Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-20
TnE MAN w. r4g lsweLa.
T. Marion Crawford Reports an Exciting
Time On an Italian Steamer.


I. Marion Crawford Reports an Rxcitfag
Time Oh an Italian steamer.
speaking Of Jewels" said y. Marion
Crawford, the author, toa reporter, recalls
to me an incident on an Italian steamer. IL
Illustrates the ovcrpoweI1ng greed for gold
and the estimate some people place upon
their worldly possessions. 1t also illus
trntes mans splendid nerve.
1T was on my last trip up from India
10 was dinner hour My seat was on tne
captains right Opposite me sat an old
English sea captain. Next TO him was IA
Calcutta English merchant who had &C.
cumulatod fortune and was returning 10
old England TO enjoy It. He had invested
q large sum Of money In rich jewels, and
they were aboard with him There were
only n few of US who knew that tho shin's
safe contained many thousands Of pounds
sterling worth of diamonds and rubies.
We were all laughing and talking and
enjoying our meal immensely No one
thought Of disaster or accident
Next came a sudden aud tremendous
shock, accompanied by a humping, bump
NIX sound from the hold as II we had struck
upon rock. The sensation was indie.
scribably painful, There was q noise Of
running about on deck, The passengers
sprang from their seats, their features
blanched with terror, and their eyes start
ing with fcaE Wives throw themselves
into their husbands arms. Mothers prassed
their little ones 20 their breasts. All was
confusion and disorder Everybody was
panic stricken. 10 seemed as II we could
hear the waters rush into the aperturs we
were all certain had been torn In The YES
sells bottom. Every woman screamed. and
Che mon were about rs badly denorallzcd
The English sea captain sprang 60 his
teet, eNclaiming, Well guess we are done
Tor 10 was a supreme moment.
The owner Of tho jewels was a pltiablc
sight he was the first person TO reach his
feet, clutching the back Of Che revolving
char with ono hand and pressing the other
tightly against his heart. His faco was "A
hckly uyid' his mouth was open and his
eyes wild.
Ny God! my jewelsr
his tones were scarcely above a hoarse
whisper Tho mans terror was 80 great
that he fascinated me, and for moment
forgot my own apprchousions. could not
take my eyes of his face. You see, his Grst
ana only thought was his jewels. Every
other person In the saloon was thinking OF |
nus hIe' but this mans mind In that mo- |
uien1 OF terrible suspense was conferred |
upon bis wealth
tAtre was but one man who remained /
~ nus scat ana apparently unmovcd, for IL |
He experienced any tear no certainly did |
noV ulehlie9t IT, AT the moment tho crash |
came tho Italian captain had strctcb,d N,t
ms haud 20 grasp a bottle OF vino between
ms plate ana mine The musculnr move
ment did not cease. The hand grasued the
oot.le, and, conveying il TO his ,lass be
cooliy poured tho red LIQUID hlil 40 the
brlm' lie returned the bottle 10 its nloco
ara glanced up almost inuuiriuclv ri No
terIlhed creatures who were ranged I'm all
sorts OF attitudes expressive Of their respet,.
tive feelings ''''' f''N'
At was all over IN few moments. Won
know, The passengers with their next
'AOuEhV lnstiuctlvcly looked toward the
S"ptalh, ana seeing him so calm hesitRted
Soloie taxing their mad flight up the "a
ION sellro'Ae 70 the deck, as all were con.
Voul plAting Az that moment one OF tho
PeIy oheera hurried down tho staircase
ana whispered word in tho captainis ear
40 not feel alarmed, my friends.' said
inc captain in clear, Measuring tones which
az once soothed the emotions and stlIlpd ne
ieais OF his hearers, there il no danger ana
we are not on a rock
~, INC man with the jewels dropped into
| hls sea1 as limp as rag and as weak as n
pane great sigh Of relief escaping from
ms lips The relief was Of course general
0u0uBh our appetites We're seriously inn.
palred We then learned that the cylinder
leaa OF one OF the low pressure engines had
DloWn out aud the piston rod was having a
palfoV ana monkey time all by itself n
vas an exciting exponence-one which /
qoulo not care to 80 through again. New