Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-03-03

EAasl@ matte than the
49, story of the burn
ing of an unknown
oil steamship in mid-ocean in the win
ter of 1892. The vessel was subse
quently thought to have been the
British oil steamship Loodiana. al
though no absolute proof Of her
identity was ever obtained. The story
as told by the officers of the Egyptian
Prince, which arrived at New York
with the news of the burning of the
oil ship, is often told even at this late
day in the shipping offices along
South street, and no marine novelist
ever penned or imagined a story
more pathetic or more dramatic in all
its details.
It was midnight in December, 1902,
and the steamship Egyptian Prince,
bound from Newcastle for New York,
was in mid-ocean, blowing through
the waves at ten-knot clip. The
night was cold and dark and the wind
blew with hurricane force.
"Better keep good lookout to-
night" said Captain Coleman to Sec
ond Officer Jordan, cts going to be
nasty and no mistake"
"Aye, aye, it is that" came the re-
ply, and then the captain went below.
Jordan remained on the bridge ST.
lently gazing at the big combers roll
ing toward the vessel as though to en-.
gulf it and then curling away on either
side of the bow with the force of Il
mountain torrent. The wind was be-
ginning to shift to the northeast and
nothing could be heard above the
roar of the tempest but the ceaseless
chug. a-chug of the engines. Sudden
" from the lookout in the bow there
came the hail:
"Light no! two points Off the star
board bow"
Jordan looked up and sew, way off
on the horizon, faint glow of light.
"Ship on fire." roared Jordan, call
hands stand BY"
"God help that vessel tonight,
said the members Of the crew to one
another. And then the course was
altered and the vessel headed III the
direction of the light. Meanwhile it
had begun to hail and the wind
screamed with increased fury. The
light came nearer and nearer and
finally the straining eyes of the ships
company made cut great pillars OF
flame and thousands of flying sparks.
That volume of flame in mid.oc
meant but one thing, and full speed
ahead was sounded down in the en-
CINE room. In response the powerful
ship bounded forward as though anx-
ious to bring speedy assistance to the
unfortunates aboard the distressed
vessel. The distance gradually les.
sened and in short while the hull OF
the burning vessel-a seething, roar.
ing mass Of flames sighted, roll
ing and pitching in the heavy sea.
From the interior of the vessel great
sheets of flame shot hundred feet in
the air; the smokestake and pole
masts were pillars OF flame, while the
oil with which she was laden flowed
down over the side like cataracts of
fire. Blazing globules of oil foated
away on the waves. The captain OF
the Egyptian Prince brought his YES
sci to within hundred yards Of the
burning vessel. Faint cries which
were brought to him on the wind were
the only evidence that she was not de-
serted. 1t would have been fool
hardy to bring the Egyptian Prince
any closer to the burning oil ship,
but the crew was lined up along the
deck and Jordan called for volunteers
to man boat with him and go to the
rescue. The sea was running noun
tain high and only three men re.
sponded to the call. This was not a
sufficient number to man the boat
and the attempt was given up. Not a
soul was to be seen on board of the
oil ship, aud the Egyptian Prince be-
gan to circle around her in hopes of
picking up some of the boats. Sud-
denly there came a cry from one of
the officers Of the Egyptian Prince
and he pointed toward the jibboon of
the vessel. Every eye followed his
finger and then there was a cry of
horror; way out GU the end of the iib
was man and woman. They were
standing in the martingale nets, the
man supporting the woman with one
arm while he chung to the boom with
the other. The woman was shielding
her face with her hands as though
seeking protection from the fierce
flames, which every moment threat
ened to engulf them. The crew
of the Egyptian Prince heard
pitiful cries in answer to their
shouts of encouragement, but it
seemed as though nothing could be
done to aid them. Tho oil ship lay
with her head to the gale, which kept
the flames away from the bowsprit
When she waved, however, the flames
shot forward and hid the two victims
from sight. Then the wind would blow
the flames back again and the couple
could still be seen clinging to the boom
They saw the steamship now and their
cries for assistance were continuous.
The battle between the wind and the
flames continued. Often a tongue of
flame would leap out greedily toward
the pair, as though to lick them up,
and then puff of wind would drive it
back again. The heat was intense
and it seemed as though the end must
come soon. The officers of the steam.
ship could stand the strain no longer
and although there was not one chance
in u million that small boat could