The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-01-29

Returned to Ship.
SEATTLE. Jan, ss- Among the many
deeds OF Individual herolsm performed
by sailors and passengers on the wreck.
I'd steamer Valencia none shine brighter
through the gloom of the awful tragedy
than the wonderful swim Of Joe Ci.
galos, lie is simple, anassuming fre.
man, a man Of medium stature and
slight build, but with q heart strong
and brave. When hrst drawn on board
the Topeka, shisering and shaking and
almost faiuting from exhaustion he
forced the cup OF rcyiying liquor from
his lips and weakly murmared, Give II
to them" pointing TO his unconscious
comrades. And !, was not until they
had been dosed with the stimulant that
he would touch drop.
just an ordinary appearing fireman is
jce Cigalos His black mu-,ache hides
firm mouth, and beneath his dark
skin, tanned with wind aud weaihe.
dow. the blood Of the ancient Spartan-.
For Cigalos Is Greek, horn aud bred,
II was the memory Of his early dayr
in far away sunny Greece and the strain
Of the stern blood OF his ancestors that
changed Joe Cigalos the fireman to Joe
Cigalos the hero, and Il was the won.
deriul physique inherited irom his Illus,
trous race that enabled him to success
fully battle with the terrible surf and
escape alive.
Tried 10 Shoot Lines Ashore.
When daylight broke and the gray
light revealed the true position OF the
ship an effort was made TO shoot lines
ashore. one after another the ropes
were sent, and although they reached
the cliff, there was no chance of their
remaining unless human hands could
fasten them to some solid substance. II
was obvious that some one must reach
the rocks. chamber up step clitI. and
make the line fast TO the trees on top
The undertaking was almost beyond the
power Of mortal, and even the brasesi
,hrank from an attempt which appear
ed TO be little less than actual suicide
In the shallow water the breakers ran
afty and sixty feet high and dashed
against the sharp rocks with the speed
Of an express train. Their foaming
crests swirled and swept and roared
towards the cliff, catching any stray
piece Of driftwood aud twirling II like
straw. That any mortal could live In
such -ea wa. beyond belief.
Calmly the Greek surveyed the troubled
waters, and his mind went back across
the centuries to the time when the little
band Of Greeks charged the Persian
host. and in the face Of what appeared
to be- suicide succeeded in gaining vic.
tory which has rung down the ayes.
Plunged Into the Billows.
With a glance at the little group OF
men who watched him aud last wave
of the hand the Greek plunged into the
crest Of a mighty eomber as IT shot
BY and in an instant was lost to view
The line attached to his waist ran out
with remarkable velocity, aud all who
were not engaged in paying out watched
the efforts Of the daring man. Men
and women alike forgot for the instant
their own peril in watching the stnhg.
giles Of the swimmer Now be would
appear on the long slope Of rushing
breaker. now be covered by tons of
water sweeping toward the roeks' now
caught IN tho deathly undertow and
drawn back into the seething breakers
and now lost to view til those ON board
gave him up for lost. But be was up in
minute and fighting brayely. For full
ly twenty minutes the struggle was
kept up, until those on board saw that
the man was weakening from the I'M
equal fight and drew him back to the
vessel. Although unsuccessful In ac'
complishing bis purpose, he set an ex-
ample Of heroism which did much "a
allay the fears Of the men on board
The day d.s.gght