Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-17

only weapon OF defense against the
shark which he alludes to as endeavor-
ing to get at him and Grape while Oh
! the raft. When they were taken OF
the raft it was just afioat. 1t was 81
hurriedly put together that it was only
a question of hours when it would
have washed away from under them
end the appearance of Capt. Dundas' Is
steamer was certainly timely. While or
the frail raft which held them up
Capt. Baker, just before sighting the
steamer, with thought of home ano
friends, who might never learn his
| fate, carved with his knife on a part
OF the raft this message: H. H. Grape
capsized aJnuary 49, This lettering
was perfectly done, and for years al
terward while the raft was on exhibit
ton in the tropical department of the
Crystal palace, comment was made or
the artistic workmanship displayed in
forming the letters contained in thai
message which was never sent. In
1864 that part of the Crystal palace
caught fire and this raft was DESTROYED
with the building.
Capt. Dundas some years ago, in an
article printed in the Queensferry
Observer, abiding to the severe
weather at the time that the Grape
went down, and the miraculous rescue
of Capt Baker. said:
ut was noon. | had just taken the
meridian altitude of the sun, when my
attention was called a distant OBJ
<ect showing occasionally on the top of
rolling wave. We had got steam up,
and shaken the reefs out, and were
making steady progress under steam
and sail. If we cared to interview
the stranger, therefore, it must be
done sharply; the little speck was
broad on the bow, and quite three
miles to windward. Selling a tele-
scope, jumped on the rail, and in a
moment of time realized it was araft. l
had no time to satisfy the public
curiosity there was a large number of
passengers on deck at the time), but
yelled out, Hard a starboard, all
hands shorten SAIL" and in less time
than | take to write it the ship was
alive, and the orders executed as if
by magic. | ran the ensign up in
token of our recognition, and Capt
Baker told me afterward that when
he saw that flag going up to the peak
he felt as if his death warrant had
been Cancelled.
Great was the excitement on board
as we rounded to within short dis
lance of the raft and lowered the cut
ter down to pick it up. Were | to
live thousand years I could never for
get that picture. There was a little
raft. formed principally of oars and
small pieces of driftwood, dashed TO-
gether by chance pieces of rope that
had been attached to the wreckage,
floating helplessly on the lone waters
Of the great southern ocean, and two
men clinging to it for dear life; befoI e
we hove in sight Their only hope could
have been lingering death, for we
were not in the usual track OF ships,
and it was the action of the hurricane
that had providentially brought us to
the rescue. All hands watched the
movements of the cutter with pent-up
feelings of intense excitement as it
Grew close to the raft. The two men
sat across the tiny spars, immersed to
their waists and apparently but
scantily clad. One was a white man,
who, with all the energy of his race,
sprang into the water and swan to the
boat the other was of swarthy COM
plexion, and seemed to be utterly
Frustrated; his head hung forward,
while his long black hair entirely hid
his features. He was lifted carefully
in, and at that moment from the poop
of the England was heard one joyful
cry-"They are saved!" ! never re-
member to have seen so much feeling
evinced as on this occasion, while
several of the ladies shed tears of
sympathy"
When Capt Baker reached his home
in South Dartmouth he was compelled
to tell the story of his miraculous
escape over and over again, and final
iy he arranged for a public meeting,
which was held in the Baptist church
on Elm street and before an audience
which filled the little church he again
related his experience.