The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-03
ON A BURNING SHIP.
Experience of Young woman in
the North Pacific Ocean.
From the Washington Star

From the Washington Star
when I was in Seattle in December
said a traveller just returned from Alaska
the most talked-of young woman on the
coast was Miss Mabel Shirk, a pretty girl
of 10 or 20, who had been saved from a
burning ship. Miss Shirk's father had
taken her with him on the schooner Hera
sailing from Seattle for Honolulu, with
a general cargo, including 1000 barrels
of lime, which he was advised not to
take at that season of the year. The
schooner left the straits Nov. %, and at
once ran into a terrific gale. For twen>
ty-four hours she was battered by the
waves. but kept on her course, until she
sprang a leak, which wet the lime and
started Inc fire going. 1t smoldered at firsr,
and efforts were made to put it out, but
they We're unevaiing, and the ship was
put back to the nearest land. The storm
increased, the waves dashed over the YES
sci continually, practically adding fresh
fuel to the flames, the entire thousand
barrels of lime getting wet. Miss Shirl
was the only woman on board and every
effort was made to conceal the real dan
ger from her. So little hope was left
that they would be saved that Miss Shirk's
father tried to get her to go to sleep and
get little rest, explaining afterward that
he thought il would be better for her to be
on the ships deck in the face of the
waves and the flames.
For twenty-five hours the crew battleI
with flood and fire. when land was sight
ed Then Miss Shirk was told to get all
the warm underclothing sbe had, for they
could not tell what cold and privations
might be encountered on the unknown
shore As quickly she could she came
from her stateroom with a handbag con-
tanning a supply OF wooden underwear
She was informed that she could not take
the bag and that she must put on all
she could take with her. she went back
to her stateroom to dress, but the fumes
of the lime were so strong now that she
could not remain i'm the cat bin, and she
was driven to the deck, where she was
compelled 20 dress throughout with tho
storm raging about her. all the men turn
ing their backs until her toilet was com
pleted
one chance in a thousand that it could he
launched, and still less than 1t would ever
reach the shore, but 1t was sure death to
remain on the ship. and the boat took the
risk and got away to traverse the mile be-
tween the ship and the land. There wac
not room for all the crew. and several Of
the brave fellows agreed to take the
chances of the boat coming back for them
but another boat put off from land. and
they got into that shortly after their own
boat had started. Thirty minutes later the
Hora was sheet OF flame from bow Ia
stern, and she burned 10 the waters Q lase
going down in fourteen fathoms The lan,L
ing was safely made on Vancouver Island
Clayoquot sound and the rescued persons
were kindly cared for until a passing
steamer brought them back to Seattle.
Miss Shirk has not entirely recovered
from her experience at last accounts, and
she had given up going to Honolulu The
one thought she said. that was uppermcst
in her mind during the storm was that he
friends in Seattle would say, II she wers
drowned Well she oughtn't to have sail
ed on Friday Miss Shrk expects TO go
with her father to Cape Nome as soon Is
navigation opens, and l fancy she is a
young woman Of unlimited courage"