The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-08

mere and there and taking every wave
aboard.
From port to starboard the great
mountains OF water poured, rolling into
the hold and adding To the quantity of
water already weighing her down. The
load was too much and after a mo-
ment when We felt we were lost, the
ship keeled over To the starboard and
went down stern first.
What became of my mates ] don't
know. l remember that the boats had
been loosened and that some OF the
men were ready to take TO them II the
vessel went under. but no boat could
have lived for a minute In that terrible
sea, and II any of them did get In the
boats IL was simply swamped as soon
as the first wave struck II. Maybe they
did not leave the ship at all. l was
near the spar and when the stern OF
the vessel began to 60 under went for
the rigging and went up as fast as
could. Another man went with me, the
second mate. and l thank the Lord
that he was with me. ar ! would have
gone mad during all the long hours
that I was up there hanging ON and
trying 10 keep on the frightful cold
that was slowly killing us both.
There was rolling TO and fro as the
vessel struck the bottom ana slowly
righted TO an even keel and second
Letter she rolled over TO one side. l
thought she was going all the way
over. but she did not. She settled ON
the bottom and. though the waves
rolled her from port to starboard. the
spar remained out Of the water, with
my mate and myself clinging 10 IL.
"All this time the hail and sleet was
coming down In a cutting sheet and
we were covered with ice I'm n few
minutes, for though the top Of the spar
ON which we were hanging was % feet
above the water. the big waves struck
us and broke over us and the hail cut
US like shot.
Il knew IL was about o'clock when
we went down, and IL seemed To me
that daylight would never come. When
daylight came We could not see a sail
anywhere near us. and the sea was as
bad as ever. Hour after hour We
waited there and then we saw the
Mariposa coming. For long time We
did not know whether she would sight
us.
when she finally sighted US and we
saw her head for US, i tried to tell my
mate, but l could not. and he looked
at me with happy look ON his face.
II was a terrible time 10 us before she
came up 10 us. and then 7 knew we
were not safe yet. for the sea was run
ming mountains high and the big steel
boat was rolling like n skin. Every
wave sent her uo in the air until We
coud see her white bottom under her
water line. We knew at once that her
captain would not attempt to lower a
boat. When the Mariposa got within
cable length OF us "A man with a
strong voice yelled to us 10 hang on.
Don't give up he yelled. and well
get YOU on soon.'
THE boat circled around US. coming
as near as she could. but when she was
within few rods big roller swept her
out and she went on To rtarboard. roll
ing heavily when she got In the trough
Of the sea. Then she came back again
and again she missed us. I'm the third
trip around she ran alongside our
spar. and as she went past dozen
men reached for US. An instant later
we were dragged from the spar and
over the rail OF the Mariposa."
The second mate. Louis Laforce. told
n narrowing story To the crew OF the
Mariposa. He said that In the rush of
men in the hold one OF them. watch
man. was trampled 10 death. The
crew was frantic to get out OF the
place. Six or eight. he said. must have
been drowned like rats In the hold.
They We're not warned Of the sinking
Of the boat. The first long dip of the
stern was the first intimation they had
that the final danger was at hand and
then they made n frantic rush to get
on deck. The hatchway was too small
10 let them through together. and the
result was that one Of them was tram
pied to death, and several left Ia
drown