The Red Cloud chief., 1899-04-21

yells of despair and the shrieks of the
women as they embraced their Off
spring and in attempting to ave them
were lost themselves. The spars OF
the raft, still close together, were
hurled one upon the other by the
swell. and many found death by being
jammed between them Although all
the boats fastened to their assistance,
there was so much dificulty and dan
ger in forcing them between the spars
that but few were saved. and even
those few were more than the boats
could well take In. The eamen and
a few soldiers were picked up, but all
the females and tho children had sunk
beneath the waves.
The effect of this catastrophe may
be imagined. but hardly described. The
seamen who had debated as to casting
them adrlft to perish wept as they
pulled toward the shore. Philip was
overcome. He covered his face and re-
NAMED for some time without giving
directions, needless Of what passed.
1t was now five o'clock in the even
ing; the boats had cast of the tow
lines. and We'd with each other In
their exertions. Before the sun had
set they had arrived at the beach, and
were safely landed in the little sand
bay into which they had stcered; for
the wind was off the shore and there
was no surf. The boats were hauled
up and the exhausted men lay down
on the sands still warm with the heat
OF the sun. and forgetting that they
had neither eaten nor drunk for so
long a time. they were 500 fast asleep.
Captain Barentz, Philip and Krantz. as
soon as they had seen the boats Sc
cured, held a short consultation. and
were then glad to follow the example
Of the seamen; harassed and worn out
with the fatigue OF the last twenty
four hours, their senses were o 70
drowned In oblivion.
For many hours they all slept sound
ly, dreamed Of water and awoke to
the sad reality that they were tor
mented with thirst, and were on a
sandy beach with the salt waves
hooking them; but they reflected how
many of their late companions had
been swallowed up. and felt thankful
that they had been spared.
They were not more than fifty miles
from Table Bay; and although they
had no sails, the wind was in their ia
vor. Philip pointed out to them how
useless It was to remain, when be-
fore morning they would, in all prob
ability, arrive at where they would OBJ
tain all they required. The advice was
approved of and acted upon; the boats
were showed off and the oars resumed.
So tired and exhausted were the men
that their oars dipped mechanically
into the water. for there was no
strength left to be applied; 1t was not
until the next morning at daylight
that they had arrived opposite False
Bay and they had still many miles to
pull. The wind in their favor had done
almost all-the men could do little or
nothing.
Encouraged. however, by the sight
of land which they knew, they rail-
lied: and about noon they pulled, eX-
hausted to the beach at the bottom OF
Table Bay, near to which were the
houses and the fort protecting the set
tiers, who had for some years resided
there. They landed close to where a
broad rivulet at that season (but a
torrent in the winter) poured its
stream into the bay. At the sight of
fresh water some Of the men dropped
their oars, threw themselves into the
sea when out of their depth-others
when the water was above their waists
vet they did not arrive so soon as the
ones who waited till the boat struck
the beach and jumped out upon dry
land. And then they threw themselves
INTO the ~rivulet. which coursed over
the single, about five or six inches in
depth, allowing the refreshing stream
to pour into their mouths till they
could hold no more, immersing their
hot hands and rolling In 1t with de-
light.
AS soon as they had satisfied the
most pressing Of all wants they rose
dripping from the stream and walked
up to the houses Of the factory, the
inhabitants OF which, perceiving that
boats had landed when there was no
vessel In the bay. naturally supposed
that some disaster had happened, and
were walking down to meet them.
Their tragical history was soon told.
The thirty-six men that stood before
them were all that were left of nearly
three hundred souls embarked, and
they had been more than two days
without food. At this intimation no
further questions were asked by the
considerate settlers until the hunger
of the sufferers had been ~appeased.
when the narrative OF their sufrerings
was fully detailed by Philip and