Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-10

drenched with water and nearly strangled
by the flying spume As the forked light
ming broke through the gloomy walls or
cloud the ship could be seen tugging at her
anchor, as she lay to the wind stripped OF
canvas and with the engines at their ut
most speed TO hold the vessel in the teeth
Of the gale.
For what seemed hours the anxious
sailors on the shore gazed in the lightning
glare at their ship. Then came a fash
which seemed to set on fire the waters OF
the deep. Each white-capped wave shone
respl,ndent as Furnished gold, and the
ouiet water between them laid as troughs
of luuid fire. Flame seemed TO surround
tho vessel. AS the men looked in wonder
and alarm there came an explosion which
shook the armament Another flash OF
lightning, and as the men looked out upon
the raging waters they found that their
ship had disappeared.
stranded on wild Island.
with heavy hearts they turned toward
the bleak island and sought to chafe their
soaking limbs to warmth. Night fell and
with it fell the wind. The first night on
the deserted island is a dream to the
sailors. They cannot tell how it was passed.
The next morning the sun arose resplen-
dent. The sea was running high from the
wind Of the night before, but the warmth
of the spring morning brought back life
to the party. No sign OF the vessel was
in sight and the men believed that 1t had
pershed with all on board For hours
they searched the island hoping to dis
cover some evidence of the wreck, but
without result. They then concluded that
the wind had carried the floating wreckage
out TO sea-
Examining the wrecked boat and the
pockets Of the peaiackets brought by them
to the island, the sailors found enough
bread to last them a day. With the ad-
vance of the day thousands of aquatic birds
which nest in those islands made their
appearance upon the beach and by their
tameness showed that man was an up-
familiar figure to them. Several of these
birds were killed with a piece OF the
wrecked rowboat and they made feast
for the marooned seamen.
At the close of the breakfast they at
tempted to drink the water which was rum
ming down the side of a snow-capped hill
The water proved to be unpalatable on ac.
count Of the nesting and roosting places oi
the birds being in a position to contami-
nate the streams. Captain Reynolds
noticed that where the water fell over the
lodges of ice and rock 1t seemed to be
| clearer and purer than above or below
that point. and so he instructed the mer
| to take water from the miniature falls.
Just to KIN Time.
| As the days elapsed the men, lndinl
| themselves idle as well as shipwrecked, be
came morose aud respondent At first the!
had enough to eat but had little hope o
being taken off the island. as it was not oil
| the regular track of vessels At the enc
OF the first week the birds upon which the!
| fed became timid at their approach and tn
men saw starvation staring them in th
| face. Then the officer devised a plan I,
occupy their minds during the long days
| Taking some of the wrecked rowboat h.
/ interested them in building dams acros
the streams which flowed down the bank
from the melting ice and snow AMI il
| placing waterwheels in the dams. Tn
captain noticed that while the water en-
tered the first dam contaminated by tn
droppings of the birds and giving off al
efluvia almost unbearable. it came from tn