Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-01

occupant toworod the muscular fCu-e Of
an old salt with harpoon IN hand. Tins
chase brought the boat close in shore, ind
-Haertig seized the opportunity TO escape.
He slipped over the side and with strong
strokes swain for shore. The tars looked
at him wonde-iugIy, bat made no effort
to pursue him. doubtless syInpathiZinG
with the lad The latter reached the shore
after a hard battle with the waves, waved
his hand to the seamen and disappeared
into rhe scraggy growth.
y day had passed before Haertic fully
realized the peril and hardships that con
fronted him. But the thought that he was
free comforted him in the awful loneIi
ness. He BEGAN n feel the cravings Cf
hunger. On every hand there were deSn!g-
tea and stcrility Not q sign Of habits-
tion could be distinguished. For t'vo days
the young fellow went without eating
His hunger became awful in is intensity.
At nights, with nothing but the cold,
metallic sky above him, he slept, coca
sionally awakened by dreams OF stcsIlIiny
and luscious food. His disappointment
upon ascertaining that the food was but a
fancy of the brain, Gisurdcrctl by the paEGs
Of hunger, was aEonizing ana Iuaddening
He tried to -tavc or death FROM starvation
by eating griss and bark. Toads and in
sects were dclicGci-s which he hunted With
every animal instinct aroused and dcvour-
ed greedily- He soon began to show evil
-dences Of mental and physical collapse.
Ee was worn 70 a skeleton. but he did not
give up hope Il rescue Ho called upon
God TO save him in "a pitiful supplicatiOn.
One day he Cravgled to "a knoll, and, look
ing out over tho sea, he saw ship. he
rubbed his eyes and looked again. There
it was, fUll rugged clipper, bowling mer-
rily over the waves about two miles OF.
He staggered 10 his feet, Invested himself
OF his blouse and waved it frantically
about his head lie yelled with all his
strength. He had been seen. Down came
tine sails. The vessel rounded TO, u boat
was launched, men dropped into it and
with sturdy strokes pulled for shore.
Haertig fell in Il dead faint. His rcscuers
teuderly conveyed him to the boat and
ro5yed back to the ship. Ho was lifted on
board and carried into the first mates
cabin, where he WAS revived by Grog.
The vessel was bound for Il port in
China. Hacrtig made himself valuable.
by this time 10 could go al0f5 as gracc-
fully and rapidly - any IF the crew. He
was well liked, and the sailors took pride
in tGaChinE him. Tho long voyage was
most pleasant 80 FAR. but a rough time was
ahead. In the China sCa IA tyrhoon struck
the gallant little ship with terrible force
She withstooI the terrible pounding in
fiictcd by the angry waves for hours be
fore she spranc a leak. The pumps were
manned and every effor5 made 10 keep
nloat, bu5 the water gained steadily III
her hold. she soon began to settle by the
bows and roll and pitch heavily. The
good ship was doomed and preparations
were made 70 leave her. The great waves
swept clear over L.r decks, and it was
only at the peril Of life and limb that the
crew worked - launch TIE beats. The
task WAS accomplished without mishap and
after skillful IraucUveriug they managed
to keep from being smashed against her
sides. Sadly every eye rested on the bat
tered craft rs they pulled away into the
gloom. For several days they rCwed and
driftcd aimlcssly Jut finally landed on the
Chinese coast.