The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-03-25

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lower it down; then on would come
sea, and with a crunch the boat would
crush alongside the vessel. One after
another they tried to launch the boats,
and one after another l heard them
crushed alongside.
Then the men came aft in confu-
sion to get away from the seas break
ing over us. l heard a voice cry, It's
no use, cap'n! Every man for himself
now!'
81 began to wonder what | could do
for myself, and if the men would leave
me as l was in the cabin.
Don't you worry, Peter!' sang out
the cap'n, down the companionway.
I'll look out for YOU said he, and
knew him to be the kind OF man who
would do it to the last minute of his
life.
He came below, and standing beside
me, calmly drank mug after mug OF
strong coffee before he said word.
Then in his quiet way he said:
Peter, we're in bad place. was
away off my reckoning. You're here
helpless, and it's hard to say what is
best to do for you. She's likely to go
to pieces at any minute and
There came a terrific crash, and We
lurch ed ahead on sea and brought
up with thump. Then back we shot
and struck bottom with jolt that
made the Lucille culver from stem to
stern. Over we listed to the weather
| rail. broadside to seas.
eco for the rigging while you can!
| l heard sung out overhead, and the
cap'n ran up to deck again.
Sea after sea took us and back and
forth we slid and bumped on the rocks.
| Once we held for a second; then we
swept along again on the top of a
comber, the booms and sail Stating
| and thrashing about.
| Almost before 1 knew it the cap'n
was standing beside me again. Peter,
said he, L believe we're done for to a
man. You might be just as well off
down here as anywhere. But If you're
on deck you'll have one possible chance
to get washed ashore, the chance we
all have now, and you won't get that
down below. The men have all gone
into the rigging or out on the bow
spirit, waiting for a ctance to jump.
If you want me to, I'll carry you up on
deck and get you into the rigging or
anywhere else you wish. One place is
as good as another now, it seems to
me-
THE cap'n stood there calm and
quiet, staring down at the floor, wait
ing for me to decide. 1 decided quick
If you can get me up on deck and
anywhere above the seas, cap'n,' said
|, I'll be glad to go and take my
| chance A man surely :las no chance
down here
He turned in a clock tick. Put or
my oil Clothes said he, stripping of
his jacket.
NO said I. III go as I am
Shopping over, the big skipper
picked me up in his arms. With my
splinted leg drawing along behind, III
we went through the narrow compan
ionway to the deck.
81 heard tremendous crash forward
just as we got on deck, and sea came
sweeping aft that threw us in a heap
Hang on to me, ny boy!' gulpet
the cap'n as we thumped and thrashe(
round the stern on the powerful sea.
Il felt rope swing across my face
and clutching it with sll my might il
both hands, l hung en- and thrashet
about the whecl-box IN the twirlins
sea.
II rose with a lunge of the vessel
AS l fell back on deck, realized tina
the cap'n's strong arms had let go thei
hold of me.
"'Capn!' l sung out, with all m.
might; but never a word came bacl
to me-
cit was so thick and black that
could not see the main rigging, but
caught the voices of the men forward
called out to them, but no answe
came back.
81 heard a terrible roar coming.
Numbered nearer drowning the con
tinuous roar beside us. On it came
the core of the sea taking us fair in tn
fore rigging, and the vessel rose VI
before it, and with sweep, bow first
drove in on the rocks.
Il reached up to the main boon
above my head and found the top'n
: lift running along the boom. Bringing
all the strength l had to bear on il
and placing my sound foot upon tn
wheel-box, up 1 climbed on the boom
drawing my splinted leg up behind me
Out l climbed toward the end until
struck the backstay, and there 1 hung
determined to hang on as long as
could.
SIN the lull between seas l heard
voice Sing out, I'm ashore, boys!'
: gained little hope.
l But in the next instant the sam
voice gulped, No, l amt! Don't jump!
5 lone little forerunner of the mex
sea slapped against the side of the yes
/ sel-then another. I caught the SCUM
!. of voices from away up aloft in the rig
< ging; then on came the sea, tum
bling, roaring mountain of water. l la
e fiat on the boom and Rugged it wit
all my might, wondering how the wav
t would strike us, and if this was to b
Y the last.
: "The vessel began to rise on the edg