Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-30

racked the vessel
from stem to stern. This was followed by
a succession OF bumps which threatened to
pound the timbers into kindling wood.
With a sickening intuition of some great
disaster. Paul scrambled into his clothes.
disregarding the babel of helpless questions
hurled at each other by the panic-srricken
stewards. Pulling his cap on tight and but
toning hts coat as he ran along the passage,
the lad mounted the companionway two
steps at jump. and in less than a minute
reached the deck above.
1t was about 8 o'clock in the morning
The stars still appeared overhead, but a
heavy mist enveloped the entire ship, rem
dering 1t impossible to see twenty feet in
any direction. There was need to ask
foolish questions. 1t was only too evident.
from the repeated conclusions. that the
vessel had struck reef. and like flash the
gossip OF the night previous. and above all,
poor Davy's dream, darted across PauPs
brain. He peered anxiously about for
sight OF his chum, but in that uncertain light
and with a score or more of hysterical pas
sengers running heiplessly in every direc-
ton. the search was useless and he turned
his attention to the half -dressed women and
children who crowded up from below, weep
ing and wringing their hands.
The spectacle presented by the helpless.
frightened women and terrified children
was long to be remembered. Their shrieks
and cries Of despair served to intensity the
| awful situation, and lent additional horror
to the scene The humping continued in
cessantly. and the ship very soon began to
fill with water. which poured in through a
big cash in her stern quarter. The Ko
-
ing rocks which she had struck almost
| head on. Although the engines had been
stopped and reversed. it was too late to be
OF any service. Apparently the boat was
doomed.
1t was impossible 20 make any movement
looking to a rescue until the fog lifted or
| daylight broke. and his utter heplessness
for the moment unnerved the Captain, who
met the piteous appeals of the passengers
with equally depressing responses. Then,
seeing the bad effect this temporary weak
ness produced, by a supreme effort the
skipper pulled himself together and in d
voice that was surprisingly steady Issued
orders for every passenger to form in a
circle around the mainmaSt until he and
his officers should decide what was best TO
be done.
In half an hour the mist cleared a hit
and as daylight waxed stronger the seri-
BUSINESS OF the situation was revealed. The
BOAT was ashore on very dangerous reef
at the EOSt 0eSOiate, mnOSpitlDte poifIt
along the entire New Zealand coast. The
swell was SO terrific that every few min
utes huge seas broke over the vessel, carry
ing off all loose fixtures in their resist.ess
rush and such of the unfortunate passen-
gers who CHANGED to be causnt in their
mighty embrace.
After hurried consultation II was de-
cided that communication with land must
De essayed Immediately, and Captain Bar
rett ordered one of the forward boats 10 be
cleared for lowering. AS 1t swung ready
over the side score of steeraye passen-
gers crowded UP with the intention of fcrc-
ing their way in. but the determined man
ner IN which the commander welded n
stout Delaying pin had the effect of que ling
their ardor. Scowling and mutterln,g ,hey
fell back, sulky but subdued
Inc boat was lowered away. but the mo
ment 1t struck the water IL WIS lifted clean
on the tackle by which il was suspcnGed
| and dashed against the ships side, Hing
and sinking at once. The piloi boat was
then made ready and swung over a. a
point where the water was Z littla srnooiher
This attempt was successful and the pas-
sengers cheered when the second officer
Mr.. Riley. with six sailors and a volunteer
from the Storage climbed in and pulled
away.
In half an hour Riley returned and re-
ported that on account Of the heavy surf ii
was impossible to get within 500 Zee: Of the
SHORE but the passenger. a young fellow
named Carey from Timaru. had lumi Cd
overheard and swan safely to land, as he
was afterward seen climbing a bluff and
| waving his hands.
TIE captain looked glum when he re-
ceived this bit of news He had fully ex-
pected to be able to land his passengers
with the aid of the boats but II was evil
uent Ircm Rileys statement that the wo-
men ana children stood poor chance of
escape in that direction. Even a good
swimmer was likely to be drowned in the
treacherous surf. Another hasty confer
ence followed. and then 1t was decided to
n 1lnG0
that appearing to be the only possible
method of effecting a landing
Riley ana his men. being pretty well ex-
hausted, the captain called for volunteers
those only who could swim-and six of
the Storage passengers pressing forward
ne placed the boat in charge of the first
mate, with instructions to use every en-
deavor to get a line to the shore
1t looked then if the vessel were the
SAFER place, which probably accounted for
the few who offered to leave As soon as
the volunteer crew was off Capt. Barrett
ordered all the women and children moved
forward to the smoking room amidshins
where there was more protection from the
seas, which now began to make friyhtful
sweeps over the afterpart of the vessel
1t was during one of these mighty washes
that poor Davy was carried away. The lad
had been sent below to fish out a lantern
and just as his head appeared above deck
loose spar struck him and knocked him
endways. He staggered to his feet. but at
this moment n terrific volume OF water was
impeled over the vessels side and as IT
rushed away to port poor Davy was whirled
along with 1t as If he had been a cork
Paul caught one glimpse OF his white de-
| spairing face as he rose for an instant on
the crest OF the waves, and then the boy
was swept out of his sight forever
Shocking as the accident was, Paul had
not a oment to spend in shedding tears
! for his lost chum, although his heart was
| like lead. The living miseries all around
him forbade yielding to any weakness, no
| matter how great the provocation. There
were women weeping and children sob
| bng; women that We're half-dresse! with
wild eyes and disheveled hair. who held
| their little ones close 10 their breasts and
alternately wept and prayed in their hys-
| terical anguish. To them he gave his con-
| slant attention. now soothing a frightened
! child and presently uttering words of
! entirely forgot his own discomforts and
! waiting in some measure the miseries of
the poor creatures who appeared to have
| lost all self-coutrol in the presence of this
awful catastrophe.
1t was not that Paul was any Drawer than
! the rest but his spirits seemed To become
| more buoyant in the face of danger and a
| strong determination to contest to the end
! took Irresistible possession of him. He
| could not believe that he was doomed to
! drown after SO many escapes elsewhere on
! that momentous journey. and the thought
| gave him additional courage. There was
no philosophy in this. perhaps bat the
| idea was comforting, and the lad cherished