The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-11-04

not understand what the signal bells
| meant. Cut soon came a rap, and
| that dreadful summons: Dress a
once. Don't stop for baggage" We
| dressed warmly. and were soon on
deck. The sailors put life preservers
on us, for they expected the boat to
sink at once. There was no confusion.
The men stood back. and the ladies'
and children climbed down that steep
ladder and were taken into the life
boats There were eight boats and a
steam-launch. Many of the sailors
| and all of the officers remained on
deck, and saved all they could, for
the boat showed no sign of sinking.
Then began curious scene. Peo-
pie begged the sailors to go to this or
that stateroom and get certain articles.
Nailses, telescopes, blankets, bread,
boxes of provisions, ETC., came flying
down. We held up our hands and
tried to catch some bread, but sue
ceeded IN catching bnt one loaf. Some
one handed around a coffee boiler
full of water, and said: Take
drink. We don't know when we shall
get another We wanted to keep
the water. but others needed it, and
We passed it on
We rowed farther away from the
ship, SO that we might not be drawn
under when she went down. Slowly
she sunk, till at half past six she dis
appeared entirely.
Then we began to consider our sit
Atlon The captain had ordered us
to keep together, but by this time we
could just see his launch and the five
beats with him away off Oh the hori-
z9n. The chief engineer had charge
OF our boat. He decided to follow
Jack Smith, who was in the boat Just
ID front of us. He had smuggled
Whlskey along that coast for years,
aud knew all its ins and outs. He
had compass, and was steering for
the northeast. At last our chief ask
ed him whether he was sure his com
pass worked. He said he supposed
II did. lie was told to turn his boat
around and see. He did so, and the
compass failed to respond.
Then our hearts sunk. There we
were, in leaky metal boat, which
must be continually bailed; and
metal boat when it leaks is much
more dangerous than wooden one.
fer 1t may go down very suddenly.
Sharks and whales were all around
us There We're seventeen of us in
the one boat,-four ladies, two boys,
tnflr lrnnf torpnn e 4
crew. We had six oars. Four were
used for rowing, one in steering, and
by lashlng blankets to the sixth we
made sail. We had only half
loaf OF bread, having shared ours
with another boatload; and, worst of
all, we had no water. We were with
ont compass. and there was not a sim
gle object to guide ourselves by; moth
ing was to be seen but the captains
boats, which soon disappeared. The
fog shut down around us, and we did
not know whether we were pulling for
the islands or straight out in the
ocean for Japan. 1t rained at inter
yals, and we pulled the blankets over
our heads for shelter.
All the men but two took turns at
the oars. One pulled till he fell over
from exhaustion, and one small Jun
lor helped at an oar at intervals
throughout the day, though his hands
were soon blistered We dared not
eat the bread; for, even if we reached
land, we expected nothing but in uD-
inhabited island. A few crumbs were
given the rowers.
About one o'clock the smallest Jun
Tor said, Mamma, I'm so hungry"
Poor child, seasicE the day before,
and up at 4:2O a. m! His mother re-
membered that there was a little can
dy IN a handbag, and gave each boy
some. That reminded another lady
that she had five pounds of candy,
and she gave each cf us two pieces,
reserving the rest for future need.
She also handed each one piece of
gum, and we tried to imagine that it
was beefsteak or fried chicken.
Twice the sun glimmered family,
enough to convince us that we wele
pulling northeast. How the time fled,
We feared to look at our watches, for
every time so much precious daylight
had slipped away, and we We're afraid
night would find us still upon the
waters. But at last, at three O'Clock
IN the afternoon, the fog broke for a
little, and we saw land How it cheer
ed US, even if it proved to be nothing
but an island. The Juniors began to
plan how we could kindle fire, and
dry ourselves, and build a lodge in
Robinsoe Crusoe style.
A small boat came in sight. This
brought joy to our hearts, for we hop
ed that it was an Indian boat, and we
had feared that we were a hundred
or more miles from village. But it
proved to be one of our own boats
The captain and his boats had reach
ed the same land we were making for.
He had landed the passengers and
| the food he had taken with him from
the Mexico, and then sent out the
| sailors tc beat the ocean till they
fornu the remaining three boats.
| They gave us some water, and told
| us to pull on to the island. We point
ed to where we had last seen the third
| boat, for one of the two which started
with us had gone off in another direc-
ton.
With renewed energy the oars were
| piled, and at 4 80 we landed at Percy
Island. We had probably pulled be-
tween thirty and fofty miles. The is
land was uninhabited; but the sailors
had built great fire. and we dried
our clothes. 1t was beautiful island.
OF course we were ready to think that
any land was beautiful, but this was
charming Great rocks were piled
one on another, and batween them
grew clumps of tall ferns. Beautiful
MOSES carpeted all the space, dot ted
with scarlet berries. The largest and
bluest harebells grew abundantly, and
the forest was perfect tangla of veg
! or Tho -