Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-26
YACHTSMEN HAVE
NARROW ESCAPE
BECALMED FOR HOURS MILES
FROM SAN PEDRO
Thirst and Hunger Make Them
Nearly Frantle-After Fight
With oars Against Tide
Reach Port

Reach Port
In the dark hours before dawn of
Sunday morning three brave hearted
| Angelenos and San Pedro fisherman
hoisted the sails of the Schuman-H Heink
sailing vessel and floated majestic
ally out of the harbor G. r. Stram-
back of the Angelus hotel, Frank Ridley
and j. w. Goff, with the fisherman.
were aboard. Trolling a pescodar mel
ody they headed the proud prov Of the
boat toward the darkest black on the
| horizon. The winds were hushed, but
a faint breath of morning caught I'm
the snowy sails and gently moved the
craft. There was a song of the wave
sirens as the boat cut along:
"On blllow rocking.
At tempest mocking
Gallant fisher boy.
Oceans thy home"
SO the happy crew sang from lies
Cloches de Corneville," and dreamed
that their nets should be filled. There
was no thought of danger in their
minds, and If there had been. they
would have said: Dangers true name
Is delight" Their stout vessel could
weather any sea and ride head on
against any gale So they sped along
with the gay hearts, the fisherman taxi
ing advantage of the little tide rips with
the knowledge of a skilled mariner and
glorying in the prospects of pros
porous day for his three guests from
the City of Angels.
Go Beyond Breakwater
Beyond the breakwater and out into
the channel that separates the magic
isle of Santa Catalina from the main
land sped the stately vessel. Across the
water floated jolly tunes of the happy
crew. The great swels outside of the
breakwater rolled lazily against the
sloe OF the Schumann-Heink. There
was hardly ripple upon them. The
skilled fisherman said to himself:
we catch the perch and the yellow
tail
We catch the rock cod. too.
The big wind blows on the ocean deep
NO care has the fisherman crew"
In the far east the faint rays of the
rising sun stretched magnificently out
ana bore the message of another glo-
rious day. The hearts of the sailor
boys leaped in bounds, and over and
over the strains from songs of the sea
were sung. With barred heads receiving
the benedictions of the morn, the boys
threw out their lines and gathered in
the rainbow-hued fish from the deep.
Head for Long Beach
Until noon they fshed. 1t was fun
that they had not had for many years.
By O'Clock the novelty had worn off,
and, tired of the sport, they lay back
and drifted about in the chanel until
nearly O'Clock. They lighted their
pipes and headed the boat for Long
Beach. fully ten miles to the east.
The surging masses of humanity on
the beach were appalling to them; the
life of the tossing bilIouyc 1uoc tho nee
for them. Once more they would go out
to sea and return to San Pedro early in
the evening while the sun was lowering
into the Pacific.
A slight breeze came up which took
them out to the scene of their morn
ing's catch. The salt breezes waited
about them and the big white sails
stood out in the sunlight like the snowy
breast of an albatross.
Boat Stops Suddenly
All of sudden the Schuman- Heink
stopped The white sails dropped and
the fisherman looked at the three merry
boys. wondering whether or not to tell
them they were in a calm and would
have to wait, perhaps, till another day
had dawned before they could get
to shore.
Then he recognized the unfairness
of it.
Boys. we're in a calm," he said.
"Are ye good at the oars?"
1t was then o'clock. The tide was
already gradually riding them farther
out to sea. The crew could not see it,
but the skilled fisherman knew it and
said:
yen have to move, boys. The tides
getting stronger"
Unskilled Sailors at Oars
Then the battle was on. There were
four oars on the boats bottom. Four
oars in the hands of three unskilled
sailors and only one skilled fisherman,
was little to battle against the fast
out going tide. The vessel was then
about seven miles from shore, although
the distance on water looked not more
than one to the crew of the Schuman-
Heink.
Gradually it grew darker and darker.
The horror of a night upon the water
without drop to drink dawned upon
them. In vain they tried to hail the
passing launches that were far to the
east of them plying between San Pedro
and Long Beach.
An idea came to them. Grasping the
big red flag with the words Schuman-
Heink painted across it, Strambach
ran to the PROV of the boat and waved
it about him, shouting:
ship ahoy"
But no answer came to them. The
boats passed on and on-one one way
and another another way. No one be-
sides themselves knew their peril.
Give Up Hope of Rescue
Frantically they gave up their eff
forts to attract the attention of the
passing launches miles to the east of
them. All their efforts were put to the
oars. But the boat seemed only to
drift farther out to sea. Their days
catch was thrown overheard in order
to Tighten the weight of the boat.
About them spread the inky dark
ness of night. Far in the distance
family glimmered the lights in San