The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-05


be. There is no rubbing that out" re-
piled, and then did my best to steer as
nicely as | could. so that no broaching to
should hasten our fate
On. on-once passing a hapiess vessel
drifting bottom up, with her sails and
spars alongside OF her-we swept until the
night was upon us. Then the captain and
IA good seaman relieved us from the helm,
and | had time to think. | went below
and looked at the chart. made an enti-
mate of our speed, and to my horror saw
we could not be over twenty or. at the
most, thirty miles to windward of the
rockiest part of the Cuban coast.
went on deck sick at heart, for sea and |
gale seemed higher than ever. told the
captain how near the last peril was, but he |
did not seem to heed me. He stood with
his shoulder to the wheel, and the ship |
flew madly on. Never had she sailed with
such speed before
| went forward, and while | looked at
the phosphoric flame flashing from be-
meath the bow thought of home of my
own loved Ella-and | groaned in bitter
agony. | never before had feared death,
but now-now so near it was terriblel
An hour maybe more, and then heard
all too plain, even above the wild roar of
the storm, the sound so sullen and deep
of the surging breakers. rushed aft aud
shouted the fearful tidings in the cap
tain's ear.
God help us! God help us" was all he
said liza
An instant after we were in white, seeth-
ing, Kissing water, and then, lifted sky
ward on mountain roller, we were dashed
down with terrible crash upon the dread
ed rocks. Darkness demonstrating phos-
Ypbnriapn a1i nd he ahin oh
parting beneath our feet, men shrieking in
wild misery-my pen cannot paint the
picture.
And now wave after wave swept on over
us, lifting the ship up and crushing her
down, tearing her all asunder, and yet |
chung to rope which | had fastened to
bolt in the deck, not knowing whether one
was alive beside me or not, for all was
silent but the winds and waters. Like
bowling demons they went on with their
fearful chorus.
! How long seemed that night. while |
| could feel that the shattered remnants of
the old ship were going fast from under
mel But the blessed daylight came at last,
and even the sun shone out. And / saw,
dashed like myself to the deck, but one
man-that man was the captain. Whittier
than foam was his face, and full as white
Ills nttLt w nlCu heti DCCn SlOSSJ DEOWn Ou
the day before. Our eyes met-his were
wild and wolfish-insanity's fire was in
them.
The sea now drove the last part of the
wreck asunder, and for moment / thought
we both were gone; but on one high spot
of rock we got foothold, and there clutch
ing the coral crag with bleeding hands we
hung.
Until then neither of us had looked
away from each other or the wreck. But
; together glancing southwark. there we
; saw, not mile distant, beautiful, flower
carpeted, fruit laden Cuba. White cot
; tages, groves of golden oranges, and tall
palm trees-never had they looked so beau
tiful to me. Yet mile of terrible break.
: ers lay between us and tia waste of wa
ters," through which the strongest swim
mer could not hope to pass.
And the ship was gone-no, one plank
single plank-small, but large enough
for one to cling to, came drifting in our
reach. With one hand each of us seized it.
while with the other we chung to the peak
of rock which alone had saved us from in
slant destruction.
Let 20 the plank, it is mine! / will
lash myself to it and live!" cried the cap
I tain, his eyes glazing fiercely on me.
81 will not yield my right; the plank il
: mine, and life is as dear to me as to your
1 shouted.
81 have wife and children; you hav
, none; let me live for them" he pleaded.
= II have one doarer than all the world;
= will live for her who yet shall be my wifel'
| cried.
J, "Fool-fool! she shall look for you il
= !, vain!' And as he said this he drew pis
= toll from his bosom. Well | knew it wa
a nonpad xvotI I lrnarxy hnx
3 he was in aim; but l drew the PLAN
! toward me which he had let go of when
, clutched his weapon. He raised his hand
!. his weapon was leveled at my heart.
:, give up the plank" he shouted.
d" "Never, coward-neverl Fire, and m
= dying curse go with your
= | closed my eyes-I knew my fate-but
= wild rush of water, fearful wave, swer
me far, far away from the rock. Then
= was Notwithstanding, choking in tn
= water. But rose, and as did, somethin
!, hard touched my body. 1 clutched it.
= was that blessed plank. To it | chung wit
a death grasp; yet it seemed as if 1 wa
I doomed to die, after all, for the waters Coz
= cred me and lost all consciousness.
y But not for all time. was restored to
= knowledge that dear life was yet mine b
y y the kind acts of Cubans, who had draw
!, my body, yet clmging to the plank, froi
T" the surf, and were applying stimulan
when | opened my glad eyes once more G
= : the face of bright humanity.
- l asked if any Others had got to the shor
- They carried me to Il mournful lookiI
- group of bodies. | saw several of the GREY
- but not him-not the captain. But eve
NC while we stood there II great rolling wa
- swept him in, and for IN instant thougl
- he lived; he looked so grim, with the pist