Wichita eagle., 1889-12-12

the wind held as it was we'd he OF least hum
dred miles off the shore by sunrise. Ii 1t got
I'D much stronger I'd have to bring the yawi
about head On, no matter what the FISK, Tor
she was now rolling gunwale down and only
lust keeping ahead OF the rollers. l got the
women folks to lie down in the bottom Of the
boat. and then had Mr. Howe pass me the
single oar, piece of board which little Ben
had put in, bit of two by four scantiing
which was under thwart, and a water pail
While Still holding the yawl dead before the
wind tied these together for a drag, told
Mr. Howe to attach them to the boats
painter, and by midnight was ready to bring
her head on.
1t was time The wind was now blowing
half gale and there was danger that fol-
lowing sea might break aboard and fill US. !
did not tell bin, what proposed to do, fear
ing he would become nervous and rattle me,
but quietly waited for the right moment.
sent him to the bow TO throw out the drag,
and when hauled sheet and put the tlIer
over could feel my heart in my throat. She
hung for a moment, and every soul aboard
screamed out in terror, but the crisis passed,
and as she settled into a hollow she was head
to the gale, and the drag was holding her
thus | then explained to the people that
nothing more could be done, and that they
might as well lie down. When they were
down got out an Old oil cloti and covered
them from the flying spray as much as posi-
bic, and then took my seat anudships 10 use
the bailer did not rest over five minutes
at time from midnight to daylight, and
when day finally broke and l looked about
me, nv heart was like lead. The gale still
held off shore, with no sign that it might
change or abate, and the ocean around me
was boiling caldron. The yawl was riding
like O cork however, and the only water
taken in came from the wave crests broken
off and hurled at us by the wind. When the
people finally crawied out | hardly knew
them. All were pale, hollow eyed and de-
spairing, while M lowe had look upon
BIS face which made me stare a. him. 1t was
a look Of mortal fear and desperation, and
realized that his mind was going The poor
women didn't seem 20 notice 1t, having so
much trouble OF their own, but little Ben
did, and he crept over to me ard whispered.
Please, Jack, but you wont let papa
touch noe, will you:"
| began to call out in a cheerful voice that
the gale was abatins, and that we We're all
ming, crafty way, us if he meditated some
trick l got out the provisions, reused up
the women, and forced item to sip the vine
and cut little. The gentleman refused TO par
take with US, and by and 10y the women
began to notice his strange actions. ThlS
brought about q climax. | saw him looking
steadfastiy at his wife, and ! carefully moved
nearer to her. One of The girls changed her
position further aft, fearing that struggle
was about TO take place, and / turned and
extended my hand TO steady her. AS l did
so Howe uttered a sort of scream, sprang
upon and seized his wife, and, though l
ciutched her skirts the fabric tore, and both
went overheard and out of sight in an in
slant. Neither one rose to the surface, OF, il
they did, they were far beyond reach. The
sudden and awful tragedy deeply affected US
ali, and the girls flung themselves down and
could not be reused up again until afternoon
Ben didn't realize it SO deeply, but it was like
a dagger ct my heart TO see him sitting with
closed eyes and white face, and his lips franz
inc 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 he'd
blown Itself out, and now considered it only
a question OF time VIXEN we should sight the
coast TIE better state OF affairs brought
new life 10 the girls, and was glad to have
them rouse up and show some signs of life
A rough EIan like me is no real comforter to
one in distress, but did the best could, and
finally got them interested 10 the question of
saving themselves By O'Clock got in the
drag, shock one reef out of the sail, and stood
~ httt l,efnr / lo6
made five miles the wind died out entirely
and we were left tuImbiing on the last of the
sea. Night came 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 without break / was the first up,
and the minute saw the sky | groaned III
despair. 1t portended hot day and a dead
calm. and both followed. Even before break
fast had TO make a shift TO get some Shelter
from the blazing sun, and when | came To
overhaul the provisions my lace so betrayed
my feelings that the younger alri cried out:
''Ohl Jack, but what has happened nowf'
could have eaten and drank ali we had
IL five minutes had not filed the water
keg to It's capacity, and even some that aid
put in had leaked out by way of the bung.
had to tell them That we must put ourselves
on allowance, and hardly more than a crumh
at that, but they cheerfuliy accepted the sit
uation. | am not going inUo the details OF
the next week. For seven successive days
we had dead calm or contrary breeze,
which was Of little use 10 hei p us beat up.
We Spun the water and provisions out for
four DAYS, and then we had nothing left.
By resorting TO :nose eXpedisnts known to
sailors we kept hunger and thirst III allegiance
three walled and wept, and | took off my
cowhid shoes aud 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
blowing. ami we all felt in better spirits,
had to cut up the other shoe. Little Ben was
now reduced to a bundle of bones, and he had
the CLASSY eyes which 60 with fever, while
the girls were burned and freckled and starve ed
until could not bear to look at them. Both
were locking ahead in a 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. ana were picked up.
Being young man, and q tough one, il
wasn't q fortnight before | was my old self
again, but the girls and the boy were down
with fever for month or more, and were a
whole year in being restored TO health.-New
York Sun