New-York tribune., 1902-02-02
THE WRECK OF THE WRIGHT
STORY OF HOW THOSE ON BOARD BE-
HAVED WHEN THE TRANSPORT
WENT ON THE ROCKS.

IT was after the wreck of the transport Wright
on an uncharted rock at the south end of Doram
Island last fall. and of the army officers. who
had been on board and was later carried on to his
post, telling about Z.
1T was along about $50 o'clock in the afternoon
he said lighting cigarette. when we took to the
rocks. l was sitting the afterdeck pretending to
read, but really about half asleep, 1 reckon The
sea calm and level, with hardly ripple on it
nothing excepting white wake fading out
astern; no sign of trouble anywhere. Suddenly
there was a terrific jolt that threw me out OF my
chair. and l woke up to find myself grabbing at
the boards as I slid down the deck, while the bow
of the ship climbing into the air, apparently
trying to fall me, and kept my eyes fixed
on it so as to be ready to dodge when it fell.
The stern kept sinking and the bow kept on
rising while l crouched on my hands and knees
against the after rail. ready to jump either way,
and all the time people were coming up the COM
panionway and crawling up the hill to the forward
deck till there We're more people there than L
thought the old boat could carry.
Some were red and were white; some were
dressed. some pulling on their clothes and
didn't care; some were shouting and some
were swearing in low tones But the women! There
was one. Whewr' he gave long whistle and
shook his head.
You know had several officers wives on
board going to join their husbands Well this one
came bouncing out of the companonway though
she had been shot from springboard. She went
up in the air about ten feet and came down as
though she had been dropped from the top of the
mast She had her skirts in hand. Under her
other arm she carried a balsam fir pillow and
case bottle. A garden hat hung from her elbow by
the ribbons.
Just as she struck the deck one of the sailors
who were standing by the hatch helping the people
up from below said to the other 4 hope she didn't
slide Off That enough. This woman threw
her head back and let out honk like wild goose.
Then she started for the bridge.
The old man the bridge giving orders
IL f1sl.1
hands full. too The woman went up to him and
pulled at his coat until attracted his attention.
" Do you think she'll slide on?' she asked.
No. madam the old man answered 4 don't
think she will
The woman looked him doubtfully.
'' No the captain repeated positively, she won't
g Because, said the woman, this whskey, you
know, I'm taking it to my husband, and if she
He would never get it, the captain cut in
q But you don't think she'll slide off do you? the
woman questioned again
didn't think She would slide OF
The woman frightened up oh, then, I'm sure
me while put my hat on
found himself holding the E, PoT u & and ID bottle M & while M
tne woman was asking nm III II sne h5G 4er & %r % ON
down the ladder and stationed sailor at the bot
SPdgs fGm with strict orders TO let no one on
We were OFF an uninhabited island 50 the pas
sengers began to get some things together 10 take
ashore. Some Of the officers We're making pile
near the ral, so L put my lltte CORRECTION H.
just to have IL where IL could be found easily. Then
l made my way forward to where the sailors were
yanking provisions out of the hold. Just as got
there the with the case bottle, who had
again become nervous about the ships sliding on
saying the old man for the fOrtleth time
DO you think she will slide on captain?
The old man turned to her with the sweetest
smile his lips and the most malevolent express
sion in his eye, and replied: Madam, j don't know
whether she will not but | pray that the good
God in heaven viii bring relief from some source
Some OF her friends got hold of her and kept her
away from the captain after that.
Pretty the old man called for the boats
and one Of them proved to be missing. Maybe there
then. Each of them thought she was ticketed
for that boat, and II gone she would be left
behind. 1t found back under the stern. floating
quietly the end of a line tied 10 the rail and full
guards and would have sunk II a man had
tried TO get in her. They must have expected PrOvi-
dence TO guide her ashore through calm, unrippled
''There were a few pretty lively minutes while
they got out and l found my little bag in the
middle of a lot of bedding.
After the boat cleared out we began TO leave
the ship. women first, of course. And there
had lost it 1t seems that in the course of the up
about the boat she down the bottle and the
pillow while she retied the ribbons her hat
Now il happened that little while before the old
doing much good work. some of the whiSkey
and she had refused In the middle Of the upr0ar
she making. while the boat waited OF the
sailors came forward. knuCkled his forehead very
Reg pardon, ma'am s this what you're looking
for?'
She almost tainted, but the boat got started at
last, and finally were all ashore. Then after
up. you know. and finally we reached our destina-
ti0nS."