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

10 as 10 IIt CUHultiOH VI TIC loHS podt
"The long boat was in great jeopardy.
Her gunwale was within five to twelve
inches of the water. She seemed tco
u,manageable to be saved. The peo-
pie were half naked and all crowded
together like sheep in pen. 1t would
nave been imp ssible to run her to
land. and the chances Of her being
picked up were ninety-nine to one
against her" Perhaps vision of des-
peratt drowning creatures struggling
through the water and dragging at the
oars and the sides Of his jolly boat
had something to do with the captains
decision to part company.
The long boat, owing to Holmes care.
was partially provispned. She had on
hoard six gallons of water, seventy-five
pounds of bread. ten ponnds of meat,
and small measure of oatmeal, suf-
| ficient, with economy, for about a week.
She was naturally well-constructed.
seaworthy craft, being 30 feet long, G
feet beam, and feet deep. but she
was laden far beyond her capacity. To
make matters worse, she had not been
| in the water for thiity-fve days, and
| i.tl spiCdu thN
| ness. Henc, ther. was work for a I.
The passengers hailed with tins and
buckets, while the crew kept steadiy
| At the oars. holding the course which
Holmes indicated as the one most like
| ly to lead into ships path. On Tues
| day afternoon the plug, 1h inches In
diameter, which had been repeatedly
| forced out was lost. and though the
orilice was stuffed with bits of clothing.
the leakage greatly increased.
Then the rain descended, and with
nightfall the wind freshened. The hor-
lion was livid with the ghostly gleam
| Of ic bsrgs. The boat laboied more
and more heavily as the white-billowed
cavalry bsset her on all sides. But little
was said by the passengers; the pail
of mortal fear pressed over them.
They were crowded together like sheep
in a pen, and like sheep they opened
not their mouths.
The thirty-two passengers consisted
| of sixteen men. two Of whom were
| ried. fifteen women. most of whom
were young, and one little boy. 1t does
not appear that the men showed any
| of the nobler qualities OF their sex.
| They Were inert and unresisting: too
much overwhelmed with the terrors OF
death to struggle to live. Had there
been but one Holmes among them the
| impending catastrophe might have
b en- averted. The water game d.
Some thing must b. done at cnce.
Should they supinely perish t gethe.,
or should might again prove right and
the cowardly 'Sauve que peut" Of the
ship he repeated?
THE plug is gone" shrieked the pas
sangers; God have me. cy on our poor
souls"
This won't do" moaned the mate;
Help me. Cod! Men, go to work"
Don't part man and wife, and don't
throw over any women" continued the
mate and covered up his eyes. And
then, without consultation or any at
tempt at drawing lots Holmes and his
men moved forward.
There ensued a ruthless scene. One
by one the unmarried male passengers
were ordered to stand up. One by one
they were cast overheard. Now one
entreated to he spared for the sake
of wife ami children awaiting his com.
| ing In the New World. Now another
+ citel his sins. that their very enorm-
ity might procure him little delay.
"HolTes' -bhod nan who had
been friendly with the sailor, You
won't put me out"
yes. Challie You must 60" was the
response. followed by instant execu-
tion.
a man named McAvov craved five
minutes for prayer. This at first
Holmes sternly refused, but finally
granted at the intercessiOn of the negr,
| COOK. IL is noticeable as q s'gu Jr he
times that all the current accounts of
this tragedy. while den1uncing the fact
that not one Of the crew was cast over
added: Net even the negro cook"
And yet after all his heart had been
the lighteS,
There was young man Of wealth
aboard. Frank Askin, with two sister,
c!inglng to him. He strOve to temper
lie, Offering five sovereigns to Holmes
If he would wat until morning. and
promising that then. If no helo c,me
he would draw lots ard go ov r like
d man."
I'VE don't want your m ney. Frank"
replied the mplacable leader: and AS
kin was tossed over.
Give me only dress to put around
me-" cried one of Askin's sisters. "ani
I care not to live longer" The two
girls exchanged one glance. one kiss.
and then. clnsing together in death as
they had in life, sprang over and
shared their brothers fate In the
morning light Holmes did the most in =
d fensitle of all his lawiess deeds. Two
men were found hidden under the
thwarts, all stark from cold. The dam
ger then was no longer imminent The
sea had gone down and the beat was
comparatively free from water, and yet
these two were also tossed out. 1t m y
be that Holmes thought them dead; or
If not. that to his stern nature death
in their unconsciousness seemed q ia
vOr.
Though the morning was fair, all the
Others remaining on board were too
much prostrated for hope. The awful
events of the night had stunned them.
/ They lay prone on the bottom too spir-
itless to curse. or to pray. Holmes
alone continued cheerful, alert and
equal TO the emergency. He kept Il
sharp outlook. and it was due to his
judgment that the party We're saved.
He dete ted a film on the horizon.
marx, fainter than the shadow of n
gulrs wing, and he interpreted il.
Thther he tn ned the prov, until T e
film became canvas and the mark a
hull; and then. with the good old
! fashioned signal of shawl on an oar
he attracted the attention of the mate
of the ship Crescent, supervising some
work aloft.
AS an example of Holmes strong
! common sense the following incident Is
nOtewc rthy: When the women for
ward realize that the ,idings of great
! joy were true they sprang screaming