The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-11

Inc loss OF the Nllle ue daVfe OH tne
coast Of Normandy, In the English chan
mel, Is remembered rs among the most
memorable shipwrecks Of this century. IL
was In 1874.
Among tho passengers was New York
boy, Maurice D.. lie was going over
to join his parents, then in Paris. Young
D. was only IL at the time, but an ex-
pert swimmer and owing to this fact
alone his life was saved.
The writer once heard him give an ac-
count of his experience.
when It became a certainty" he said,
that the ship was going down, there was
o mad rush for the lifeboats. Every SEM
blance Of law and order disappeared De-
spite the captain and his officers, IL was
simply struggle, In which superior brute
force came of best / did not try for q
place The lifeboats were too few any
way, and many would be left on deck.
The whole scene made an indelible impress
sion on my memory. Hysterical women,
men with blanched faces and crying chill
dren stood grouped together. Husbands
and wives, brothers, sisters and lovers tried
to comfort and prepare each other for the
worst. Some tried to help each other in
making a final effort to escape the dread
full fate that was impending.
ION the other hand, even at that terri
BILE moment, there were some ludicrous
sights. remember seeing one man nerv-
ously clutching a very small pillow which
he evidently seemed to think would buoy
him up when he should find himself strug-
Cling In the water. A lady stood clinging
to her husbands arm with one hand, the
most despairing look on her face have
ever seen, while with the other she held
fast to small satchel.
II had met early on the voyage certain
judge and his wife OF Albany. They had
been kind to me, and had become attach
ed to them. We three stood together while
the decks sank lower and lower. 1 had
given the judges wife my life preserver,
and the judge had secured one. But they
both realized that their time had probably
come. She clung to her husband, sobbing.
] suggested to the Judge that possibly be-
tween US we might keep his wife up, but
he absolutely forbade my risking my own
life in that way. No, my boy, said he.
i refuse to let you try IL. Save yourself II
you can. God bless your
Just before the ships decks went quite
under 1 rushed down into the saloon and
wrenched off quite a large piece of one of
the Seats and hurrying back gave 1t TO
my friend as an additional support Then,
realizing that the instant the ship went
under the terrific downward suction would
drag all the people with it, told the Judge
that now was the time to take to the wa
Ter. Wringing their hands, myself step
ped upon the rail, and just as the first
small waves washed her deck / sprang
away from her as far as / could and swan
of dozen strokes or more.
II never saw the judge and his wife
again. Whether they failed to get clear of
the ships suction, or whether they sue
cumbed after q monetary struggle, or
whether they attempted TO leave the ships
side at all, shall never know. / have al
ways surmised that they were sucked down
In the vortex, as their life preservers would
have held them up for some time.
"Iknew that a number of the passengers
had followed my lead. OF these could
see 20 or 80 struggling in the water. There
was not vestige of the steamer.
II swan slowly away for considerable
distance and then began to float 1t was
appalling to me to realize how swiftly the
Vile de Havre must have gone to the bot
tom once her decks went under. 1t did not
seem two minutes, but her very masts had
ut will be remembered by those who
knew the particulars of the wreck that the
was comparatively smooth at tho
time of the accident. This gave good
swimmer chance. My father had taught
me to swim when was little chap, and
for myself now had become
quite an expert. realized my life was at
stake and put forth all the skill had.
"As / said, swan away very slowly
md deliberately, saving my wind and
strength until was we'll out of reach OF |
The deadly grasp Of any drowning person.
Then began to float. The gentle swells |
would raise and lower me, and occasional i
y puff would dash the salt water over |
ny face. / was perfectly cool. felt con-
ldent Of holding out some hours.
"Once in awhile would tread water
or minute in order to look about me. A |
light fog that had been around when the
sank cleared away / could still |
zoe people swimming about or floating
ONE distance of. Several vessels, too,
we're In sight. could make cut the hazy
'utline Of the coast of Normandy miles
way. hoped that by this time some Of
he lifeboats had either reached land or
un across some ship.