The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1905-08-10
Copyright, 1905, by RoBERr BoNNKR's SOFA
CHAPTER V.-(continued.)

AS hOur after hOur went ~ the
fog seemed to be lifting, and it was
with a 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 o was thirst,
and l knew that the misery of that had
but commenced. And l also knew that
in a few hours hunger would add its
pangs to the other horrors of our stu
alton, and our hope lay in the discov.
cry, in the coming daylight, of a 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 vas none in sight.
The faces of the poor women were
a 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 o'lr bit
terness seemed full, one of the sailors
j~oyfully 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 a 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
ONE who were but half conscious,
burst forth in shouts and cries of
thanksgiving. And it was with a feel
ing that l cannot describe that we
saw her heave to and heard the cap
tain hail is.
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 | 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 a private carrying trade, being as
signed to a ~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 q jacket by the
second mate, who was a man about
my own build. He also gave me a
cap. l chatted with the officer from
the Inflated Queen, who had been in
command of our small boat.
From him | 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 a 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 ob%structing
hull, and the result was too well
known to all.
"The accident is a strong argument"
continued the officer, "in favor of the
destruction of derelicts by w~arships.
The hull which SEN the Queen to de-
struction was no doubt one of these
wandering 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 o be
long before the great powers reallzet
the necessity for action and sen out
war vessels equipped for destroying
them.
If 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 I
was restored to nearly my usual
strength, l could look with equanimity
upon our disaster. But | had lost Maui
bikeck. OF course, my condition was
infinitely superior to hat of my fel.
low-unfortunates. many of whom had
lost loved ones. members of their own
families. With these 1 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
| Cpufhov and tho Othoro could do tho