Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-19

StokeholG on his race ana nanuS.
Then he drew a chart from the locker
in which he had placed it two hours
earlier Mr.. Boyle. who had been at
tending the signals both by siren and
rocket. joined him. Courtenay pointed
to pin mark in the sheet.
I'VE were there st o'clock" he
said. and his voice was so steady that
he seemed now TO be free from the
least touch of anxiety. The course
was sOuth-40-east, and against this
wind and sea, together with Il strong
current to the forecast, we would make
eight knots under easy steam. There
fore by s O'Clock, when the furnaces
blew out. we were here"
He jabbed in a pin n little farther
down the chart. Mr.. Boyle grunted
agreement.
HUH he said.
Courtenay glanced at 4 chronometer.
at IS now quarter to o." hex went
on, land | reckon that since the ship
swung round we have been carried at
least six knots to the nor'east."
"Huhr' growled Mr.. Boyle again, but
he bent a tl.ife nearer the chart TO
his sailors eyes the situation was quite
simple. Unless by Gods providence
some miracle happened the Kansas
was a doomed ship. The pin stuck
where the admiralty chart recorded
soundings of 100 fathoms with a fine
sand bed. The longitude was 1880
| west of Greenwich and latitude 51.3J
south. Staring at them from the 9th
| erwise blank space which showed the
| wide expanse of the Pacific was an
| ominous note by the cOmpilers of the
chart:
"Seamen are cautioned not to make
! free with these shores, as they are
very imperfectly known, and, from
their wild, desolate character, they
cannot be approached with safety"
Right in the track of the drifting
ship lay a vaguely outlined trio of
dread import Breakers. Islet (coni-
caD. Duncan rock" Behind this sin.
lister barrier stood the more definite
White Horse island, while. running
due north and south a few miles away
| to the eastward, was Il wavering dot
ted line which professed to mark the
| coast of Hanover island. Lending a
fearful Significance to the unknown
character of the region, n printed com
| mcnt followed the dotted line, This
coast is laid down from distant OBJ
servations OH board the Beagle" 81
| the sea face of Hanover island had NO
| been visited by civilized man for near
ly sixty years!
Neither man spoke while their prac
| ticed scrutiny took in these details
| The roaring chaos of the gale told
| what fate awaited them. The elemen
| tai forces had donned the black cap o
| the judge and sentenced them t
| speedy destruction.
Mr.. Boyle pursed his lips. He looked
| sideways at Courtenay.
Huh" he said. whats to he done?
81 propose answered the captain
coolly, ito endeavor'-
1t was then that the giant wav
leaped madly over the poop, as thoug
the sea were resolved to swallow it
prey without further warning. TIL
second officer, outside on the bridge
had to cling to a stanchion for his life
Courtenay and Boyle saw two boat
wrenched from their davits and cal
ried overheard, while a buikhead fol
ward was smashed into matchwooC
The half caste Quartermaster at tn
wheel muttered "MadOnnar and trie
to remember prayer.
81 propose" continued Courtena!
raising his voice so that the othe
might hear, ''to give the ship steerin