The Washington times., 1906-01-15

Rescued after a narrowing experience
in the stranded steamer Cherokee. OF
the Clyde line. which went ashore on the
Brigantine shoals of Atlantic City. two
passengers came directly TO this city.
Forget TO Feel.
They were William II. HandIey.
American consul at Puerto Plata, Santo
Domingo, and Robert II Pearson, a
mechanical engineer. Both live ia New
York city. Frank WestbroOk. the pur-
ser of the boat, also came here.
How did we feeI?" said Mr. Hand
ley, with a laugh in which there was
keen remembrance of those perilous
hours. We did not feel. We forgot
all about feeling We only hoped. Ev-
cry ounce OF energy in the body Of ev-
cry man aboard-there were only two
women and two children-whirled
about one center. and that center was
hope.
I'VE fixed aur eyes on the faces Of
the people ia the beach. which we
could see indistinctly when the seas
subsided for "a moment, and prayed as
we had never prayed before-that is.
when we could stay on decks, or when
we could get there.
Nothing But Blaekness.
The instability of the thing was
what impressed you. There vas moth
ing TO hold to. You grabbed for a rail-
ing, and IL slipped away from you. You
reached for rope, and il disappeared
In the darkness. You lay on your berth
and It slipped from under you. There
was nothing 10 which you could anchor
only the empty, black night stretch
ing off TO eternity outside. You dared
not sleep If you could have done so.
Food was a matter or petty piracy.
Those who felt like eating went 10 the
cooks galley and fished out water
logged canned goods. The greater num-
Der did not eat at all.
The life boat fought TO get out to us
When she got aboard il was seen that
IL was foolhardy 10 attempt 10 get back
Immediately 1t was made fast at the
how we felt when at hour later that
boat, our clly hope OF safety, was
broken 10 DTS, and we saw the frag-
ments gulped up by the waves and car
ried greedily OF.
Praises Rescuers Pluck.
Then the schooner Alberta came off
10 US
"Plucky is no name for the captain.
When he came close. he cried to US
through his hands, Want to go ashore p
The joke seemed out of place at the
time, and we did not think there was
any hope that the small craft could
take us. but he managed to get an an
chor fast about 200 feet astern Of US
Then began the most heroic and
daredevil night / ever saw. The cap
tain ana some OF his men embarked ia
bit or a dory, carrying a line from
the ship with them.
We were standing sixteen feet out of
water, and the waves were dashing up
the sides in constant battering 1t seem
I'd impossible for that boat TO reach us.
They rode with the waves. and when
carried up TO the height of our decks
once threw us the line.
After that the waves which had been
pursuing US so relentlesly We're made
10 serve the purpose OF saving us As
each wave would dash against the side
of the ship, we would take in slack line
from the dory. Finally she came on a
level with the decks and paused there
for an immeasurably brief space. The
men Jumped aboard the deck of the
Cherokee and their boat went out 10
''But there was a line between the
dory of the two the Alberta carried
was still on her decks. A block and line
was rigged up, and il came 10 the
steamer by that means.
Two at a Time.
Two at a time the people were taken
off. the women first. The removal was
perlous enough of itself. II the second
dory We're smashed. there would be alb
solutelv no help. The passengers We're
all but thrown into It. AS it swung and
tossed alongside. they hung to the rail-
ing and, waiting an opportune moment,
Continued on Second Page)
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