Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-08-11

calculated 1t was time to look to tire
boats"
The others stood listening with hard,
solid, leathcry faces, generally gazing
with steadfast eyes ut the speaker, but
sometimes CHANGING aslsant at the cap
tain and the crowd of others which
stood around.
There was n tarnation ugly sea run
ming the man went on, "and, the
wheel being desartcd the ship had
fallen off and lay in the trough, and the
lowering Of the stern boats, whalemen
though they WAS who had the handling
OF EN-, cost our company OF twenty
eight souls the loss OF all hands, sa wing
them as stand afore yc."
"A bad job. A measly, cruel, bad
job" here broke In long-jawed man,
whose brow and eyes were almost con
cealed by quantity of coarse red hair.
We'll, Ms eight men got away in the
boat" proceeded the spokesman.
bringing along with MS nothin' but n
small bag Of bread and about six gall
Ions of fresh water. We've been wash
ing about since Tuesday, and now, the
Lord be praised, here we be, with
chance Of getting something to eat,
and, what's more plcasureable still to
our feelings, the opportunity Of com
fortably turning in"
murmur of pity ran among the pas
sengers, several of whom were ladies,
and there was moro than one some what
loud whisper to the effect that the cap
tain ought really TO send the poor crea-
lures forward at once to get some
breakfast instead OF holding them
starving and dry with thirst TO talk.
The eagle-eyed skipper, however,
asked several questions before dis
missing them.
"Since, then, by their own confess
sion, the fire gave them plenty time
to. escape from the bark, how was IL
they had left her so ill-provisioned as
they represented?"
This was most satisfactorily account
ed for. Other inquiries of a like nature
were responded to with alacrity and in
telligencc. Every sentence that one or
another Of them let fall was cor
roborated by the rest. Their tale of
suffering, indeed, in the open boat
was almost narrowing, and the cap
tain, with the first note of sympathy
that his voice had taken. ordered them
to go forward, adding that after n good
hot meal had been served them they
might turn in and sleep for the rest of
the day wherever they could make
u bed.
At the breakfast in the saloon moth
ing was talked about but the American
wbaler that had been consumed by fire,
the dreadful drowning of some two
thirds Of her crew and the miraculous
deliverance of the survivors from the
inexpressible perils and horrors Of an
open boat in the solitude OF che
stormiest part Of ocean the wide world
over. A benevolent gentleman pro-
posed subscription. Before the
luncheon bell was rung a sum Of thirty
pounds sterling had been collected.
Tho incident was break in the mo-
notony, and when the eight men reap
pearcd on deck during the afternoon
they were promptly approached by the
passengers, who obliged them to recitc
again aud yet again their melancholy
story Of maritime disaster.
On tho morning Of the third day fol-
lowing the date OF this rescue a ship
was sighted almost directly in line
with the vessels course. AS she was
neared she was seen to be rugged with
stump or Cape Horn topgallaut masts;
she was also under very easy canvas,
which gave her very short-handed
look in that quiet sea. Great wooden
dnvits overhung her sides, from which
dongled q number OF boats, She pre-
scented a very grimy, worn aspect, and
had manifestly kept the sea for months.
II was observed by the chief officer
standing bn the bridge Of the steamer;
that the eight rescued men, who were
looking at tho sail ahead, along with
some Of tho crew and steerage passen-
gers, disclosed several symphonic Of
uDensiness and even Of agitation, Sud-
denly the stripes and stars. with the
dtaEs in~erteS-weze sla- sln& v Sa