The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-19

"A,
81 nat unknown Indiaman Is the
clearest thing In memory today
Il was the chief boatman VINO ga"
her first. He was patrolling on dn'y
along the cliffs, and a rocket spurtihg
up from the gloom beneath showed
him vessel hard jammed on some OF
the mid.teeth OF the Yellow Saw. be
ing powerless to aid her by himself
he forthwith carried the report 10
my father, his superior of'lcer'
Picking up his men as he passed the
signal station, my father led on along
the cliff, we staggering after him as
best we might through the singing
shrieking darkness, bearing with us
ropes, rockets, hawsers, blocks ana
what not. we got at last TO the GIN
head
out Ut the seething, bowling caui,
dron below, there glared up mare
"a sailors call it--a handful OF Tow
stepped In turpentine, and streaming
with dirty yellow fame.
The tearing breath OF the gale con
snmed it In a moment, but we saw
coupie OF men making a shirt 10 iieht
a larger beacon, and soon a pile OF tar.
barrels and old junk began 70 bia@e
and spufter from the deck OF the IN
diaman, and lit up all clearly, she
was full-rigged ship OF ! 100 or l,2oo
tons burden, and sorely nlauled. All
aronnd was Dreaming surf and green
curling waves, though occasionally the
CLINT of the flames fell on some grim
yellow fang OF the Saw, and reminded
us that others OF those venomohs
rocks were every minute eating deep
err and deeper into her sheathing ana
timbers 1t was q weird sight and an
awful one.
she could not last long, and her
people had evidently come TO sGis
ronclueion--those of them VINO We're
left, that is for their numbers had
thinned woefully during those last
dreadful hours. The launch Was the
only boat the sWeeping seas mad leIt
them and .sileG the breaking day
once more lit W our view. they were
preparing 10 get her into the water
There wa1 a steep cleft in the rock
little further westward down the
coast. They had seen it, and were
evidently going to attempt a landing
through it,
We, who knew the place, saw the
act with new horror. The cleft was
guarded by reefs that no craft could
hope to float over. and both backWash
and nndertow were strong enough TO
drown a seal.
But on what followed cannot bear
to dwell though the few seconds In
which that salt drama was played out
20 the finish seemed 10 drag them
selves out into hours, The heavy boat
got into the water, partly by human
effort, partly BY aid from the cruel
sea itself. and its helpless freight EN-
parked. Then she sank into j deeE
trough out OF sight, and when Inc
next sea swept up, no tive piahks OF
her were holding together. She had
been ground TO slaves and splinters
upon the reef.
A few human atoms here and there
iotted The boil of waters, but one by
me the hungry fingers OF the sea drew
them quickly down. and not a soul
Of that launch's crew escaped
And now comes the really weird
part OF ms yarn.
AS we wound our way amongst the
hummocks one OF the men who had
been on ahead came running back
They haint all lefs het.' he cried
out excitedy. There's - man
perched in the mizzen+top!"
Heiter,EkeIter We all struck out,
strlding over the ,boMlleVss leaning up
against the gale, and ia another min
ute saw this survivor for ourselves.
He was there, surely enough, and TO
all outward appearance in no wise
dismayed BY his situation. lie was
sitting in the top, with his legs
spread out. and his back up against
the lower masthead. leisurely eating
some bread and meat. On seeing US
he stopped for moment with a NOR
sci in midair, and then went uncon-
cernedly on with his meal.
My father ordered us TO get all
ready Tor firing another rocket Ills
keen seaman's eye had noted that
there was likely to be another mll In
the gale directly. and he was deter.
mined TO make the most OF IL.
Presently the squall gave signs Of
blowing itself out. and In due time the
luil came. and away went our rocket.
II fell across the deck OF the wreck,
close to the main rigging
In second the man in the mizzen
top had jumped out on topmast
backstay and slid down 10 the chan
nels. Running cleverly along the
streaming decks he laid hold Of the
line. and in lees than hall minute
was back again In his old perch. haul
ing Il In hand over fist with sturi
good, WILL All his srOnehalance wai
gone now. He saw good chance o
being saved. and was making use o
II TO the fun.
At last<he szae, she ead Of TN
thin line. and making fast the hawse
and tail-block which. came up 10 hi
ka,a4 rfsnaled TO AS All ready" In