Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-05
A HEROINE OF SIXTEEN
The Extraordinary Swim from the Qnetta
IL r. Meade 10 WOman,rl

IL T.. Meade ia 4" Woman
In the history Of this century there has
perhaps never been known an instance Of
greater courage. endurance, and pluck
than that shown by Emily Lacy, a young
girl under sixteen years OF age az the time
OF the wreck of the Quota. As Miss Lacy
l. related TO some personal friends OF my
own. [ have asked permission TO publish a
few more particulars about her. she and
her Younger sister aged thirteen, were
coming TO England 20 complete their edu-
cation. When the crash came Emily I'm.
mediately rushed TO the cabin TO try and
rescue her Younger sister, and the two sue
ceeded in reaching the deck. where how
ever. they were at once separated; and
they never met afterward. Miss Lucy says
that as the vessel was going down gentle
man IN whose care the girls were said 20
her: lyon look after yourself and Will
take care of May" Both tins gentleman,
however, and the little sister were
drowned.
SWIMMING WITH CISGALEsE AND sHRRP.
when we got att she writes, " the
ship suddenly went down, and az ! was
drinking in the salt water thought was
going 10 be drowned. But came up again
and was surrounded by Clngalese ana
sheep. felt myself being pressed down
rait a short distance out and was dragged
on 10 1t by the Purser, who was very
Kind 10 me. We were attached TO
a bigger raft, crowded with Cinga-
lsse. When we got away some
distance, az the Cingalese became very
noisy, we cut our raft adrift, and remain
ei on her with the Purser for q long time
TIL we were, US | thought, two miles from
the shore; and az he told me that be could
not swim, | left HIM and swan tor the
shore. but did not reach IL, as It was 80
far away. | went on swimming towards
the land, and saw another raft, ON which
we're two Cingalese, TO which ! made my
way, and got TO it: but as they were very
rude and excited, and thought they might
be drunk, left 1t and took to swimming
again"
"DURYTp NEARLY BLACK wrHTKE SUN
When lifted out Of the water she could
not have kept mp for another half hour.
She was quite without clothes and burned
nearly black with the sun. Before lifting
her ont OF the water a sailor threw his
Jacket over her and then laid her tenderlyin
the bottom of the boat. For twenty con-
secutiye hours she had been swimming
and hoating, sometimes ON her back, some
times on her side. she spoke OF
the heat as so intense that she had
continually TO keep her head under
water TO escape sunstroke. She SAYS tnat
she had never any conscious fear of death.
either from drowning or from worse or
more terrible enemy, sharks. but she often
felt her powers of endurance giving way,
and it was only the thought OF the agony
her death would have caused her parents
which enabled the heroic girl TO continue
her exertions. The wreck took place al
+. NJ. on Friday. February 18th. and Miss
Lacy was not rescued until O'Clock on
Sunday morning. Twelve hours ont OF
that time she spent with the chief officer,
Grey, who had got on raft. As he could
not swim the brave girl swan by the side
of the raft and tried to tow 1t toward land.
Finding, however, that she was making no
progress, she left him, hoping 10 reach
land. which did not seem far away, and so
get food and water for herself and him.
She soon, however, gotinto cross currents.
and when the Albatross rescued her she
was drifting out to sea. Miss Lacy Is now