The Cairo bulletin., 1904-07-05

Il.
ly, but the hopes of escape OF the pas
sengers were blasted. The moment II
touched the water wave picked up
the small craft as If it had been a
leather and dashed it against the side
Of the ship in spite of the frantic Ell
forts of the passengers to fend 1t on.
The crash was heard on deck. Then
the sea swallowed more victims ana
sink by the bows Without waiting for
orders, without paying attention to
their proper manning, the occupants
began to lower the boats Starboard
life boats began slowly to fall when
to the horror of those on board, the
stern tackle failed, while the bow
tackle ran free.
Soon the boat was almost perpen-
dicular Those who were in its ciung
desperately to The sides and seats un.
I'll a great wave came towering al
most and struck the boat, smashing It
against the side of the ship. The oc-
cupanis who were not killed by the
impact were thrown into the water
The crew and passengers on deck mad
no time to spare to assist the few VINO
mad chance to escape, but lost H.
boats they heroically to their sta
lions below Slowly the ship backed
off and as she gained way it was
found water was pouring into har
head. This announcement called out
in Scandinavian and presaging death,
added to the supreme fright an
agony The passengers who were
piled in the boats were fortunate ones
who were to escape, while other un
fortunates, who saw death near clus.
tered in the vicinity. seething, strus'
Cling masses, some on their knees
praying, surrounded by children, 9th
ers supplicating aid from any one and
shrieking for permission to enter the
boats. elbowing, fighting their way 10
places from which the boats were he
ing lowered The sound of the grin''-
ng ceased as the bow of the Norge
waved as the steamey' returned 20
deep water. The sea roshed hungriiy
NULL Swiftly the vessel began 10
and had not recovered their feet when
a stentorian voice gave the terrifying
order: "All hands on deck. hurry or
you may sink"
Immediately there was a rush for
The companion ways and men, women
and children pushed and struggled
ana made every other effort to reach
the deck where boats swung from
The davits.
Many persons, retaining their pres
ence of mind. seized life pressryers
only 10 find in some instances that
ihe strings were rotten and they could
not be quickly put around their
bodies. Those who reached the deck
aw the nose Of the Norg3 pinned d.
rectly against the rock 1t remained
there only few Minutes. for Captain
Gundel gave the order to reverse the
engines Some of the engineer force
had relatives among the passengers
md after seeing them safely TO the
lieces Of wreckage slowly drifted to
yards the rock
The upper deck of the Norge at the
time Of the disaster TO the second
boat was only a few feet from the wa
;er and it was apparent to every one
that only few minutes more and she
would be plunged beneath the waves
In the final crisis those who we're able
10 remember clearly what happened
say the shrieks and sobs died away
and the quiet was only broken by |
the curses Of some men whose fear
found vent in blasphsmy.
Suddenly one man threw himself |
overheard and another followed his /
example Still another jumped into /
the water AMI soon around the ship /
hundreds Of persons were struggling /
IN rhc sea. having preferred death in /
the open than to being submerged /
with the shin. Others determined TO |
stand by the ship Hoping against /
hope that she would remain s1oat.
Three. boats are known to have suc /
eessfuliy reached the sea The pas
sengers franlicaily pulled away from 1
he doomed shin. passing by the poor 4
stretched people. who s;iIl clung .
.hs Wrecksge and who Eere still 1
lfoat and vainiy begged 10 he taken
N board. while from the ship came 4