Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-03-14
Homeward Bound.


this region is very wild and bleak,
with granite and black rock cliffs,
very high and bare, and the desolate
silence is only broken by the roar
of the river cascades dashing into
the sea, and the screams Of thous-
ands of wild birds.
The next morning party of
blue jackets went ashore to get fresh
water, and some officers to shoot, as
there were plenty of birds good for
food.
At the time fixed two sailors,
Davis and Macdonald, were sent off
in the dingey to fetch the shooting
party back to the ship.
As some time passed, and the
dingey did not return, the captains
gig was put off, and found the shoot
ing party waiting on the shore with
great Impotence, for Davis and
Macdonald had never appeared.
1t was now getting dark, SO moth
ing could be done that night beyond
keeping bright lights on the ship
and a double watch.
Next day all the boats were dis
patched, and search parties hunted
every bay and creek in vain. An
other day was also unsuccessfully
spent in looking for the missing
men, and then the captain unwil-
lingly gave up all hope of finding
them, and the ship steamed away
to the west with her flag half mast.
"Lost at sea- was the report sent
home at the first port the ship
touched.
But instead of going on with
the Shearwater into the bright Pa
cifc, let us stay awhile in the gloomy
straits. Five days after the steamer
left, the dingey reappeared, not bot
tom upwards, but with her two
haggard and striker men.
Macdonald's oar had broken soon
after they left the ship, and the
boat had drifted, in spite of all
their efforts, into a rapid current
which carried them far past the
shore where the shooting party were
awaiting them; at last Git seemed
to them they had travelled miles
they managed to ground the boat
on small island at the mouth of 9
bay.
Poor fellows! their hearts sank
as the sun went down; they had
nothing with them but their knives,
pistols, and pipes, with very little
provender for the two latter. Hav-
ing dragged the boat up to a shell
tered spot, they crouched down in
it, smoking the little tobacco they
had, and talking over their miser-
able plight.
They knew it was useless to ven-
ture into the dangerous channel
with only one oar, and where could
they get wood for another? And
then the natives!
At daybreak, after breakfasting
on some mussels they found on the
rocks, they leftthe island, and slow
ly made their way to the shore Of
the bay. They then hid the boat,
and, after a long search a little way
inland, found tree with a bough
suitable for their purpose. It was
dark before the oar was ready, for
their only tools were their knives.
Next day they were just starting,
hoping to find their way back to tn
ship, when, to their horror, they
saw a canoe full of natives pass
in the distance.
Three long, weary days they kept
themselves and the dingey we'll hid
den, only venturing on the beach in
the gray of the dawn and twilight,
to get few shell fish; fortunately
there was stream of pure water at
hand for their drink.
AS the natives now seemed to
have left the neighborhood, they at
last cautiously made their way back
to the bay where the ship had been
anchored. Imagine their horror on
finding she was gone.
They sat awhile dazed and star
ing blankly at the sea, the sky, the
rocks; the loneliness of it all crush
ed them, till Macdonald reused and
said; "Mate, while there's life
there's hope; we'll 60 ashore and do
our best to keep life together till
God is pleased to fetch us, in a
steamer, or with fiery chariot"
So they went ashore, found a dry
cave where they sheltered them
selves in the stormy weather, built
a rude hut, gathered fuel for the
winter fires, and dry leaves and sea-
weed for beds; with the flints they
found on the shore they succeeded