The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-01-03

as he neither spoke nor stirred we
never learned whether he was only
paralyzed by terror or had been killed
BY blow from the funnel as it fell.
He had ordered the passengers to be
battened 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-
ments 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
lurched, 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.
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 was 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 us.
Well, at least you shall die 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 senOr's body with
the other. Doubtless he would have
succeeded in his wiclzednesS had not an
Indian boatswain, who was near, bent
forward quickly and struck him so
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 tur-
MOL that cannot be described; then,
although the wind still shrielzed 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 out 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 senseless, and
the body of the captain dashed to the
broken bridge. alone remained of the
crew and passengers of the Santa Maria
The rest had been swept away, but
there. close to us, the cutter still hung
upon the davits.
The senior saw it and cried: 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.
Happily the boats vain. that same man
who had struck the knife from the
hand OF Don Jose, knew where to look
for It, and, being sailor of courage
and resource. was able to loose it, so
that presently the water was pouring
from her in stream IS thick as a
hawscr. Meanwhile the other Indians
were getting out the cars and loosen
ing the tackles.
Get the plug back" said the senior;
''the vessel is sinking; yoI must bale
the rest"
Half a minute more and IL was done;
then at a word from the boatswain the
sailors lowered away and we were
atlOat, 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
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
me-" 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 a 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
back, lord?''
''Since the senior wills it | command
you," l answered. I'VE must save the
man and take our chance"
He commands, whom we must
obey" shouted the bOatswain again.
Put back, my brothers"
Sullenly, but submissively, the In
dians backed water till they lay almost
beneath the counter of the vessel that
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-
1ered.
Save me!' he yelled hoarsely, save
me-"
Throw yourself into the sea. senior,
and we will pick you up"
81 do IN - ,x-as 10