The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-02-15

of steam in the boilers, and the dyna-
mos were running steadily.
"LAs much as two hours passed. At
distance we could hear firing, but the
enemy appeared to have left the Borod-
ino IN peace. The pumps worked
steadily, and the list got no worse.
Hammering resounded through the
ship. with now and then shouts or a
revolver shot.
But the enemy had not forgotten
us. At about 10 o'clock three or four
of our rapid-tire guns were discharged
suddenly. Loud shouts on deck fol-
lowed, and in the tops several machine
guns raped sharply. We also heard
the quick revolutions Of small YES
sells screw close to us.
"a moment later something bumped
against us. and the next instant there
come an explosion to which that Of
the shells was like e :>vp-gun! 1t thew
is all off our feet. We heard the armor-
plate tearing like paper. The side Of
the ship heaved ponderously up. then
settled back. We had been torpedoed.
Accompanying the shock. one Of the
forward set Of tubular boilers eXplod-
ed. and q moment later every light
went out.
"For a few seconds we stood there
in the dark, not knowing what to think.
But We all heard horrible sucking,
gurcling sound of water coming in,
and could actually feel the ship settle
to that side.
with that all order ceased. We
made 4 rush together for the fire-roon
door. A carbine blazed in the dark,
but Pancho and pressed out into the
runway. I heard Big Mac whimpering
like child. Men were crowded every
where, pushing, shouting, yelling-and
all the while we could feel the ship
settling to that side!
81 got through the jam Of bodies and
bumped along the passage to the ladder
leading up to the engine-room. No one
seemed to be there, and felt my way
on deck, falling over dead or wounded
men every step. Two more boilers ex-
ploded and steam came rushing up.
Right ahead of me I now saw the
second engineer, Berustain, with a
lantern and a hfe-belt on his arm. he
was clawing his way up the incline
Of the deck toward an embrasure on
the upper or port side. The starboard
rail- was already in the water, and the
deck like steep hill.
"He reached the gun-port and stopped
there, with the lantern ring on his arm,
to buckle the belt. At that moment he
was struck by a fragment Of shell,
and his dead body slid down the deck
to my feet.
81 seized the belt, buckled it round
me in the dark, and scrambling up the
embrasure, jumped off into the water
for I felt the ship sinking. And had
not made ten strokes when, with an
awful roar of her exploding boilers.
the Borodino turned over and went to
the bottom Of the strait.
"a great wave sucked me back into
the roaring vortex that closed over the
ship. For some moments I was in
volved in it, buffeted and whirled
about; but the belt helped me to keep
up, and soon I found myself floating
in calm water"
McComfrey was in the water for four
or FIVE hours, till daylight Sunday.
Then at some little distance he saw
four other swimmers. The one near
est was clinging to what looked like
slim cask. He proved to be Little Mac,
and what he had his arms round was
an unexploded torpedo-a round, hollow
steel tube, sufficiently buoyant to float.
Little Mac did not know what it was,
but McComfrey knew, and called out to
him to leave IT. The Welshman held
on, however, saying that he might as
we'll be blown up as drown. McCom-
frey kept away, shouting to his mate
on 10 account to hit the cap at the end
Of the tube.
A warship, which proved to be the
Japanese cruiser Kasuga, was lying to,
a few cable lengths away. McComfrey
began shouting, and presently the
cruiser lowered a boat to pick them up.
The japanese bluejackets rowed to
McComfrey, pulled him in, laughing,
and patted him on the back. But when
they recognized the torpedo which
Little Mac held in his arms. they sus-
pected some desperate trick on his
part, and would not 60 near him. They
even threatened to shoot him if he
did not let it 90 and swim to the boat.
This Little Mac, now very weak, dared
not do, and affairs were taking a bad
turn. McComfrey succeeded. however,
in making them understand the matter,
and line was then thrown to him.
They were taken first on board the
Kasuga, but few days later were
landed at Sakai. and sent to military
camp for Russian prisoners. McCom-
frey writes that they are we'll fed and
we'll treated. AS faras his knowledge
goes, he and Little Mac were the only
survivors from the fire-room Of the
Bocodino,-Youth's Companion.
When Garfield Met Arthur.
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