The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-10

was perpendicular, tho gen a sheet OF
glass. rejecting back upon them the
BAH of FIRE overhead. Now and then
catspnw would ripple across tife plain
Of water. but there were no clouds,
there was no sight Of land They kept
on pulling. For three-fOr four days
week for ten days--they tugged at
the oars, except when a fayorlng breeze
came. The water was reduced TO few
plnts. the food TO few days half ra-
tIonR. Their limbs were cramped 10
thnt they could not move from their
places In the Doat their bodies were
becoming covered with sores, and the
wird had now died away entirely. the
sea was without ripple, ana for ever
shown above them the fierce, ho, sun.
Gradually II had dawned upon them
tha, they were lost-that perhaps they
had run pas, Samoa. The insanity OF
their adventure gave place 10 despair,
and by degrees their despair grew to
madness OF a morc awful kind
on the fifteenth day there appeared
to the south and east a low. dark
gray cloud Land AZ lnstl" was the
unspokon thought in each mans heart
~ he looked at his comrade. but feared
10 voice his hope. And presently the
cloud grew darker and more clearly
defined. and one of the men. the next
Oldest to the author Of all their miser-
les, fell upon nls weak and trembling
knees aud raised his hands In thank
fulness and prayer TO the Almighty.
Alas Il was not land. but the ominous
forprunner Of the fierce and sweeping
mid Equatorial gale which lay yelled
behind. In less than half an hour II
came upon and smote them with savege
fury, and the little boat was running
before q bowling gale and maddening.
foam'whpPed SEA
Ard then \ happened tha., III and
suffering as he was from tie asonles
Of hunger and thirst. the heroic nature
Of old Boston Ned. came out, and his
bold sailors heart ohccred and encour-
aged his wretched, despaIrlng compan-
ions MI that night and for the
greater part Of the next day he stood In
the stern sheets. grasping the bend
ing steer oar az the boat swayed and
surged along before the gale, constant
ly watching lest she should broach 20
and smother In the roaring seas; the
others lay In the bottom fecbly bailing
out the water encouraged. urged, and
driven to that exertion by the gallant
old American seaman.
Toward noon the sea moderated: In
the afternoon Il died away altogether
-and again the boat lay rising and fall
ing to the long Pacific swell. and "BOs-
ton Ned" lung mis- exhausted frame
down in the stern sheets and slept.
Twenty days out the last particle Of
food and water had been consumed. and
though the boat was now steering as
near westward as old Ned could judge.
before gentle. southeast trade. mad
ness and despair were coming quickly
upon them. and on the twenty-third
day two OF the Ave miserable creatures
began TO drink coplously OF sea-water
the drink OF death.
Renton. though he had suffered to the
bitter full from the agonies OF body
and mind endured by his shlpmates,
was not one OF thege, and by a mercl-
ful providence remained sane enough
90 turn his face away from the water.
But. as he lay crouched in heap in
the bottom OF the boat with a silent
prayer In his heart 10 the Creator
quickly 10 end his sufferings, he heard
Boston Ned" and the only remaining
sane man excepting himself mutterlng
hoarsely together and looking some
times at him and sometimes at the two
almost dying men who lay moaning
beside him. Presently the man who
was talking to Ned pulled out Of his
blanket-whlch lay in the stern sheets
n razor, and, turning his back TO Rem
ton, began stroping It upon the sole Of
his shoe, and even Boston Ned" him
self booked with awful eyes and blood
baked, twltching lips upon the
youngster.
The lad saw what was coming, and
as quickly as possible made his way
forward and sat there, with his eyes
fixed upon the two men aft, waiting for
the struggle which he thought must
soon begin. All that day and night he
sat and watched determined to make
a fight for the little life that remained
In him, and Ned and the other men
at times still muttered and eyed him
wolhshly.
As he sat thus, supporting his swol-
len head upon his skeleton hands, Rem
ton saw something astern moving slow
ly after the boat-something that he
knew was waiting and following for
the awful deed to be done, so that It,
too, might share in the dreadful feast.
Raising his bony arm he pointed to-
ward the moving fin, To him shark
meant no added horror or danger toI
their position, but possibly deliverance,
Boston Ned" and the other man first
looked at the coming shark and then
with sunken eyes again turned to Rem
ton. Voices none Of them had, and
Rentons parched tongue could not ar
ticulate. hut with signs and lin move