Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-04-11
NUMBER IS.

sea anchor hastily constructed as SOON
rs it WAS discovered that the helm was
useless. Rockets iared up into the
sky mt 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, a brilliant pal
ace superbly indifferent to the wreck
and ruin without.
| Captain Ross himself came down and
addressed 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 un-
known terrors without from the deck.
| This was ont 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
| pondering over an open chart and dis.
cussing Il fresh risk that loomed
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 dam
| 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. o'clock came and went.
| Another half hour would witness the
dawn and 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 steader wind.
Captain Ross entered the chart house
| for the twentieth time.
| He had aged many years in appear
| ance The smiling. confident. dcbonair
| officer WAS changed into Il stricken,
| mournful man. He had altered with
| his ship The Sirlar and her master
could hardly he recognized. so cruel
were the blows they had received.
1T Is impossible 10 see Il yard
| ahead" he contided To his second in
| con.mand. II have never been so anx-
| ious before in my life. Thank God. the
| night Is drawing to close. Perhaps
when day breaks
| His last words contained prayer
and Il 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 horrible
| grinding crash forward. Each person
who d:d not chance 10 be holding fast
to an upright WAS throTn violently
| down. The deck was tilted to Il dam
| -vrous angle and remained there. While
lac htlvy JuGeiin, Of tie sea. now
aein; afresh Il this unlocked FOR re-
| ai,t.til.r T.. drowned lhe deSpairins yells
| RAISED By tie I.aSr..rs Oh .uty.
Tile Sig,lar had completed her last
| ' ydgr. She was now 4 battered wreck
| N 4 barrier reef. she hung thus for
| me hcartbreaking second. Then an
| ,tncr wave. riding tr,umphantiy
| through it, fellows. caught the great
steamer in lis tremendous grasp. car
| ricd her onward for half her length
ana smashed her down OH the rocks.
Her back was broken. She parted in
two halves. Both sections turned com.
pletely over in the utter wantonness or
destruction, and everything-masts,
tunnels. boats. hull. with every living
soul on board-was at once engulfed
| In maelstrom OF rushing water and
| far flung spray.