Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-04-14
They looked do,Dn into the ,cretched craft.

They looked doaDn into the ,Uretched craft
ter. After the first moment Of stupor
gallant British sailors risked life and
limb to bring the vessel under control.
By their calm courage they shamed
the paralyzed Lascars into activity. A
sail was rugged on the foremost and a
sea anchor hastily constructed as soon
as it was discovered that the helm was
useless. Rockets flared up into the
sky ut regular intervals In the faint
hope that should they attract the at.
tention Of another vessel she would fol.
low the disabled Sirdar and render
help when the weather moderated.
When the captain ascertained that
no water was being shipped. the dam
age being wholly external, the collision
doors were opened and the passengers
admitted to the saloon, q brilliant pal
ace, superbly Indifferent to the wreck
and ruin without.
Captain Ross himself came down and
addressed a few comforting words to
the quiet men and pallid women gath
cred there. He told them exactly what
had happened.
The hours passed In tedious misery
after Captain Ross visit. Every one
was eager to get glimpse Of the I'm.
known terrors without from the deck
This was out Of the question, SO peo-
pie sat around the tables to listen
eagerly to Experience and his wise
saws on drifting ships and their pros.
poets.
Some cautious persons visited their
cabins to secure valuables in case OF
further disaster. A few hardy spirits
returned to bed.
Meanwhile in the chart house the cap.
tain and chief officer were gravely
bordering over an open chart and dis.
cussing fresh risk that doomed
Ominously before them. The ship was
long way out Of her usual course
when the accident happened. She was
drifting now, they estimated, eleven
knots an hour, with wind, sea and cur
rent all forcing her in the same direc.
ton, drifting into one Of the most dan.
gerous places in the known world, the
south China sea. with its numberless
reefs. shoals and isolated rocks and
the great island Of Borneo stretching
right across the path of the cyclone.
Still there was nothing to be done
save to make few unobtrusive prepa-
rations and trust to idle chance. To
attempt to anchor and ride out the gale
in their present position was out Of the
question.
Two. 3, 4 o'clock came and went
Another half hour would witness the
dawn and a further clearing Of the
weather. The barometer was rapidly
rising. The center Of the cyclone had
swept far ahead. There was only left
the aftermath Of heavy seas and furi-
Gus but steadier wind.
Captain Ross entered the chart house
for the twentieth time
He had aged many years in appear
ance The smiling. confident, debonair
officer was changed into a stricken,
mournful man. He had altered with
his ship. The Sirdar and her master
could hardly be recognized. 80 cruel
were the blows they had received.
1T Is impossible to see a yard
ahead" he confided to his second in
command. Il have never been SO anx-
ious before in my life. Thank God. the
night is drawing to a close. Perhaps
when day breaks
His last words contained q prayer
and hope. Even as he spoke the ship
seemed to lift herself bodily with an
unusual effort for vessel moving be-
fore the wind
The next instant there was a horrible
griDding crash forward. Each person