The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-02-02

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 it's
formation along the gunwale or at the
bows, over which spray dashed in
constant shower.
Good God, how those hours dragged,
WlLh 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 I 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 reef in the jib.
Then fierce squall came tearing
down upon us from out the northwest,
a swift, sharp blow, heralded by
binding snow furry which kicked up
an ugly sea, lashing us with heavier
stinging spray. and coating every
thing with ice. For seven hours we
fought in a binding smother, every
man awake, crouching beneath blank
cts, the women slowed away under
the thwarts, and De Nova and l at the
tiller, the huge surges pounding
against our backs, as we thus kept
them from sweeping the laboring boat
fore and aft, and swamping her. |
never believed we could weather It,
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 | fell forward fead asleep.
Either Doris or one of the men COW
cred me with blankets, my icy cloth
ing drying on my body. But it 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
to 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! | am not ashamed that
the tears dimmed my eyes so l could
scarcely see her dear face or that my
voice choked so l could do no more
than whisper her name. She must
have understood, for her soft hands
touched my cheek, and so we rested
for a 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
ng vague against the darkening hori-
1Ou. 1 KNOW uOb WudJ IL really WAS |
"a CLEAN of canvas, q speck Of cloud,
1r the pinnacle of an iceberg-but as
We swept toward it, the night
iropped down over the waters blotting
he last faint vestige from view. Yet we
lung on desperately, the man staring
,ut into the black void, grumbling and
'ursing, until the long night wore
lway with no reward
That was about the last l recall
.learly; afterwards all grew indis-
lnct, commingled, confused. 1t was
ike dream rather than reality !
performed my work as before, the in
tincts Of a seaman leading me right,
y, and out of the mist numerous in
idents arise to memory proving that
observed and thought Never can l
orget the sight OF that narrow boat,
osslng about on the crests of great !