Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-10-24

way IN when could De preserved u
record Of their disaster and placed
. the pocket of the coat, since this woul
most likely be one If the first thing
r to attract the eve of search.
"Well," said the lieutenant in charc
{ of the boat after we had all examine
the writing, there is nothing more fc
us to do but blow her up, SO get tn
: torpedoes ready"
THE recall is hoisted, sir..n cried thu
man who had been stationed - keep
lookout On the ship, and sure enough
blue flag with a white center streamet
out from the mizzen-royal masthead o
the Croydon.
very we'll! Look alive and man tht
boat!' shouted the lieutenant, as
CHANGING to windward, he saw a heavy
squat of wind and rain sweeping dowI
upon Us. II it had been a difficult mat
ter to board the vessel it was much
more difficult to abandon her, but one
by one we managed to let ourselves
down the line into the plunging boat
beneath, but not without many a
scratch and bruise. Quickly the men
took their places on the thwarts and
! the bow oarsinan stood by to cast off
the line that held us.
"All in?" asked the lieutenant.
"All but Thomas, sir" replied the
coXswain, glancing at the crew.
"Where is he-did anybody see
Thomas" inquired the lieutenant, anx-
iously.
"Sing out for him one of you" and
one of the men standing up in the boat
put his hands to his mouth and shouted
through them: Thomas! Thomas"
And as he did so a mar came rushing
aft from the forecastle house, but with
such a look Of terror on his blanchcd
face that few Of us recognized him as
our shipmate.
"a skeleton! A skeleton" he
screamed, and then fell headlong on
the deck.
"a skeleton cried the lieutenant.
pull the boat in a little and | will see
what it s."
The bow oarsman stopped TO do so,
but as he did so a heavier sea than
usual tore under the vessels stern. The
line that held US, already worn and
chafed. stranded under the added
strain, and the binding squall broke
upon US and carried the boat far away
Ia lecward.
Brayely the oarsmen struggled to re.
gain the ship but the boat was too
small and the seas were heavy aud the
wind was now blowing furiously, and,
slowly at first, but soon faster and fast
er we drifted away from her. We could
see the unfortunate man, now running
back and forth on deck like some Gagged
animal and now standing on the rail as
if about to plunge into the sea.
jump, and wen pick you up"
shouted the Lieutenant. But the wind
caught the words and bore them far
away and he did not hear them, or if
he did his courage failed him and he
dared not do il, and soon the mist and
rain closed in about the vessel and shut
him from our sight
Il was q desperate pull 70 reach the
ship and twice we were in danger Of
swapping. and when we caught the
line thrown 10 Us from the Croyden the
boat was half filed with water. That
night for Us on board the ship was an
anxious Z The scuall that had
caught Us in the boat was but the be-
ginning u d gale. and the Croyden was
son lying 20 under storm sails with
barely storage Way. The memory Of
that Pygr fellow On the wa,er-loyyed
hara sikh his qhastly salDmate was
ever present and few q Us who had
sAeu lls terfyr-sir.cken c-oun.euaDce
got much sleep that night Happily TO.
ards morning the gale showed signs of
a5a'--g- and tefor- the break Of dav
tie sea which had risen 80 suddenly.
began n % down aoi A. toon Is il was
possible we lowered q boat.
The Croydon had dr.t,ed more 10 lee
ward than the wreck but we could soon
make her out q the horizon. and the
"eA~aelsr'ed crew With long and steady
stroke soon shortened the distance. As
We drew nearer the form Of Thomas
eoU.d " seen through the glasses lean.
ing against the rail
Thank Heaven. be still aliye, e,.
Mr Horton. the officer In
II tie boat When we came
within ha4lng distance we shouted N
sim words II CHEEKY greeting. bu,
Iaoma- made no resygug. until when
isw mats Lengths he sprauy
~ the rail aud screaming ~ us 10 keen
hurled pieces Of wreckage which he
had gathered sbogt him a. the adyanc.
ing boat.
Hes mad re cried; the nigh, On
hoard has made bin mad
We s,ppped pulling and then backed
"at@F ~ Keep clear II the missiles
the maniac never ceased throw.
lug ., aA
Ordering tie crew ~ lay On their
osrs Nr Horton rOse In the stern
snests and saic:
we've come ~ take you back 10 the
mp JhofaaA Don't you know us?
Don't yoa knDw me? lam Hr. Horton. -
Knp~ you shouted tack the poor
"of cDuns ! do. IIayent /
.~en hRnting " keep you of nag ship
tie last ~eeEf Hs, ha be laughed.
and I've done r. M. One boa,'s
.en2th nearer and III blow You out Of
The water
We bssitted, Undecided VIA, 70 do.
" course we nigh, dash Up and board
ship. but then there was danger that
J homahs IN bis present excited STATE
night tDro~ himself into the sea and
BE- drowned, and ~ it "a. deemed test
" az, vita caution, and II possible 10
gam a foothold By stealth and then 70
and put him in the boat We
Dnilsd slowly around the ship. Mr.
horton by sDDtbing words endeayorinv
" calm the maniac, who followed us
~ We eircled about and With many
threats warned us 10 keep away.
when we reached the other aide a
horrible sight net orr eyes Propped
up against the stump Of the mizzen
was the skeleton which Thomas
had dragged frofp beneath the fore.