Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-06-25

| Jose, who seemed to be senseless, and
| the body of the captain dashed to the
broken bridge. alone remained OF the
! crew and passengers OF tie Santa Maria.
| there, close to US, the cutter still hung
upon the davits.
| The senior saw it and cried: 1.-THE
ship is sinking! Into the boat, quick!"
| and, running to the cutter, he climbed
| into her. as did /, Molas and the six In
| dian sailors.
She was full of water almost to the
| thwarts, which could only be got rid of
| by pulling out the plug in her bottom
who had struck the knife from the
hand of Don Jose, knew where to look
| for 1t, and, being a sailor of courage
| and resource, was able to loose it, so
| that presently the water was pouring
| from her in a stream as thick as a
hawser. Meanwhile the other Indians
were getting out the oars and loosen
ing the tackles.
s.Get the plug back" said the senior;
ssthe vessel is sinking; you must bale
the rest"
Half minute more and it was done;
then at a word from the boatswain the
sailors lowered away and we were
ahoat, and, better still, clear of the
ship. Scarcely had they got the head
of the cutter round and pulled three or
four strokes when from the deck of the
Santa Maria there came the sound of a
mans voice crying for help, and by the
light of the moon we discovered the
figure OF Don Jose Moreno clinging to
the broken bulwarks that now were
almost awash.
For the love of God, come back to
mel he screamed.
The oarsmen hesitated, but the boat
swain said, with an Indian oath:
Pull on, and let the dog urown.'
1t seemed as if Don Jose heard him;
at least he raised so piteous wailing
that the senor's heart, which was al
| ways over tender, was touched by it.
I'VE cannot desert him." he an
swered; put back for him"
He tried to murder you just now!"
shouted the boatswain. land if we go
near the ship she will take US down
with her." Then he turned to me and
asked: DO you command US to put
''Since the senior wills it I command
man and take our chance"
He commands, whom we must
obey" shouted the boatswain again.
Put back, my brothers"
Sullenly, but submissively, the In
dams backed water till they lay almost
beneath the counter of the vessel that
wallowed in the trough of the swell be-
fore she went down.
On the deck, clinging to the stays of
the mast. stood Don Jose, his straight,
oiled hair beat about his face. his
gorgeous dress was soaked and disor-
dered.
''Save mel" he yelled hoarsely, '.save
me.'
Throw yourself into the sea, senior,
and we will pick you up"
Il dare not" was the answer, ''come
aboard and fetch me-"
''Does the senior still wish Us to
stay?" asked the beatswain calmly.
Listen, you cur" shouted the senior,
''the ship is sinking and will take US
with it. At the word three, give way,
men. Now, will you come or not?
One, two
Il come" said the Mexican, and
driven to it by despair he cast himself
into the sea.
With difficulty the senior. assisted by
an Indian with a boathook, succeeded
washed past on the swell. There,
however, the matter rested for the pres
ent, for just then the deck of the Santa
Maria burst with a rending sound, and
she began to go down bodily.
"Row for your lives!' shouted the
boatswain, and they rowed, dragging
Don jose in the wake of the boat.
Down went the Santa Maria, bow
first, making hollow in the sea that
sucked us back toward her.
So soon as this great danger had
gone by the sailors lifted Don lose into
the boat, where he lay gasping but
unframed. Then arose the question
Of what we could do to save our lives.
Asitw was, we must have been swamped
many times over but for the stanch-
ness of the boat, which, fortunately,
was a new one, and the seamanship
and ceaseless vigilance OF the Indian
boatswain who commanded her. For
hour after hour he crouched in the bow
of the cutter, staring through the
sheets of rain and the darkness with
his hawks eyes and shouting directions
to the crew as he heard or caught sight
of white-crested billow rolling down
upon us, when we would be flung up
toward the sky to sink deep into the
trough on the further side, sometimes
half full Of water, which must be baled
out before the next wave came.
1 was very thankful when, at length
overcome by cold and exhaustion,
sank into Inconsistencies or swoon.
How long remained in this merciful
state of oblivion 1 do not know, but l
was reused from it by Molas. who shook
me and called into my ear with voice
that trembled with cold or joy, or both:
Awake, awake, we are saved!'
'Saved?" said, confusedly. what
from?''
From death in the sea. Look lord"
"Where are we?" asked.
"In the Usumacinto river, thanks
be to Godv' answered Molas. 1--WE
have been driven across the bay in the
dark and at the dawn found ourselves
Just outside the breakers. Somehow
we passed them safely and there be-
fore us is the blessed land
As for the Indians, the men to whom
we owed our lives, they were utterly
worn out. Two of them appeared to
have swooned where they sat, three
others lay gasping beneath the seats,
but Molas held the tiller by my side,
and the boatswain still sat upright In
the bow, where he had faced death tor
so many dreadful hours.
Say, lord" he asked, turning his
face that was hollow with suspense and
suffering to speak to me, can you
row? II so, you take the oar and pull
us to the bank, while Molas steers, for
our arms will work no more?
Then I struggled from my seat, and
with great efforts. for every move
ment caused me pain. pulled the cut
ter to the bank.
Some Indians appeared belonging to
rancho, or village, half league away,
and, on learning our misfortunes ana
who we were, these men hurried home
to bring us food, having first pointed
out to US a pool of sweet rain water,
of which we stood in great need, for