Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-10-21

' '"O jaws Vi ueatn, whose faces ha,
grown prematurely old during that ter
rible night. Irfa ny-g''a-,
| of the Golden Eagle and the rest O
her crew, not vestige remained. Gu
OF ships company of twenty-six All
told, twenty had persisted when oul
gallant ship met her doom, synA
| Our present position was serious. Be.
tore us the vast iceberg, piercing the
clouds, its pinnacled submits touched
with the cold light of returning day :
astern, waste Of waters, seething like
a caldron, 10 which no boat could live
| AS the day advanced tho gale abated
but the sea continued to run so high
we were compelled to remain close IN
der the berg till the following morning
We managed to get some sleep. 6y
taxing 1t in turns too keep the boat in
safe position, and at daybreak We
were able toAput into more open water.
the sea being calmer. Our one hone
was that we might sight passing ship.
The second mate was standing on
athwart, anxiously searching , with strain
ing eyes, across the gray waters. Sud
denly ho threw bis arm up and shouted,
In wild excitement:
"A sail! A sail ~
The cry sent the blood coursiuo
through our veins once more, as we
followed tho direction of his gaze, and
saw towards the northeast, the welcome
sight.
Our first sensation of joy was soon
followed by anxious doubts. Our lives
depended on the course she was steer
ing, and of that We must remain in ie-
noranco for some time.
Ii she proved to DO close. hauled. aha
would bear down on us in few hours ;
but II her course was northward we were
doomed mon.
What is she 2" asked the captain.
"Homeward bound ~ cried one.
"No; can see her head. sails p said
Capt. Burton.
She was standing towards the berg.
of that there could be no doubt-.and
our hearts were lifted up again. Sud
denly her aftersails darkened, while
those forward still shonc white.
"Sho has tackled We are lost r.
she had come as close to the berg as
was prudent, and was now standing
away on the opposite tack.
Nov, men, let US mako last effort
Tor our lives !" cried the captain, taking
oil his coat and jumping on athwart
and waving it as signal of distress.
We all shouted till our voices failed
us, but the vessel kept her course and
sank below the horizon, and we were
alone again on the sullen sea.
We all sank into the boat, crushed
and hopeless. This bitter disappoint-
ment, coupled with our long exposure
to cold and wet and the want of food
quite unnamed us. 1t turned me sick
and faint. My head swan, as though
the boat were in the vortex Of a whirl-
pool, and | swooned away.
When | recovered consciousness I
became aware, from tho motion of our
boat, that we were in comparatively
smooth sca.
A few stars were visible aud [ could
see the outlines of my companions hud-
died together IN the stern. Their list
less conversation reached me, and thew
were talking of our probable position,
which was supposed to DO somewhere
near the South Shetland Island. n bar
rem rock lying quite out of the track Of
ships
They talked like men resigned To
their fatc They had abandoned all
hope and considered themselves doomed
Just before dawn cold sea fog so,-
tied upon us, making our position even
more miserable than before.
When tho dawn appeared there were
indications of clear sky, and when
the sun rose the fog rolled away like a
curtain. To US tho effect was like that
OF stage spectacle, for every man stag
gered simultaneously TO his feet and
stared with incredulous eyes at tho sight
before him am certain that for u
second or so We all thought VIC were
dreaming.
Right ahead Of US lay large brig,
her foretopmast, maintop- gallantmast
and jib'boom carried away, ard the
wreckagc still floating alongside.
''Brig ahoy!' shouted Capt. Burton;
but there was no response.
Again and again he shouted, while
We, with suddenly revived energies.
worked the boat alongside.
No sound or sign Of life came 10 us.
and she was evidently Abandoned. She
proved to be an Italian brig, laden with
coal, but with both her matches stove In.
Our first care was 10 sound tho we'll.
There were four feet Of water in tho
hold. The pumps were chokod, and We
were powerless, therefore, TO keep her
a6oat. Her crew had evidently aban-
doned her in a panic, for We found
clothes 10 tho forecastle aud ample pro-
visions on board.
After hearty meal and welcome
exchange Of our wot clothes for dry, wo
returned TO the we'll. and found the water
in tho hold had not increased in depth.
IL do not believe she is leaking. The
water must have gone down through tho
hatches,' Capt. Burton said
And it proved to be the case.
You may imagine our feelings Of ro-
lief and joy The food, 10 much needed,
and the change Of clothes, added TO this
new hope Of escape, revived our oner-
gies, and VIC set TO work 10 clear tho
wreckngo and rig up jury topmast and
jib-boom.
The hatchos we're secured against
further accidents, aud before night set
10 We had shaped course for the Falk-
land islands.
The log-book showed that tho brig
was bound from Cardiff to Valparaiso,
aud We afterward learned that tho crew
had boon picked up by the vessel VIC had
sighted
Next day we succeeded ia clearing
the pumps. The wind freshened into
another Oale but nv carefnl scamansb;o