The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-25

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passengers now crowded into the long
boat, which was lying on the quarter deck,
and waited for tho end. Inch by inch the
vessel sank beneath them until the boat
and its living cargo were afoat.
At the last a scene of confusion and
panic ensued. Some of the distracted peo-
pie leaped madly overheard, some climbed
into the remnants Of the rigging and
clung there in the hope that they would
remain above water, while others settled
into the stupor of despair and stolidly
waited for death.
The gallant captain chung to the rig
cling and refused to leave his ship. The
last seen of him was when he waved his
hand to the boat and then went down be-
meath the dark waters with the charge in
trusted to his keeping.
The longboat now pulled toward the
mouth of the cave, but soon a monster sea
broke over the crowded craft and filled her
with water. OF the struggling passengers
only three were saved by the other boat,
which arrived on the spot just in time.
slowly and sadly the survivors rowed
away from the dreadful cave where SO
many of their comrades had found their
last resting place, The coast, so far as
| they could see, consisted of high, perpen-
| dicular rocks, and there was nc possibility
of effecting a landing.
All that day they struggled desperately
with the angry seas, sometimes in the
teeth of the wind, and it was night before
they reached a largo rock about IL miles
northeast of Disappointment island. Here
they tried to get ashore for fresh water,
but in the attempt one of the bosts was
swamped, the men succeeding after q des-
perate struggle in getting on the rocks.
OF all their provisions only three pieces
of pork and nine tins of bouilli were saved.
The boat, however, was recovered.
On the morning of May Is they obtained
some fresh water, but they dared not risk
their last match in an attempt to make a
fire on rocks where they could not remain.
Constant labor at the oars was necessary
to keep off the sharp rocks. and at noon
they reached a place called North Harbor.
They did not think it a fit refuge, and at
daybreak the following day they started
once more and reached Port Ross.
There they camped and set about the
anxious task of lighting a fire. They had
but one dry match, and with bated breath
they watched the feeble flicker grow into
a steady glow that meant life and warmth
to them all. The fire they lighted that
day was not allowed to go out for IS
weary months.
They caught two or three birds, gather
ed a few limpets, and these, with a tin OF
bouilli, made a feast for the starving cast
always. The next day they discovered
some old huts which had doubtless afford
ed shelter for other sufferers, gathered
more limpets and killed four seals on the
beach. They saw some goats, but did not
succeed in catching any of them.
Month after month dragged away until
they had passed an entire year on the desc
late place. In April they gathered a huge
pile of wood ready TO light If a ship should
be seen. In June they caught a small
pig, which they kept three months and
then killed for food.
They made an ingenious hook out of a
half inch bolt and with this succeeded in
catching a number of pigs. They also
found a few wild potatoes. They set
adrift the inflated bladders of the pigs, to
which were attached slips of wood On
which were written an account of their
sad condition, hoping some ship might
pick one of them up.
Then they made boats about three feet
long and attached to each a piece of iron,
so as to turn the little craft by the stern
and keep her before the wind. These also
they cast upon the waters. On the deck OF
each the story of the wreck was carved.
On the 10Th day of November, 1867,
more chan is months after the wreck of
the General Grant, one of the men espied
a white speck far out on the horizon.
Was it a ship? With haggard faces and
hungry eyes the little band watched the
speck grow larger until they could no
longer doubt it. But their smoke ap-