Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16
A DOOMED SHIP.
The Lightning Struck Her and Fire Finish
ed Her.
Century.

Dco4IGD LII
The Lightning struck Her and Fire Finish
ed Her.
Out ON the broad blue ocean, not far
from the equator, thousands of miles from
any land, lying motiOnless On a calm sea,
was a dismasted ship. Nothing remained
of her taunt masts and spars but the miz-
zenmast, the bowsprit, and Jlb and flying
jib-booms. From the mizzen topsail and
cross-jack yards hung a few ragged strips
of canvas, and out at the far ends of the
flying jib-boom depended part of the stay
and some fragments of a sail, torn and
rent. Just as it had been after the fierce
gale which had rendered this gallant ship
so helpless a wreck. Not a breath of wind
was stirring IN the heavens; not a cloud
was in the deep blue sky; not a ripple or a
flaw disturbed the far-stretching ocean. 1t
was high noon and the sur was almost YER
tical. All was silent. The son was pour
ing down its fierce tropical rays on the
blistered deck and ON the vast, calm sea.
There she Lay, a spectral ship upon a
silent ocean There was not a sign of life
on board; not a sound of life could be
heard, except now and again when a swirl
of water made the rudder-chains rattle
and creak, as the wheel moved a few
spokes backward and forward, or when an
albatross tapped up from the sea, lowered
over the ship, and then flew away into the
distance.
The day passed slowly, as many days
had passed, the sun began to sink lower
and lower in the western sky, and once
more, like a blood-red shield, it sank into
the bosom of the ocean, leaving behind it a
flood of erubesoent light, which tingled the
sky with the ensanguined hues, and these,
reflected in the water beneath, caused the
ship to appear as if she was floating in a
sea of blood. The crimson faded into
orange and pink, and then into gray, and
then the shades of evening stole slowly
over the scene; and one by one the stars
came out and studded the whole of the
cloudless armament.
Suddenly there came out from the cuddy
window a stream of light and a man gaunt
and emaciated peered out on the deserted
deck. A few minutes afterward another
gleam of light shot from another aperture
In the door of the forecastle deck house and
two eyes-cruel. reddish brown eyes-and
peered cautiously out. These men had
beer for DAYS waiting and watching for
each others death. They were the captain
and mate of the vessel, who when the crew
had taken to the boats had refused to
desert her.
For days and weeks-how many they
had no idea, for they had lost all count of
time-tbey had been alone on the painless
deep. AT first they had made the best of
their situation, day by day hoping and ex-
pecting that succor would come and they
should be rescued. They put themselves
on short allowance of both food and water,
but Notwithstanding the food was at
length nearly consumed, the water was
quite exhausted, so hat they had nothing
left that was drinkable but a few bottles of
wine and brandy. To the torture of
hunger was now added the agony of rag
ing thirSt-a thirst which neither wine
nor brandy would quench, but rather in
tensify.
Anything more horrible than their stu
alton cannot be imagined and the dread
ful conviction wa being forcedupon them
that they must die.
This was the state of affairs three days
previous to the opening of this story. The
captain was sitting with his eyes apparent
ly closed, and the mate was watching him
with eager, hungry eyes. Up to this point
the mate had been the most hopeful of the
two, but now he had abandoned himself to
despair.
No succor could reach them. he knew.
while the calm lasted. but this was not the
thought that was haunting his mind.
Zone of them must die-the death of the
one would be the preservation of the
other" This was the mental refrain
which, as it were. formed the chorus to
every other thought. The death of one
would be the preservation of the other.s'
He sat there cycling the captain with a
diabolical leer. He was no longer a man:
he was a demon. Suddenly he started up.
BY a revulsion of feeling. which is not un-
common IN such cases. he had passed from
helpless dependency into furious delirium.
With a hoarse cry he had sprung at Capt.
Dunnett brandishing a long knife in his
hand. A fierce struggle ensued; it was
sharp and short, and the mate, after be-
ing disarmed, was pushed forward and
fell violently upon the deck. Capt. Dun
nett was the younger and stronger of the
two, and had he been so inclined, could
have dispatched the mate with ease; but
he contented himself disarming him,
threw the knife into the sea, retreated tC
the cabin and shut and locked the door.
The mate after this grew more furious
and vainly attempting to enter the cabin,
withdrew to the forecastle and took up hi;
abode there: and now for three days he
had been waiting and watching for IKE
captains death.
To be buried alive has been thought t.
be beyond question the most painful of all
deaths; but it IS doubtful if the long-draw1
agonies which were being endured by these
two men were not the more painful of the
two.
.'How long-how long can this last?'
moaned Capt. Dunnett, as he sat and gazeC
out into the night. A painful sort ofapathy
was stealing over him.. He had no hope
he made no effort, he had no longer any
wish to live. If death were coming hi
only prayer was that it might come quick
".
Slowly, minute by minute, the life wa
ebbing out of him; and Iassurely, with
tortoiselike graduation, the night crept on