The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-09-05
breaking up and floating away. All

breaking up and floating away. All
eyes were eagerly scanning the coast in
the direction taken by the seven volun-
tiers, hoping they would bring relief.
; As night drew nigh more and more of
the upper works of the bow had disap-
peared and the surf encroached nearer
and nearer the stern where we were all
; huddled,. probably about twenty five
women and children and sixty men. As
occasional rain of short duration added
TO the awful suspense and the dreaded
approaching darkness. Tuesday noon
all the women and children were taken
on the upper deck and a canvas was
rugged over them to protect them from
the weather. They all seemed to join
in singing hymns, and it is needless for
me to tell you how their voices appealed
to the inner soul. A bright little chap,
about three years old, whose mother
and sister went down Monday night in
one Of the boats, was in my state room
and under my charge until Wednesday
8 a. M, when we all went to the upper
deck where the women and children
were and the matron took him in
charge.
During all Tuesday night all the men
remained on the state room deck. My
state room was in the rear starboard,
and about the highest point out of wat
err, except the upper deck above the state
rooms. My room was filled with men
all that night and from midnight on
an occasional high surf would splash
in and wet us all to onr knees. sat
on stool most of the time with an
old and only lantern, that was found
aboard after the electric lights went
out, under my feet, that part of the
time kept them out of water. A num-
Der of the crew and passengers lay up
in the hunks on this terrible Tuesday
night, smoking cigarettes, one remark
ing that when the wreck went it would
be oil over with him Ms he could not
swim stroke.
just before daybreak Wednesday
morning one of the crew, the Greek,
suggested that if he could get two other
men to go with him he believed they
could take one of the RATS and make the
shore and scramble to the cliff and fas.
ten the rope. Some one suggested rails
ing $500 to be divided between them if
they succeeded, and I told him we would
raise it to $500 for each one. There was
hearty response and the amount could
have been doubled over and over again.
The morning broke with mist hang
ing over lis but not enough to wet us
much. All of sudden a cheer went up
that a ship had hove in sight, also a
tug, and were coming to our rescue. It
appeared to be about mile out to sea.
The cannon was twice fred to attract
attention and every one yelled to the
top of his voice. Men went up into the
rigging and waved blankets, sheets, etc.
The ship and the tug seemed to be lying
to but made no response. We felt GER
tain they saw us and our hopes were
raised to the highest pitch. We waited
patiently for some time expecting to see
them draw near but they did not seem
to move and we were forced gradually
to believe she did not intend to come to
our relief although there was no high
sea running at he time.
About o'clock we. and all hands on
the state room deck were forced to go
above where the women and children
were as the whole fore part Of the ship,
back as far as the main mast, had been
carried away and every surf was splash
ing over us. Upon reaching the upper
deck we found the women and children
quite comfortable under the canvas.
Surprising as it may seem they all ap.
peared calm and resigned to their fate.
l was convinced that he wreck would
hold together but very short time.
Eevery surf that struck was raising and
loosening up all wood work that was
supporting US. Men were climbing to
the rigging and noticed one women
get about half way up the rigging on
the starboard side when a man assist
ed her to lash herself to the rigging
and they, side by side, were still there
when / left the ship together with about
twenty others. About this time one of
the remaining RATS was thrown over.
board to the starboard side and the
captain urged the women to get on the
raft, but none dared to risk it. They
said they would soner go down with the
wreck than be dashed to pieces on the
raft, and only nine men ventured to 60.
This raft got safely away and headed
to the west along the coast, not SEEM
inn m oara r. try ond roa oh tho 81 90 NJ, i.