The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-07-01
In the RO'Snn'S Boat.

the burning ship-the ninth since we
lost sight of the other boats. Seven
men, three women and two children
twelve of us-crowded into one OF the
quarter boats, with the hO'sun IN
charge.
Twelve days ago the Cape Of Good
Hope WAS due west and 200 miles
away. The three days gale drove us
to the north, and separated the boats.
Then came the drifting under sun
which burns and blisters like veri-
table ball of fire.
"Water! Water! For Gods sake,
give me water!"
That was the cry on every lip, even
from the strongest OF the seamen.
We had only q few gallons as we pull
ed away from the burning ship. 1t il
always thus when great danger
menaces-there is excitement and
hast and neglect. 1t had been dealt
out sparingly, grudgingly, almost
drop by drop, but it was gone three
DAYS ago. 1t was thus with the food
the last crumbs given to the chill
dren with the last drop OF water.
Some of us languid!y watched the
bo'suu as he stood OH athwart and
slowly turned about to scan the sea
from every point-sOme d'd not even
look up. No one asked question as
the Olu man EdO uO" AZ ~
looked at each other, but it was with
a vacant stare. The women sat with
bowed heads-the children seemed to
sleep, though moaning family at i'd
terVals.
No sail in sight. How could there
be without a breath of air stirring:
The same ball of fire creeping up out
of the immensely of the Indian Ocean
the same CLASSY surface as far as the
eve can travel. On the port quarter
il a monster shark which has main
tanned his position for four Gays-on
| the starboat quarter his mate. Their
presence filled us with terror at first,
! now 10 one cares. 1t il two hours
since the sun came up. Not word
| has been spoken. or II sudden the
mother of the little GOy-a curly-halr-
! ed, blue-eyed boy of seven-ilfts her
mead in sudden alarm and looks about
her with eyes betraying the terror In
her soul. l know the cause. she mas
read and heard of shipwrecks iii ma.
Ccean-Of boats drifting about until
food and water were gOne-of men ana
| women casting lots to see who snoulu
die. Our food and water are gone.
We are dying of hunger and thirst.
She is holding the boy in her lap,
she looks from his pale, piuched lace
to the ho'sun and back, and her breath
comes Tasps.
Now the .uother of this little girl
q sunny haired little thing scarce -four
years Old-betrays the same fear. !
am next to her. AS our eyes meet !
can read her thoughts; they are the
thoughts of the other, mother
Twelve days ago she was handsome
woman. This morning her face is sc
pinched aud drawn and Drowned that
[ stare at her in amaZement. There
is fear in her eyes as she looks up at
the hO'eun; the fear is replaced by
defiance as she Chances at the others
MidforcnOOn comes, but II ere Is nf
change. No one has spOkeu-0nly
two or thee have changed their posi-
tons.
It is noon now. Even the bu'sun
has fallen into stupor, and one look
ing over the quarters might have Il:
ticed that tbs. sharks had drawn ;
little nearer.
, "S"mehody has got to de! Do y"
he ar me-, bO'suu-we must cas-. lots [.
see who snail die!'
/, was the black whi-kered, BEETLE
brow ed sailor whom | had noticed
hungriiy cycling the little Toy the day
ueforr. 1 had said TO myself then
shat lie wculd toe the first TO clam"
for y sacrifice lie had thrown of hl'
StuRpr ana llSEn 10 IL ) leSj, ANU Sl9 III
, shouted out Dis words his eye glaIet
like those Of a hungry wolf.
DWELL " ait another day, Daniel,
, replied the bO'su with painful effort
mot another hour" screamed tn
man.
AYE, and that's III, :"
"And mel"
land mtw
[ Thtre were fur sailor men on thei
= feet confronting the bo'suu-iiVe sail
4 ots in all as the crew OF the boat.
: TIE bU'sun looked from man tC
} man, ana then his gaze was directe
\ upon each passenger in turn. 1t ha
t come suddenly, but he Was not su.'
b. prised. He had reasoned tina it wa
: only question of time.
! "Wait until sundowD," he final
y said
/ well either cast lots nowor II
y have one OF the children" shoutet
the black whiskered man, and til
others cried out after him that
was no use to wait longer. The DO
7 sun stood up and took long surVe
of the sea. Thirst ana hunger All
want OF sleep had dimmed his vision
j He rubbed his eyes again and agAi
y and finally sat down with n grOa!
2 aud said:
It "SOmc one prepare the lOts"
/ handed the biack-w hiskeTed ma
an envelope from my pocket. He Gu
it into twelve strips and teen shorter
e ed one of the strips and handed all
e the bo'sun. The officer arrange
q them in his hand, with his back turn
: ed to us. By this time all were arOu'
e ed and looking on. Even the chi
II dren were awake and looking aboC
II in a queer, dazed way. AS my eye
q rested Oh them, and / noted how hun
y ger and thirst had reduced them
skeletons, l laughed outright at tn
idea of one of them being sacrifice
to keep the rest of us alive. A ship
rat would have more flesh OH il
= bones.
Me first" said the blac -whiskel
ed man as lie reached out his harC
r. All the men drew first, and as eac
= one drew the others eyed HIM huDgrl
At Nv. The childless woman came mex
r All the women understood what va
a going on, but all were silent. Their
were four slips left.
Il You draw fOr yourself and the
v for the child" said the bo'sun, a. h
!. extended his hand and turned hi
V ACE away.
r The mother of the boy drew last c
e all. One of the slips was the shOI
p one!
3 at was a fair drawn-hand hin
Is over! grOwled the black whiskere
g man as lie gaZed at her with tho eye
, of a human wolf. For answer tn
Il woman sprang up with the boy i
n her arms, and, standing with on
Il foot on a thwart aud the other on III
d gunwale, she cried out:
d Don't you dare TO touch us
r Wen go to the sharks before yO
q shall kill him"
q The monster shark on the POI
K quarter drew alongside the boat read
3 to seize his prey. For half a Ininut
e 10 one spoke, no one moved. The
e the mother suddenly pointed to III
q north and ehrIeked:
q "See! See there! Cod Ia heaven,
b thank theei"
It was great black STEAMSHIP