The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-02-02

Ab the Gay the gaze aUhlfus
but the sea continued 70 run 90 high
that wero compelled to remain close
under the berg till the following morn
ing.
We managed TO get some sleep. By
taking II In turns TO keep the boat 10
q safe position, and at daybreak we
were able 70 put into more open water.
the sea being calmer. Our one hope
was that we might sight a passing YES
sci.
The second mate was standing on
athwart. anxiously searching. with
straining eyes. across the gray waters
Suddenly he. threw HIS arm up and
shouted, 10 Wild excitement:
"a SAIL a. sailt'
The scry sent tho blood coursing
through our veins once more. as we
followed the direction Of his gaze. and
saw, towards the northeast, the vel.
come sight
Our drst 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 ig-
~norance for some time.
n she proved TO be close-haufed, she
would bear down on rs IN q few hours;
but II her courBe was ~northward we
were doomed men.
What Is shc2'' asked the captain.
.IIomeward bonndi" cried one.
mo; | can see her h~ead-saiisi' said
Capt. burton.
She was standing towards the berg
Of that there could be no doubt-and
our hearts were lifted mp again. Sud-
denly her nfter-sails darkcned. while
those forward still shone white.
''She has tackled We are losti'
She had come as close to tho berg as
was prudent. and was now standing
away on the opposite tack.
Now. men. let MS make a last effort
for our livcsi" cried the captain. taking
off his coat and jumping on athwart
and waving Ii as a 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 sulien sea.
We all sank Into the boat, crushed
and hopeless. This bitter disappoint-
ment, coupled with bur long exposure
to cold and wet and the want Of food,
quite unnamed us. II turned me sick
and faint Ny head swan. as though
the boat were In the vortex Of q whirl.
pool, and ! swooned away.
When I recovered consciousness ! be-
came aware. from the motion Of our
boat, that we were in comparatively
smooth sea.
$50, s.,ra varo r;e;hln on1 I ooria
see the outlines Of my companions hud-
died together IN the stern. Their list
less conversation reached me. and they
were talking Of NJ probable position,
which was supposed to be somewhere
near the South Shetland island, a bar.
rem rock lying quite out Of the track Of
ships
They talked like men resigned to
their fate. They had abandoned all
hope and considered Themselves doomed
just before dawn q cold sea fog set
tied upon us, making our position even
more miserable than before.
When the dawn appeared there were
indications OF a clear sky, and when
the sun rose the fog rolled away like a
curtain. To us the effect was like that
of a stage spectacle, for every man
staggered simultaneously to his feet
and jared with incredulous eyes at the
sight besore him, | am certain that
for a second or so we all thought we
were dreaming.
Right ahead Of us lay a large brig,
her foretopmast maintop-gallantmast
and jib-boom carried away, and the
wreckage still floating alongside.
BRIG ahoyi" shouted Capt Burton;
bnt there was no response
Again md again he shouted, while
we, with suddenly revived energies,
work ed the boat alongside.
No sound or sign of life came to us,
and she IVES evidently abandoned She
proved to lie an Italian brig, laden
with coal, hit with both her matches
stove ii.
Our first care. was to sound the well
There were four feet Of water in the
bold. The pumps were choked, and we
were powerlcss, therefore, to keep her
ahoat Her crew had evidently aban.
doncd her IN a panic, for we found
clothes in the f~orecastle and ample pro
visions on board.
After a hearty meal and a welcome
exchange 81 our wet clothes for dry,
we returned to the well. and found the
water in the hold had not increased In
depth,
Fl do not believe she Is leaking. The
water must have gone down through
the hatches," Capt. Burton said.
And this proved to be the. case
Yoa may imagine our feelings Of re-
lief and joy, The food. so much need
ed, aud the change Of clothes. added to
this new hope Of escape, revived our
energies, and we set Il work to clear
the wrsckage and rig up a jury top
mast and lib boom.
The matches were secured against
further accidents, and before night set
d we had shaped a course for the Falk-
land Islands.
The log book showed that the brig
was boanl fromN Cardiff to Valparaiso,
and we afterward learned that the
crew had been pickedup by the vessel
we had sighted.
Next day we succeeded in clearing
the pumps The wind freshened into
another gale, but By careful
ship VA weathered it without much
further damage, and had the satisfac-
ton Of Bringing the brig TO our desti-
nation id safaty
The salvage money came to a pretty
good sum, which, when it was divided,
I 49, IL LL MH EN LEh