Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-09-07

out IL was dlSS1pated by the next
breath Of the gale. This incident told
the lighthouse keeper much. The ves-
sci had been disabled SO long that her
skillful commander, finding the motive
power Of no further avail and certain
that his ship must be driven ashore.
had ordered the fires to be drawn and
the steam to be exhausted from ALI
boilers except one. Therefore her shaft
was broken. reasoned Brand. Proba-
bly, the accident had occurred during
the height of the hurricane. and her
steering gear, of little use without the
driving force Of the engines to help.
might have been disabled ut the same
time.
When the horror stricken watchers
looked again at the wreck the forward
part had shifted Its position. It was
now lying broadside on to the seas.
and the lofty foremost thrust its truck
to within few feet Of them.
They were spared one CHASTITY scene
which must surely have bereft the
girls Of their senses. The majority Of
the first class passengers had gathered
in the saloon. Some chung like limpeta
to the main gangway: a number, most
~ men, crowded together In the draw
ing room on the promenade deck. Far
Their than this they could not 60. as the
companion hatchways had been locked
by the officer Of the watch, the decks
being quite impassable.-
When the hull yielded, the spacious
saloon was exposed to the vicious
waves. Finding this new cavern opened
to them. great liquid tongues sprang
into the darkness and licked out hap
less victims by the score. OF this ap-
palling incident those In the lighthouse
knew nothing until long afterward.
When the ship struck, the electric dy-
namos stopped, and all her lights went
out. The lighthouse lamp, owing to Its
rays being concentrated by the dloptric
lens, helped not at all to dlssipate the
dim and CHASTITY vision beneath, but
the great frame Of the fore part Of the
vessel served as q breakwater to some
extent and temporarily withheld the
waves from beating against the col
umn.
Hence Brand, straining his eyes
through the flying ruck, fancied he
could make out the figure Of the cap
tain as he left the bridge and. with
some Of the crew. took shelter behind
the structure Of the library and state
cabins on what remained Of the prom
enade deck. At the same moment the
frenzied occupants of the library and
gangway contrived to burst open the
door Of the main companion.
II they had to die, they might as well
die in the open and not boxed up In
impenetrable darkness. As matter
of fact, the bolts were forced by man
who fired his revolver at them. The
sea quickly discovered this new outlet.
The next wave. passing through the
saloon. sent tons Of water pouring
through the open hatch. One good re-
suit accrued. The strong canvas avn
ing which prolonged the spar deck was
carried away, and the group Of surviv-
ors, benumbed with cold and wholly
overcome by their desperate position,
could see the entire height Of the gran
lite column in front crowned with Its
diadem of brilliance. The liberated
passengers saw 1t for the first time.
The sight brought no hope. Between
ship and lighthouse was a true mael-
strom Of more than sixty feet Of water
created by the backwash from the
stonework and the shattered hull.
Even II the passage could be made. of
what avail was It? The iron entrance
door was full fifty feet above the pres
emit level of the sea. It could only be
approached by way Of the rungs Of
iron imbedded In the granite, and ev-
cry wave, even in the comparative
moderation caused by the obstructing
wreck. swept at least twenty feet Of the
smooth stone tiers. 1t Is this very fact
that prevents rock lighthouses from sell
dom II ever serving as refugees for ship
wrecked sailors. The ascending ladder
IL so exposed, the sea usually so tur-
bulent under the least stress Of wind,
that no human being can retain hand
hold or footing.
Yet there was one faint chance of
succor, and it was not a sailor who
grasped 1t. The first that Brand knew
Of the desperate venture was the sight
Of spectral man climbing up the
shrouds Of the foremost. On q steamer,
whose yards are seldom used for sails,
the practicable rope ladder ceases at
the fore, main or mizzen top, as the
case may be. Thenceforward a sailor
must climb with hands and feet to the
truck. feat which may occasionally
be necessary when the vessel Is in
dock. 1t is hardly ever attempted ut
sea.
The venturesome individual who thus
suddenly made himself the center Of
observation carried a line with him.
Not until he essayed the second portion
Of his perilous ascent did Brand realize
what the other intended to do, which
was nothing less than to reach the
truck, the very top Of the mast, and en-
deavor to throw a rope to the gallery.
And he might succeed, too-that was
the marvel Of 1t. The tapering spar
came very near to them, perhaps
twelve feet distant, and the wind
would certainly carry the rope across
the chasm II carefully thrown. A few
strong and active men might use this
aerial ferry. Well. better they than
none. Brave fellow! Would that the
Lord might help him!
Higher and nearer swung the stall
wart yOungster, for none but a 1.-THE
and active boy could climb a pole with
such easy vigor. At last he reached
the truck. and family heard cheer
from beneath mingled with the hyster-
ical delight Of Enid and Constance,
when. with legs twined round the mast.