Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-08-16
GcoNTINUED.l

The awful storm was at last upon
them. 4 sudden change in its direc-
| ton caused the first fierce blow to fall
fairly upon the starbOard side Of the
ship. 1t pressed her down on her
beam ends. Over and over she went,
down. down. Would she ever right
again? All. the spliced shrouds and
STAYS on the weather side, which had
been that attacked by the Randolph.
| finally gave way. the mainmast went
| by the hoard about half way below the
| top. the foremast at the cap and the
mizzen topmast too. Relieved of this
enormous mass of heavy top hamper.
the ship slowly righted herself. The
immense mass of wreckage beat and
thundered against the port side. 1t
was Il fearful situation. but all was
rot yet lost.
Calamity led by Desborough himself,
who saw in one sweeping glance that
Katharine was still safe, the men,
with axes and knives, hacked through
| the rigging which held the wreck OF
the giant sparS to the ship, and after a
few moments of sickening suspense
she drifted clear A bit of storm can
vas was spread forward on the wreck
of the foremast. and the ship got be-
fore the wind and drove on, laboring
and pitching in the heavy sea.
The decks We're cleared, and indeed
there was little left to clear, the waves
having broken over her several times
when she lay in the trough of the sea.
sweeping everything out with them,
and the vessel was total wreck, the
spars gone, rails and bulwarkS batter
ed in and smashed, boats lost, the bat
tie having destroyed those on the star
board side and the wreck and the sea
the others. stop! There was one boat
left amidships, launch capable of
holding about forty persons in pinch.
and still seaworthy. 1t was, by the
captains order, promptly made rs serv.
iceable as possible in view Of the prob
able emergency.
About o'clock in the afternoon the
carpenter came aft with the sounding
rod of the well In his hand The strain
had been too much for her: some Of
the weakened timbers had given away,
or some of the seams had opened, or
perhaps butt had started, for the ship
was leaking badly. Still those daunt'
less men did not despair. The crew
were told off in gangs to work, and all
night the clank, clank Of the pumps
was heard. katharine dutifully laid
down as she was hidden. But there
was no sleep for her nor any one else
on the ship that long night The day
broke again finally but brought them
no cheer. Their labor had been un-
availing; the leak had gained OH them
SO rapidly that the ship lay low in the
water, listless and inert, rolling IN Il
sick. sluggish. helpless way in the
trough of the sea. The wind had abat-
ell somewhat. and boat well handled
might live in the water now.
BY Captain Nincents direction the
men were sent To their stations on the
spar. or upper. deck The boats crew
was chosen 10y selecting every fifteenth
man in the long lines, the division Of
ticerS doing the counting. The boat
| was launched without tackles. by main
strength, sliding on rollers over the
side through tie broken bulwarl;S.
Katharine. listlcSs and Indifferent. still
attended by Chloe. was put aboard.
Captain Vincent looked about among
/ sh hn
charge! They all looked deprecatingly
and entreatingly at him. None desired
| TO go: no one wished TO be singled out
| to abandon tie ship and his brother Of
ticers. His glance fell on Desborough.
The duty is yours. You are the first
officer of the ship"
"Oh. Captain Vincent. do not send
me. beg you. My place surely is OH
the ship with you. Cannot some one
| else
NO. you must 60 Ny last command
| to you. my lord" he said. smiling faint
ly and eXtenling his hand. Desbor-
Ough. seeing the futility of further ap
peal. graSped it warmly in both his
own. bowed to the other officers ana,
with wave of his hand, stepped Oh
the rail and sprang into the tossing
boat alongside.
"Are there any others to go?" he said.
The captains eye fell upon the figure
of the colonel standing among the Off
GERS.
"YOu are to 90, sir. Nay, will hear
of no objections. You are my prisoner.
and am bound to see you delivered
safely. Go, colonel. l mean 1t. Will
have you put aboard by file of ma
rines If you do not go at once"
Katharine awoke from her apathy
and stretched out her hands, with q
piteous cry:
Father, father! Oh, cannot lose
you toO!'
"Prisoner or no prisoner, sir" said
| the colonel, 'let me say that l am
proud Of my connection with you and
| your officers and your men. II live
to reach the shore the world shall hear
| of this noble ending. Goodby, captain.
Goodby. gentlemen. l would fain stay
with you"
"No. no. was the cry from this band
of heroes, and then HOllins sprang for
ward and shouted:
Lads, three cheers for the colonel
and for our shipmates in the launch!
Let them tell at home that we were
glad to stay by the old ship"
The hearty cheers came with a roar
from 500 throats.
Colonel, we haven't moment OF
time" whispered Desborough, who saw
that the ship was sinking.
"Shove OIL. men! Full hard!'
few moments hard rowing In the
heavy sea put then. some little distance
AWAY. and the boat waited under just
enough way 10 give them command or
her The men of the ship kept their
stations; calm and peaceful they also
waited. The ship settled lower ana
lower. A man stepped hurriedly art
and Il moment later the bold and bril-
liant ensign of old England, which
never waved over Drawer men, huttered
out in the heavy breeze from the
wrecked masthead. the vivid red OF the
proud flag making lurid dash of color
Z against the gray sky line. The ship
was lower now. Now she plunged FOR
ward. the water rose; the captain rails