The Columbus journal., 1910-07-20

icy cold. Our fingers Stiffened with
cold. our bodies shook from the chill;
only beneath the warmth of the
blankets could We find comparative
comfort. Hour after hour the men
lay, curled up and motionless. only
crawling forth reluctantly to take
their turn on watch. Our greatest
effort was to keep the straining cord
age free from ice, and TO prevent its
formation along the gunwale or at the
bows, over which spray dashed in
constant shower
Good God. how those hours dragged
with the same heartless scene with
out. the same hopeless faces within!
Most of us continued to live merely
because We could not die. Indiffer-
ence took the place of hope, and We
performed our simple tasks automatic
ally. almost unconsciOusly. Johnson,
De Nova and | took our tricks at the
helm, with one man always awake
forward TO manage the running gear
and only once during those first six
days were we compelled to lower
our sail or take a reef in the jib
Then a fierce squall came tearing
down upon us from out the northwest.
a swift. sharp blow, heralded by a
binding snow furry which kicked up
an ugly sea, flashing us with heavier
singing spray, and coating every
thing with ice. For seven hours We
fought in binding smother. every
man awake. crouching beneath blank
cts, the women slowed away under
the thwarts, and De Nova and at the
tiller, the huge Surges pounding
against our backs, as We thus kept
them from sweeping the laboring boat
fore and aft. and swapping her. l
never believed We could weather II,
the increasing waves tossing us about
like a cork. yet. as the dawn broke
We succeeded in broaching to, with
canvas drag holding her, and the very
moment / realized she would ride
safely l fell forward dead asleep.
Either Doris or one of the men COW
cred HE with blankets. my icy cloth
ing drying on my body But il was
Doris who welcomed ME back to life
again, as little glimpse of westering
sun grew barely visible through a rift
in the dun clouds. with the mainsail
again spread. and the longboat leaping
10 the foaming SUBMITS. Oh. but it
was worth all suffering just to read
the confession of her eyes, and to
feel her bend down over me in sudden
tenderness, l am not ashamed that
scarcely see her dear face or that my
voice choked SO ! could do no more
than whisper her name. She must
have understood, for her soft hands
touched my cheek, and so We rested
for long time, scarcely exchanging
a word between us.
1t was later that same day, just at
the edge of twilight. when Kelly
called. A SAIL" pointing eagerly out
over the port quarter. Then, some
upon knees. some standing. We all
saw it. a misty. white reflection, show
ing vague against the darkening hori-
ION. know not what it really was
"a CLEAN OF canvas, a speck of cloud,
or the pinnacle of an iceberg-but as
we swept toward it, the night
dropped down over the waters blotting
the last faint vestige from view. Yet We
hung on desperately, the man staring
out into the black void, grumbling and
cursing, until the long night wore
away with no reward.
That was about the last I recall
clearly; afterwards all grew indis-
tinct, commingled. confused. 1t was
like dream rather than reality. /
performed my work as before, the In.
stincts of a seaman leading me right
ly. and out of the mist numerous in
cidents arise to memory proving that
l observed and thought. Never can
forget the sight Of that narrow boat,
tossing about on the crests Of great