Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-09-19
A PERILOUS RESCUE.
The Captains Story of Desper.
ate Struggle.
KEEPING OFF THE AWFUL BREAKERS
How the Life-Savers Bring a Wrecked
Crew Through Storm and ShoaI-
Avoiding Watery Graves.

men from life-saving station, is
graphically told in the Septemt er ''St.
Nicholas. F" 1t was during bitter Jan
uary storm, and the life-savers, in an
open surf boat, had to anchor for hours
by the wreck before they could get the
crew Off Finally they succeeded, and
the captain tells this story of their des-
perate struggle to reach land.
We were in an open boat out of sight
of land, likely to be carried on to the
shoal or off to sea, when we took up
anchor. Whe hove up the anchor,
though, for the pull in, and now the
men strained at the oars so as to clear
the vessel and the shoal. Both wind
and tide We're setting us on the awful
breakers. 1t was only by the most des-
perate efforts that we succeeded in keep
ing off and clearing the northern end
of the shoal. For two and half hours
we strained every nerve, but We're only
a mile away from the wreck, yet not a
bit farther towards shore.
While nearest the breakers, and when
the issue was doubtful, the mast and
sail, which, lying on thwarts, bothered
the oarsmen, were by my orders thrown
overheard, and we rode Il little lighter.
Still we were all the time in great
danger of being swamped by some big
wave rolling i'll upon us, unless we
could head the boat to it just right. l
stood in the stern all through the twen-
ty-three hours before we got ashore,
holding the stearing-oar, fearing to
drop it lest some sudden yawl of the
boat would end us forever. AS the men
were getting exhausted, and we had
gained nothing, we threw the anchor
over, and, with the shoal a little way
to the southeast, lay there from two
o'clock till sunset, at five. Only few
strands of hemp and the fluke of a
small anchor, my friend, kept us from
going into the open sea and watery
graves.
At dark the southern tide commenced
to run, and / ordered the anchor up and
started again, with the hope that the
tide would set us little in towards
shore. provided we could by hard row.
ing, hold the bow up to the wind and
prevent the boat from going astern.
We worked hard and gained little,
but by o'clock the tide was done, and
in half an hour or an hour afterwards,
was again anchored, and lay through
the northern tide, or till 3 o'clock the
next morning. Oh, that night! Those
five hours seemed like weeks. 1t was
pitch dark, the wind increasing in force
and the air bitter cold Most of the
rescued crew, after being got on board,
had lain in the bottom of the boat like
so many logs. They were numb with
cold, soaked through with salt spray,
faint from hunger and lack of sleep,
and so exhausted and Indifferent that
they would not eat the little bread we
had thrown aboard our boat at starting.
Their black cook, who was asleep in
his bunk when the vessel struck, had
on merely q calico shirt and his trous-
ers Before we reached land, the back
of that shirt was covered four inches
thick with ice from the water which
dashed upon him while rowing; for he
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oars for many hours during the tough
pulls for Shore During those times,
had made all / could persuade man tt e
oars by telling them that, though they
had got clear of the vessel, they were
by no means saved, and, unless they
helped, we would never get in, but all
die in the boat. Some could do moth
ing with, as they seemed to have lost
all hope of life One man sat on the
midship thwart like stone image. In
vain l pleaded and threatened. He
would not stir. 1 told him he would
freeze to death; that though he had nc
strength to help us on, the exercise OF
pulling would start his blood and keeI
him alive. His only reply was shake
of the head and ''I can't be any colder.
Poor fellowl The next day, when We
got him ashore, his feet were fount
frozen, and they swelled to twice theil
natural size. The captain, since sun
set, lay near me, crouched up under thu
steering oar. 1t was all could do tt
hold the boat head on, and the oal
thrashed so that l couldn't prevent it
striking the captain as he rolled around
The boat was so heavily loaded that i
was deep in the water, and when w
settled in the hollow of the seas, th'
water gushed up through the centre
board box, and our lives depended OF
constant bailing. l kept the poor fel
lows hard at it with buckets, yet it tool
my utmost efforts to keep them t.
work. l told them that we should sool
sink if they did not bail, but that ha'
little effect, so fairly forced them.
They were now inclined to go t
sleep, and we had to arouse them con
tinually to keep them awake. But
badly off as they were, it was luck
they were with us and not on the yes
sci, because half an hour after we lei