The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-22
GIRLS STORMY VOYAGE.
We're II Days on Sinking Wreck -
Rescued in q Hurricane.

New York, Dec .22-Tossed from
sinking schooner to a lifeboat in mid
ocean while a gale swept their wrecked
craft-that experience, that even a
horny handed tar does not yearn fer,
fell 20 the lot of Hazel Merritt and her
bosom friend, Louise Burns. But neither
of them shrank from the ordeal, though
both have yet to see their sixteenth
summer.
Louise Burns is the daughter of
veteran. white haired Captain Burns, of
the lost British schooner Deer Hill, and
Hazel is daughter of the owner. The
schooner was abandoned on Dec. u.
after she had been reduced to a floating
hulk by seventeen days of bufet1nS
with tempeSts. Captain Burns, the two
girls and the crew Of seven men, includ-
ing the captains son, were rescued by
the British steamship PaWnee Captain
Arkenh ead), from Mediterranean ports,
and landed yesterday in New York.
They formed an interesting contrast,
these two young girls, as they stood on
the bridge of the PaWnee when she
steamed into port. Miss HaZePs black
eyes danced with joy as she noted the
tall buildings of New York looming in
the distance, and her raven hair, loos-
ene6 bv the breeze f1oated in s. black
wave from under her jaunty yachting
cap. Her plump. round face bore The
ruddy glow of health, and apparently
she had not a thought for the perils she
and the others had passed through.
A Contrast in Beauty.
She looked very different from the
captains daughter, though they were
dressed exactly alike, Miss Louise's fair
face, with its frame of light brown
hair looked very thoughtful her Dlue
eyes were very close to tears when her
white haired father touched her arm.
well the Deer Hill is gone, and we
can't help it, quoth Miss Hazel, philo-
sophically. She consented later, though
reluctantly, to tell the story OF the rate
ssI did not mind the storms so much"
she began, because I made one other
voyage, much longer than this was in
tended to be. We left St. John, New
Brunswick, on November % for Santos,
Brazil, and the schooner had a Dig LOT
of lumber on board. 1t was piled up
on deck and strapped and fastened so
it couldn't move when the storms came.
But it did, Just the same, and we had
an awful time. I did not care so much
to go, because knew we would have
rough weather; but the other voyage
improved my health so much that the
doctor said I must take one more.
Louise said she would go with me, and
we had nice stateroom on the Deer
Hill and everything comfortable when
we started.
ut was on Saturday, the 26th of No
vember, when it began to blow. The
wind was from the southwest that
night and Louise and lay awake all
night and listened to it bowling through
the rigging It screeched and moaned
till daylight and then it went to the-the
the northwest, wasn't it, Louise?
Eyes, I think so,'' answered Louise,
as she caught an affirmative nod from
her father.
It Blew a Hurricane.
'TYVell it blew that day a regular hurri-
cane, and every day after that for five
DAYS On December 3-yeS, that was the
time-the rudder was smashed and we had
to let the ship toss around as it liked
The wave that smashed the rudder broke
the cabin SSylight all to pieces and Hooded
the cabin. We were lying in our berthS.
They were the only dry places on the
vessel, and we stayed there most of the
time, except when We wanted something
to eat. Neither of US felt afraid We
knew Captain Burns would look after US
forgot to tell you that the deck load
was washed loose and it went overheard
tearing the bulwarkS and the stern rails
away. One of our boats was smashed,
but we had two more.
1--WE were rolling about when the Paw
nee came along on December s, and our
vessel was leaking fast. That steamer
STAYED by US four days, and three times a
big rOpe was sent aboard to tow us, but it
broke each time. Chief Mate Thomas
George reached US in the steamers life
boat on the 10th but the boat smash
ed and he had to stay with us.
1--WE launched one of our own boats on
December u, and Louise and / put our
clothes in two bags. They were thrown
into the boat and then Louise was taken
by two sailors and tossed into the boat
when it rose on a wave level with the
caught her and I went in the same way.
We were taken the PaWnee that way,
but when I reached the vessels bridge
felt afraid for the first time