The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-03

hope it would reach its destination
appeared well founded, when suddenly
the line was severed, supposedly by some
frenzied man aboard the ship, and the
sea anchor drifted astern the Iifeboar.
not a dozen yards away. Another hope
was gone.
on the Paris stood watching the wild
scene. The luncheon hour had come and
gone, and not a person on board had
eaten. No one had thought of hunger.
1t was well they were so well en-
crossed, for there was no luncheon. The
stewards and galley force had forgotten
their duties, so deeply were they inter-
ested in the battle on the sea and had
prepared no food. Never before had
there been a parallel instance on an
ocean liner. No one was even reproved
for the negligence: Captain Watkins
was not thinking of his stomach.
After the loss of the line an idea came
to the man directing matters on the
Vindoba1a. One of the lifeboats was
ed with eight men aboard. To it's stern
a line was made fast and off it set to
take a hazardous chance in meeting
with the other Hfeboat.
At this moment a man 1eaped upon
the rail of the tank steamer. He wore
a cork jacket and his pockets We're
bulging with his personal property. He
clambered down one of the lines hang
ing from the Iifeboat davits and drop
ped into the sea. He meant to SWIM TO
the life boat of the Paris.
He sank, and after what seemed fiye
minutes to the watchers arose and was
thrown against the side of the vessel.
He tried to swim, but the poor feIIoW,
desperate and unthinking, had m1scal-
culated the buoyancy of his cork sup
port and had overweighted himself with
his possessions. He realized his mistake
and strove to Chamber back aboard the
ship.
'tSaved!" cried many exultingly, as
up the side he went. Then, exhausted,
his hold was broken and back he fell.
Two men leaned overheard. They tried
to grasp the helpless sailor. They
caught him, but, exhausted as they
were by long exposure, they were too
weak to carry out their brave wish. He
was lost.
Meanwhile the boat from the Vindo-
bala and the one from the Paris had
been maneuvering about one another.
The former was cookie contfasteo
with the sturdy boat from the American
liner and it was ten to one, it appeared,
that it could not live, but the tiny boat
buffeted and tossed about, stood the
trial bravely. AT an opportune moment
a line is thrown from the boat OF the
Paris. 1t is grasped and made fast in
a twinkling.
The fate9of the unfortunate sailor
spurred those aboard theill-fated steam
newed activity. The eight men from
the small boat of the Vindoba1a were
successfully transferred to the lifeboat
They were drenched and half frozen
they were pulled over lthe rowlocks to
safety. None of them could speak.
They were dumb from the physical
strain to which they had been sub
jected.
Meanwhile the men of the Vindobala
were not idle. They had rigged a buoy,
with a double line attached. It was
made fast to the line now leading TO
the lifeboat and thrown overheard. The
painters attached were made fast on the
deck, and -aII-was in readiness for the
departure of the men from the sinking
ship which was settling surely
The buoy could not be brought nearer
than twenty feet to the ship and be
kept in the water This left that much
space through which the men must
swim to reach the buoy. The crew Of
the Vfndobala were lined up, each wear
ing a life belt or a cork Jacket. The
captain ordered one overheard to make
the first try for the buoy. With the
fate of the other men in view, the sailor
hesitated.
"I'n try it!'' said sailor as he, step
ped from the ranks. Down the davit
rope he climbed and dropped off into
the water. Quickly he was pulled along
boat, and dragged aboard. The pas
sengers on the Paris were joyous
One by one the men slid down the
davit falls and reached the lifeboat in
safety.
The captain and three men only were
now left aboard. With the thought in
his mind that the Vindobala might
prove a dangerous derelict in the
oceans pathways, the captain ordered
the seacocks opened, so that within
few moments after leaving it the vessel
would go to the bottom.
The remaining sailors obeyed with
willingness and soon they reappeared
on deck and were sent over the side to
join their comrades.
The skipper was the last man to leave
the doomed ship.