The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-10
From the Sun.

FROM the sun.
on Monday night April 10. 1S41, the
American ship William Brown, home
ward bound from Liverpool to Phila-
delphia. was reelir 6 off the knots about
go miles southeast of Cape Race, New
foundland. She was manned by a crew
of seventeen seaman, and she carried
sixty-tive ass enge! !s-Scotcl and Irish
immigrants eek.ng hons and o!tunes
under the brighter skies of the New
World.
The night was black, b,ack and tenn
pestuous. The air was filed with sleet.
and from the horizon came booms and
grindings indicating the proximity o:
icebergs over the most sullen and
vicious piece of water on the globe the
ship sailed onward to her doom. AT
10 o'clock there came a crash ana
shock, followed by oaths from above
and shrieks from below and the swift
patter of fest along the deck. Up from
the stufry cabins, plain, scant, ill
lighted and cvil-smelling, rushed the
terrified passengers. The great ship
their one salvation in this trip over Il
boundless ocean-was In confusion,
wrecked in rigg ng and damaged in hun
from an impact with an iceberg. Even
the eyes of the most insXperienc d
could detect the aivanc. of deadly
peril, for already the sailors We're buay
at the fails with the beats, already
there was an ominous slant forward
and downward to the whole fabric. So
in little groups, half naked, shiverlng.
speechless, the po creatures huddled,
awaiting something, they knew not
l,. nr no
as the heavens We're of starlight.
There were but two boats--a shame
full lack in those days of shameful lack
ings at sea-a jolly-boat and a long
boat, incarable at best of atforIing
even temporary refuge to half of the
human beings on board. These boats
the sailors swiftly prepared ami
launched, while the ship settled lower
and lower and the waves surged ami
the passengers crowded the stern. 7,
does not appear that the captain
showed an executive ability equal to
this crisis. He followed rather than
directed the movements of his crew
But out from the ranks there stepped
man who led, thenceforth, thu ough
the inherent forces of his nature. This
man, William Holmes. able seaman
was Finn. handsome, athlete. young,
and masterful. Those who are at
quainted with the superstitions Of tins
sea will remark the coincidence of his
natiVity-fOr a Finn is regard d by
mariners as an embodiment of evil for
others. wizard who deals in spells
and purchases personal immunity at
the price of blood.
Holmes, then, without meeting a
show of resistance, assumed control.
He saw that the boats We're properly
equipped: he calculated the life of the
ship and the probabilities of the wa tn
Cr. BY word and deed he sought in
every way to put heart into the crew.
But they were a craven lot, wolfishly
selfish. and cruel in their fear They
beat back the passengers from thu
boats until they themselves had en-
barked. But for Holmes. they might
have rowed away then without a sign
of hesitation or look of rclenting AS
it was, however, though his strenuous
efforts certain passengers We're re-
ceved on board and when the two craft
finally dropped astern they We're oc-
cupied as follows In the jolly boat,
the captain. the two mates, seven sea-
men, and one passenger; in the lCng
boat. Holmes eight seamen, and thirty
two passengers. Holmes kept his head.
He realized that there was little chanc ,
of the two boats keeping in company.
SO he called to the captain that the
long beat was without a nav'ga .or
The captain thereupon ordered the first
mate to transship with quadrant, chart,
and compass, and the man without de-
mur obeyed.
Then an incident occurred which
showed that Holmes was both COM
passionate and brave. At the :atfrail
of the ship appeared sick girl,
stretching out her arms to her mother,
who was in the long boat. There was
scream of despair in response as the
woman recognized the awful gulf If
separation. Holmes urged the men to
their oars and caught the poor child
in his arms. "Oh. mother, I am COM
Ing" she cried as they swung down by
the tackle. Thus he was the last man
to leave the ship. 1t was piteous
scene for the derision of the elements.
A cables length away the two tiny
boats tossing and plunging like straws
in a maelstrom, awaited the end. Will =
on board the ship with her towering
mssts thrty-one deserted pas ssengers-
little children. young girls. matrons
wno Lad left all the associations Of a
life time for the sake Of their families
and sirss, who had been not too old nor
too battered by misfortune to have
still hoped-pleaded and prayed and
cursed.
lI l,tf
tional foundation for the unspeaka
selfishness of the sailors The same sea
which was about to engulf the ship
might at any moment swallow up the
blsts Nor would respite necessarily b.
meic fu; for there was the threat of
thirst and famine darkening into her
rors inhuman ana nc ed BILE. Poor
souls cried the first mate In answer
to the appeal of frantic arms; you are
only going down short time bafor.
we do"
At midnight the ship settled at the
head and went down like diving
monster. hurrying into the vortex of
death thirty-one passengers. The two
b ats, held by fearful attraction. lay
on their oars throughout the night and
at daybreak drew near for consulta-
tion. The captain announced that it
would be prudent to part company, as
there would thus be two chances in
stead Of one of sighting a sail. He ex-
horted the seamen on the longboat to
obey the mate in all things. and each
one In ret'Nn so'promised.
Il fear we will have to cast lots"
said the mate significantly.
Don't speak Of that now," replied
the captain; "let that be the last re-
sort" And then the jolly boat. short.
stout. and stubby, with but few on
board, drew away until it was alone
on the ocean. one atom instead Of two