely
and we were left tumbling on the last OF the
sea Night anne on as mild and balmy as
you please, the ocean grew quiet, and every
one OF Us lay down and slept the whole night
through wit lout break. l was the first up.
and the min ate | saw the sky l groaned in
despair. 1t portended hot day and a dead
calm, and both followed. Even before break
fast had e. make "a shift TO get some shelter
from the bls zing sun, and when / came to
overhaul tho provisions my face SO betrayed
my feelings that the younger girl cried out:
Obi Jack, but what has happened nowr'
/ could have eaten and drank all we had
in five minutes. had not filled the water
keg 10 its ca pacity, and even some that did
put in had TAXED out by way of the bung. /
had TO tell hem that we must put ourselves
on ALLOWANCE, and hardly more than a crumb
at that, but they cheerfully accepted the sit
uation. ! an not going into the details of
the next week. For seven successive DAYS
We had dead calm or a contrary breeze,
which was Of little use 10 help US beat up.
We spun the water and provisions out for
four days, and then We had nothing left.
By resortin5 70 those expedients known To
sailors We kept hunger and thirst in allegiance
until the eve ming of the sixth day. Then the
three walled and wept, and ! took of my
cowhile she's and cut one into strips for US
to chew at There was some slight relief,
and the three only called out in their troubled
sleep few times. We had only the leather
all day Of the seventh, and on the morning Of
the eighth. although a favorable breeze was
blowing, AMI We all felt in better spirits, !
had to cut W the other shoe. Little Ben was
now reduced to a bundle Of bones, and he had
the CLASSY eves which so with fever, while
the girls were burned and freckled and starved
until l could not bear to look at them Both
were looking ahead in II vacant, uncanny
way, and Ben was resting in my arms while
| steered, when We ran straight across the
course Of a trader coming up from New Zea-
land, and W re picked up.
Being young man, and a tough one, it
wasn't a for might before / was my old self
again, but ne girls and the boy were down
with fever fJr a month or more, and were a
whole year IN being restored to health New
York Sun.