The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-08-11


corpses, left there by the waves. Insane
to Bonifacjo for help.
Tired with having said so much, the
shepherd sat down, and the captain
went on with his story.
Eyes, monsieur, it was this poor old
fellow who came to warn us. He was
crazy with fright, and ever since his
brain has been off the track. To tell the
truth, there was cause enough for it.
Imagine 600 hundred corpses i'll heaps
on the sand, mixed with great timbers
and strips Of sail. Poor Semillante!
The sea had crushed her into crumbs
with one blow. Palombo with difficulty
got enough wood to build fence around
his hut AS for the men, nearly all
were horribly disfgured and mutilated.
1t was pitiful to see them clinging to-
gether in punches We found the cap
tain in gala uniform, the chaplain
with his stole. In a corner between two
rocks there was little cabin boy with
his eyes open. One might have thought
him alive; but, no, it had been decreed
that not one should escape Here he
stopped.
Careful, Nardi, +" said he; "the fire
is going out.
Nardi threw two or three tarred logs
on the embers, which quickly blazed
again.
Lionetti continued: 1.-THE saddest
part Of the story is yet to come. Three
weeks before the disaster little cutter,
which was going to the Crimea, like the
Semillante. was wrecked in the same
way in nearly the same place, only this
time we managed to save tho crew and
90 soldiers who were on board. We
took them to Bonifacio and kept them
there at the station with us for two
days.
"Once thoroughly dry and on foot
again, it was goodby, good luck. They
returned to Toulon, from which port
they embarked again several days later
for the Crimea And imagine on what
ship! On the Semillante We found
them all-all S0-lying among the dead
just where we are now. picked up
myself handsome brigadier, with a
long blond mustache, STRIPPING from
Paris, whom | had taken to my own
house, and who made us laugh all the
time with his stories. To see him there
crushed me. o holy motherP'
Thereupon the good Lionetti, much
moved, shook the cinders from his pipe,
and rolling himself in his cape wished
me good night.
For some time longer the sailors
whispered among themselves. Then,
one after the other, the pipes went out.
No one spoke. The old shepherd hob
bled away, and was left alone to dream
away the hours in the middle of the
sleeping crew.
Still under the influence of the lugu-
brious tale which I had heard, tried to
rebuild in my fancy the poor departed
ship and the story Of this agony Of
which the sea gulls were the only wit
nesses. Several details which had struck
me-the captain in gala dress, the chap
lain's stole, the 20 soldiers-helped me
to imagine all the scenes of the drama.
saw tho frigate leaving Toulon in the
night. She loses sight Of the port. The
sea is bad, the wind high. The captain
is valiant officer, and every one on
board is undisturbed. In the morning
mist rises from the sea. They COM
mence to be uneasy. All the crew are
on deck. The captain does not leave the
bridge. Between decks, where the SOL
diers are shut up, it is dark; the air is
close. Some are i'll, lying en- their KNAPP
sacks. The ship pitches horribly. 1t is
impossible to stand up. Sitting on the
floor, talking in groups, they cling to
the benches. 1t is necessary to shout
to be heard. Some begin to be fright
ened Listen, then. Wrecks are frequent
in the waters. The sailors are there to
say so, and what they say is not reas-
surfing. Their brigadier, too, Partisan
who always talks wildly, makes their
flesh creep with his jokes. "a wreck
Oh, wreck is amusing, very. We will
be we'll out Of it after our iced bath.
Then they will take US to Bonifacio to
eat blackbirds with old Lionetti. +"
Suddenly crash. What is it? What
can it be?
''The helm is gone" cries dripping
sailor who goes running between decks.
"Bon voyageP' shouts that mailman,
the brigadier. But no one laughs now.
A great tumult on the bridge. The fog
prevents their seeing one another The
sailors go and come, cropping along
frightened. The helm is gone. 1t is i'm
possible to guide the ship. The Semil
lante, adrift, flies before the wind. 1t is
at this moment that the dohanier sees
her pass. 1t is half after II. just ahead
they hear, like the roar of cannon. the
breakersl The breakers! 1t is finished.
There is no hope. They are going
straight on the rocks. The captain goes
down to his cabin. He comes up in 6
moment to take his place on the bridge
in his full uniform. He wishes to nieet
death in brave attire
Between decks the, soldiers in morta
terror, gaze at one another without E
word. The sick try to sit up; the little
brigadier laughs no longer. Then the
door opens, and the chaplain with his
stole appears ON the threshold.
''To your knees. my childrenI' AL
obey. In a ringing voice the priest be-
gins the prayer for the dying.
Suddenly fearful shock, great cry,
upstretched arms, clinging hands, wild
eyes, before which the vision Of death
has flashed. Misererel