The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-12-13

- - ~ they Joined hands
--=-s3s.- and sang the ma
- tionai military
- hymn. The Flag
genlled." Singing that song they went
70 their death ehecrfully. The ILLS be-
gan her last voyage on July % last.
when she left chefoo. IN China. for
Nagasaki. In Japan. She was a gun
boat OF $500 tons. a small vessel OF the
class which Is maintained by European
POWERS In Asiatlc waters for the pur-
pose Of Furnishing natives. protecting
sitizens. and so forth. Il does not ap-
pear that she had any one particular
defect. but she was too weak TO face
the terrible storm which overlook her.
Before nightfall the ship was over
taken BY one Of those terrible storms
which rage with such fury on the east
ern coast Of Asia. When darkness
came the storm was stili increasing In
fury. The crew were helpless and
crouehed under the bulwarks holding
on to ropes and rails for their lives.
Great seas broke over the deck. drown
ing and injuring many men. The ship
was beyond control OF helm or engines
and incapable Of making a course In
the direction In which safety lay. I'm
III nearly midnight the storm flung
the helpless ship about. Then, having
been lifted on the crest Of an enormous
wave. she fell with a crash which
shook her from stem TO stern. She had
struck on a reef. which proved 10 be
one on the southeast promontory on
the Chinese coast. The boats were
washed away. the men we're poEerless
TO save the ship. and their only chance
OF life lay In eiinglng 10 q ship that
was fast breaking up. After nearly
twelve hours Of battle with the storm
Il only remained for them 70 die. Cap.
tain Braun. who had never for q mo.
ment relaxed his efforts TO save the
ship, saw that his work was over. His
s,alwart form and his calm. but strong
German face will live IN the memory
Of the few survivors until their last
hour. He called all the officers and
men around him on deck. and, taking
each one BY the hand. babe him fare
well. Then he told the whole crew that
they had done their duty like men. and
would do well to end by giving three
cheers for the Kaiser and for Germany.
These were given with a strength that
struggled with the roar Of the wind
and waves. The ship was then fast
breaking up. A chasm had opened
abaft the foremost. and the waves
breaking over the deck threatened
every moment 10 tear away the greater
part OF the ship and sink Ia under the
boiling sea. Then Gunner Raehm
yelled 10 the men 10 sing the national
military hymn. the "Flaggenlied. BY
that time e sort OF intoxication born
Of contempt for death had come over
them. Joining hands for good ,elIow-
ship and also 10 save one anotl r for
few moments more from the itches
Of the waves. officers and men lanced
on the deck Of the ILLS as they sang
the hymn. the refrain Of which Il:
The Kaiser and our standard. Hochl
The hag. black, white and red"
They had barely concluded the hymn
when the ship broke up and tie after
part Of her vas enguifed IN the sea.
A very few managed 10 reach the small
part fast on the rcef-not one oficsr
among them. OF the thirteen men who
succeeded In elinging 10 the wreck.
eleven we're eventually saved. ThSy
spent a terrible night. during which
several Of them were washed OF and
two drowned. The whole OF the next
Jay the storm continued with consid.
cradle violence. and they remained IN
their miserable position. Al the end
of thlrty-slx hours the lighthouse
keeper at Southeast PrOm0ntory was
able 10 reach them In a boat and then
AIKEN OF. Moslohner. boatswaln OF the
wrecked ship. has written a letter 20 a
friend describing that terrible night.
In the course OF bis letter. the boats
vain says; 1t almost made ny heart
sick. though. when. az the Ills lay
pounding on the rocks, almost on her
beam end. Capt Braun came down
lrom the bridge and shook each Of rs
by the hand. could have cried like
an infant. but he waved his hand To-
Ward the dag. aud before We knew il
we were singing at the top OF our voices
our dear old national hymn. Our voices
sounded weird and strange above the
storm. can't describe the scenc-lt
was 30 unlike anything you can mag.
Inc. There We were dancing around
the deck like school boys. while every
one Of Us knew our time had come. Il
Is said that one coniures up everything
that has passed when death comes.
but I thought OF nothing but the grand
words OF that song and the cheers VIC
gave the Gag. In fact. before ! had
much time 10 think OF anything else.
she went 10 pieces. and I found myself
guzzllng the briny water. phcw. but Il
was roughl ! was caught In the crest
Of wave and carried toward Il. and by
good fortune managed to clutch a rope
that was dangling from the bowsprlt.
] scrambled up on the top Of the wreck,
and In a few minutes others "a lortu-
nate "a Joined me"