Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-02
comes cl Norte. and he brings death for
many of us on board this ship

comes 81 Norte; ana nc brings dea'h Tor
many OF US on board inns SNIP
,,,nr,,p y,
1in' i'N
Ell NoRrE'
Another moment and ell Norte had
come in strength. First sudden gush
of wind struck the vessel, causing her
TO SILVER, and with sharp report rcnd-
ing from its fastenings the jib, which
had never been furlcd. This gust went
bowling by, and after it came the
storm.
Before and since that day, | have
made many voyages across the Gulf OF
Mexico in all weathers but never have
met with such an experience as that
which followed. The ship plunged and
strained and rocked, lifting now her
bow and now her stern high above the
waters, till it seemed as though she
must fall to pieces, while water in tons
rushed aboard OF her at every dip,
which, MS she righted herself, streamed
through the broken bulwarks.
Now, from time to time the moon
shone out between riffs in the clouds,
revealing dreadful scene. Fragments
Of the little bridge still remained, and
to 1t was dashed the large body OF the
captain in an upright position, though
as he neither spoke nor stirred we
never learned whether he was only
paralyzed by terror or had been killed
by a blow from the funnel as 1t fell.
lie had ordered the passengers to be
battencd down, and there in the cabin
they remained, twenty or more OF
them until the hatchways were stove
In Then, with the exception Of one or
two, who were drowned by the water
that poured down upon them, they
rushed to the companionway, men and
womed together, and, shrieking, pray
ing and disappearing, chung to frag-
mcnts OF the bulwarks, shrouds of the
mast. or anything they thought could
give them protection against the pitt
less waves.
| Awful were the walls of the women,
who. clad only in their night dresses,
now quilted their hunks for the first
time since they entered them in the
harbor OF Vera Cruz Overcome by
fear, and having no knowledge Of the
dangers of the sea, these poor creatures
flung themselves at full length upon
the deck, striving to keep hold of the
slippery boards, whence one by one
they rolled into the ocean as the vessel
lurehed, or were carried away by the
seas that popped her.
Some of the men followed them to
their watery grave, Others more self
possessed crept forward, attempting to
escape the waves that broke over the
stern, but none made any effort to save
them, and indeed it would have been
impossible so to do
l. Among those who came forward to
where we and some OF the Indian sail
ors were clinging to the rope that was
coiled round the stump OF the broken
foremost WIS Don Jose Moreno Even
in his terror, which was deep, this man
could still be ferocious for recognizing
the senior he yelled;
"Ah. Maldonado = evil gifted one,
you called down the norther upon u.s.
| We'll, ut least you snail de with the
rest and, suddenly drawing his long
knife, he rose to his knees and, holding
to the rope with one hand, attempted
to drive it into the senors body with
the other. Doubtless he '.ould have
succeeded In his wickedness had not an
Indian boatswain, who was near, bent
forward quickly and struck nm 50
sharply on the forearm with his
clenched fist that the knife flew from
his hand, and in trying to recover it
Don Jose fell face forward ON the deck,
where he lay, making no further effort
at aggression.
For few minutes there was Il tur-
mol that cannot be described then,
although the wind still shrielted over
head, we felt that we were in water
which seemed almost calm to us. The
ship no longer pitched and rolled she
only rocked as she settled before sink
ing, while the moon, shining ont be,
tween the clouds, showed that what
had been her bulwarks were not more
than two or three feet above the level
Of the sea.
Six Indians, our three selves, Don
Jose, who seemed to be senseiess' ana
the body OF the captain lashed TO tne
broken bridge, alone remained OF the
crew and passengers OF the Santa Nara.
The rest had been swept away, but
there, close to us, the cutter still hung
upon the davits. ANN,
The senior saw II ana cried; "Ih 10
ship Is sinkips' Into the boat quick,
and, running to the cutter ne climbed
into her, as did l. Molas and the SIX In
dian sailors;