The San Francisco call., 1906-12-30

heroisn has been often discussed by
those interested in the history OF
the Grace Darl.ngs of today; but GER
tain st IS that those who do dwell IN
the high places. hearing only the
moan OF the surf or the cry OF the
seaguIls. ere among the most courage
Gus and dauntless OF their kind
Mrs. Minnie Paterson IS the latest
heroine OF the lighthouse, and. like
oil OF them. she modestly AYERS that
her brave deed was nothing. While
the bark Coloma was going TO pieces
when Hfty miles of Cape Beale on the
coast OF Vancouver Island the other
day, Mre. Paterson. alone with her
husband n the lighthouse. sighted the
wreck. There was but one hope for
fthe men ciing1ng for life to the fast
cisintegrating ship. and that was that
some one could cross the rocky. dan
azerous trail to Bamheld and take the
news OF the disaster to the British
fGo7ernment ship Quadra, then at
anchor IN BamfeId Creek. The steam
er might reach the wreck IN time
but-and the husband and wife gazed
az each other with pale faces-who
was there TO go7
IF only I could leave the light"
/ said Paterson.
; You can't" answered his wife, firm
II. but can go, and will"
you can't see q foot before you on
the trail" exclaimed Paterson aghast,
and the wind viii blow you into tte
see. TO attempt to cross the bogs is
70 risk your life"
y am 6 sea captains daughter" his
wife replied. simply, and I am going"
with that she began TO prepare for
her dangerous journey. The children.
clung TO her with white faces but
h~-e ~ @~rs 20 ha~
for there were ten men clinging TO the
rigging out there. with the seas sweep
ing over them and threatening every
instant TO send them TO the bottom
OF the raging ocean.
God be with you." said Paterson
eyed. kissed him. opened the door and
was swept out into the storm.
Her Superb Courage
At the first impact OF the mad gale
the brave woman was blown about
like g leaf: but concentrating her
strength. and creeping as close 10 the
foot OF the towering cliffs as she
could, she managed to make her way
IN the teeth Of the swirling hurricane.
Al times she mired to her knees IN
bogs; again she had to force her way
through thick underground that
formed an almost impenetrable bar
Tiers sometimes nuRe sIumps OF trees
obstructed her way and she had to
climb over them. Great limbs of felled
trees rose IN her path like menacing
monsters. but. stumbling, falling.
crawling. the heroic woman forced her
way along that well-nigh impossible
trail. Beaten and buffeted by the fierce
wind. drenched to the skin by the in
cessant sheets OF rain, terrified by the
savage lightning and the roar of the
deefentng thunder. still she fought to
reach her destination. Hour after hour
ss the storm seemed to grow wilder
sea on the rocks sounded like cannon
IN her ears, she pressed on with all
her fast diminishing strength.
When at last, with feet so heavy.
with mud and mire that she could
hardly lift them. her garments torn
and saturated with dripping water.
her hair unbound and streaming wild,
she staggered into the Mckay House,
near Bamheld, she was just able to
gasp: There's a ship on the rocks.
Get me a boat, quic1i-quick,r
In spite of all she had undergone.
Mrs Paterson's indomitable spirit
; was not yet beaten. When the small
Kay started at once to row to where
the Quadra lay. On the way they
met a boat containing Captain Hackett
and two seamen, who were coming
them
: poured out her tale The government
vessel had steam up and the crew had
been standing by during the wild
night. ready at the first intimation OF
, disaster. In five minutes after Mrs.
Paterson met Captain Hackett, the
: Quadra was on her way out OF the
creek
AS soon as Cape Beale was rounded
the bark was sighted. She was in a
pitiabie condition; her bowsprit gone.
her main and nizzen nasts swept
away, and her cargo OF lumber wash
ing through her open seams. Captain
Allison and his nine men were hud-
died on the poop. They had seen the
QuRdra, and she had arrived just in
time: for the men were completely
exhausted, and an hour later would
have seen their doom. Even as II was.
the Qusdra had a difficult task 10 per-
form. She could not stand IN close on
account OF the fearful see, and the
best that could be done was 20 bear
"a as close as possible and send a
boet Five men manned It, and after
gaining the stern OF the CoIone. they
tended the boat or from the bark, and
es the small boat rose on the crest Of
each wave the men on board the
Coiona Jumped. In this way the
whole ten were rescued. and roTed to
the Quadra. which steamed immediate
~ for shore
The colona sailed from Everett De-
cember 6. laden with lumber and bound
FOR San Diego. Captain Allison. q
young man with strong, weetheT-
beaten fece, told the story OF the Colo
mas experience as he stood on the
Qua1ra'e deck.
The Captains Tale
Yes, the old colona's at the bot
tom" he said. I'VE sailed from Ever
EFT December 6. and we had q hard
time from the hour we dropped our
tow. When we started there was q
stiff breeze blowing and gradually II
rose 20 gale. All tho day OF the eth
we carried close reefed topsatls and
beat about trying 20 avoid tho treach-
erous coast OF Vancouver. Tie Colo
ma was heavily laden, and Ehs wal
Lowed IN the trough Of the seas. Az
ter Ghs had rolled a while knew she