San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-08

SNANSU tlloO tuo tillCh slI6dIu VI DlOOu
that lay along that side bent over by the
broken mast was greatly spread and not
SO black, but redder, which was only to
be explained by the mingling of water,
and this was our first notice that the
felucca was filing and we going down.
Recovering presently from the stupor
into which this suspicion threw us, we
pulled to a hatch, and looking down in
to the hold perceived that this was in
deed true, a puncheon floating ON the
water there within arms reach. Thence.
making our way quickly over the dead
bodies, which failed now to terrify us,
to the fore part of our felucca, we dis
covered that the shot which had hit us
had started a plank, and that the water
leaked in with every lap of wave. So
now, our wits quickened by our peril,
we took a scimiter and dirk from a
dead january to cut away the cordage
that dashed us to the fallen mast, to free
us of that burden and right the ship if
we might But ere we did this Dawson,
spying the great sail lying out ON the
water, bethought him to hack out a
great sheet as far as we could reach, and
this he took to lay over the started plank
and stanch the leakage, while l severed
the tackle and freed us from the great
weight of the hanging mast and long
spar. And certainly we thought our
selves safe when this was done, for the
hull lifted at once and righted itself
upon the water Nevertheless we were
not easy, for we knew not what other
planks below the water line We're in
jured and we knew not how to sink our
sheet or wind it over the faulty part. So,
still further to tighten us, we mastered
our qualms and set to work casting the
dead bodies overheard This horrid bust
ness at another time would have made
me sick as any dog, but there was no
time to yield to mawkish susceptibilities
in the presence of such danger as men
aced us.
Only when all was done 1 did feel
very weakened and shaky, and my gorge
rising at the look of my jerkin, all
filthy with clotted blood, tore it off
and cast it in the sea, as also did Daw
son, and so, to turn our thoughts, after
washing of our hands and cleaning our
feet, we looked over the side and agreed
that we were no lower than we were,
but rather higher for having hghtened
our burden. But no sail anywhere ON
the wide sea to add to our comfort.
Going into the cabin, we found that
our dear Moll had fallen into sleep,
but was yet very feverish, as we could
see by her frequent turning, her sudden
starts and the dreamy, vacant look in
her eyes when she opened them and beg
ged for water We would not add to
Mr.. Goodwin s trouble by telling him of
ours, our minds being still restless with
apprehensions of the leak, but searching
about and discovering two small, dry
loaves we gave him one and took the
other to divide betwixt us, Dawson and
I, and truly we need this refreshment,
as our feeble, shaking limbs testified,
after all our exertions of the night and
day, it being now high noon, having
eaten nothing since supper the night be-
fore. But, furnished as we were, we
must needs steal to the side and look
over to mark where the water rose, and
neither of US dared say tbs hull was no
lower, for we perceived full well it had
sunk somewhat in the last hour
Jack took bite of his loaf and offered
me the rest, saying he had no stomach
for food, but 1 could not eat my own,
and so we thrust the bread in our
breaches pockets and set to work, heav-
ing everything overheard that might
Tighten us and forever restraining our
eyes to sight a ship. Then we set to de-
vising means to make the sheet cling
over the damaged planks, but to little
purpose, and so Dawson essayed to get
at it from the inside by going below,
but the water was risen so high there
was no room between it and the deck to
breathe, and so again to wedging the
canvas in from the outside till the sun
sank. And by that time the water was
beginning to leap up through the hatch
way. Then, no longer able to hide'the
truth, Jack turns to me and asks:
Elbow long shall we last?"
"Why," says I, 1--WE have sunk no
more than a foot these last six hours,
and at this slow pace we may well last
cut eight or nine more ere the water
comes over the bulwarks.
He shook his head ruefully, and point
ing to sluice hole in the side said he
judged it must be all over with us when
the water entered there.
"Why, in that case, says I, "let rs
find something to fill the sluice hole. "
So, having nothing ON deck, we went
into the cabin on a pretense of seeing
how Moll Jared and lack sneaked away
an old jacket and 1 stone bottle, and
with these we stopped the sluice hole the
best we could.
By the time we had made job OF
this twas quite dark, and having moth
ing more to do but to await the end we
stood side by side, too detected to speak
for some time, thinking of the cruelty of
fate which rescued us from one evil only
| to plunge Us in worse. At length Jack
| fell 70 20 11y;nc, IN a low tnna Of his mast