The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-08-11

CHAPTER v.-(Continued.)

4
| with feeling of great relief that we
| saw the gray of the early morning
the dawn chasing away the horrid
blackness OF the night.
Our greatest trouble now was thirst,
| and knew that the misery of that had
| but commenced. And also knew that
| in few hours hunger would add it's
| pangs to the other horrors of our stu
alton, and our hope lay in the discov
cry, in the coming daylight, of pass
| ing vessel.
At last morning broke. The fog was
banished by the warm glow of the ris-
ing sun, and the chill began to depart
from our bones and flesh. Consequent
ly our spirits rose and we scanned the
sea for a ship.
There was none in sight
The faces Of the poor women were
sight to make ones soul sick with
impotent pity. One or two of them
| seemed to have lost consciousness and
| perhaps they were better off than the
| rest
Suddenly, when the cup of our bit
| terness seemed full, one of the sailors
1oyfully pointed to the westward and
| shouted:
"A sail! A sail."
The others looked, and having veri-
fed his joyful utterance, they sang
and laughed and shouted like men
beside themselves, Notwithstanding
the fact that the sail was still far
away and might bring no succor to us
at all.
One OF the sailors pulled off his shirt
and tying the sleeves to an oar, made
a signal of it, which he held aloft
The sail grew slowly but steadily
larger, until we could make the ap-
preaching vessel out to be brig.
When it became evident beyond
chance of error that the brig was
coming to our assistance, the Joy of
all In our little boat, save the two
women who were but half conscious,
burst forth in shouts and cries of
Thanksgiving. And it was with feel
ing that l cannot describe that we
saw her heave to and heard the cap
tain hail us.
We told him whom we were-or at
least the officer in charge of our boat
did-and after a few strokes at the
oars by our weary sailors, we were
alongside the brig.
The women were tenderly placed on
board first. Then l was assisted up
the ladder, and the other male passen-
gers followed. Then the sailors clam
bered aboard, and the boat was sent
adrift.
The rescuing brig proved to be the
Janette from New York. bound for Liv-
erpOOl. The captain, James Southey,
was part owner, and she was engaged
IN private carrying trade, being as
signed to q well-known shipping firm.
Within twenty minutes after getting
on board the Janette we had a smok-
ing and savory meal set before us, and
it is needless to say that we did it
full justice.
was provided with . jacket by the
second mate, who was q man about
my own build. He also gave me a
cap. I chatted with the officer from
the illfated Queen, who had been in
command of our small boat.
From him l learned all that was
known of the accident.
The first officer had been in COM
mand. The fog was so dense that
nothing could be seen q hundred feet
away. Even the lights were almost
useless. Suddenly. through the fog,
the dull outlines of a hull were dis
tinguished directly ahead, and almost
under the bows of the Queen. The
gong to reverse the engines was
sounded, but it was too late. The
Queen crashed into the obstructing
hull. and the result was too well
known to all.
THE accident Is strong argument,
continued the officer, "in favor of the
destruction of derelicts by warships
The hull which sent the Queen to de-
struction was no doubt one of these
wandering menaces to navigators,
which are to be met with when they
are least expected. 1t was certainly a
deserted vessed. and probably a dis
masted one"
Captain Southey added his testimony
as to the danger of the derelicts at
sea, and said he hoped it would not be
long before the great powers realized
the necessity for action and sent out
war vessels equipped for destroying
them.
i II the sleeping accommodations on
board the Janette were meAger. the
supply of food was not. We had plen-
ty to eat and drink, and now that
was restored to nearly my usual
strength, could look with equanimity
upon our disaster. But had lost Maui
bikeck OF course, my condition was
infinitely superior to that of my fel,
low-unfortunates, many Of whom had
lost loved ones members of their own
families. With these could only sym.
pathize and offer to them what little
comfort and consolation there might
be-. in kind words.
| But In spite Of all that Captain
Southey and the others could do, the
JAnette carried load Of misery to-
ward Liverpool. I found among the