The Red Cloud chief., 1914-01-29


over they feared she would turn tur.
tie. They got up on the side, and
rove a lifeline between the fore and
main chain plates to hold on by. In
this position they we're exposed to the
scourge OF the wind and spray, and
now and then q heavier sea, making
clean breach OF hulk, would stamp
right over them. But they held on.
and you may imagine that after day
light they searched the bowling seas
with eager eyes for sign OF sail.
AS the morning wore on the buffet
ings Of the seas. the numbing cold,
began to tell on their strength. and
along about noon q towering comber
bursting over them swept one poor
fellow. Crowell Nickerson by name.
from the lifelines. and he was drown.
cd bofore the eyes of his mates, pow
erless to help him. His body became
entangled in some cordage. and hung
to leeward.
Naturally this tragedy affected the
spirits OF the survivors. They watch
ed the towering surges rushing down
upon them with a new fear In their
hearts, each man thinking that per.
haps the next big sea would sweep
him to his death. But soon they
learned the calmness and the courage
Of despair. VIII Kenney. az a re-
Quiem to the dead man to leeward. be.
gan to sing:
Jesus. lover of my soul.
Let me to Thy bosom fly"
All the men Joined In the good old
song.
And then. Just az they finished the
last verse. Will Kenney cried: Look!
Look! A sail!"
The schooner sank into q trough.
The men waited. their hearts in their
mouths. And when she rose again
all saw the sails of schooner swing.
Ing out Of the mist hardly half mile
to leeward.
Knew Nothing Of Rescue.
It was the Matchless, and the men
on her had already sighted the wreck.
Tack by tack she beat up to windward
and then her big seine-boat was
manned. II dropped under the lee Of
the wreck. and the men we're picked
OF by being hauled through the sea
with a line about their waists.
The Matchless picked up her boat
without mishap. and then. because
1t was blowing q gale of wind with a
heavy driving mist making It impossi.
h1o IN aao INV dlatouoa .ho ,,o. h~.~
to for the night.
Next morning. the weather having
moderated. she made sail and at three
o'clock In the afternoon stood into
Clark's Harbor with the Stars and
Stripes flying at her masthead as q
sign to those on shore that she had
accomplished her mission.
Meantime Atwood and !, inside the
hulk. knew nothing Of this rescue, and
nobody suspected that we were alive.
As Thursday dragged along we be-
gan to feel the pangs of hunger and
thirst. and our flesh began to feel be-
numbed. the result Of our frequent
cold baths. But we dared not move
from our perches. In spite of II all I
would fall asleep and dream Of the
disaster, or of home and loved ones
and then awaken with a start to q
keener fear and horror Of our plight.
The time dragged along and, az the
thirst took q fercer grip on us, we
ceased to feel the pangs of hunger.
Our tongues swelled and burned; grip
Ing pains took us by the throat; our
muscles ached as II pYicked with hot
pins. Having swallowed 80 much salt
water. | suffered more than Atwood,
and that afternoon I grew so wild !
cut the ends OF my fingers and sucked
the blood. But that did me no good.
When Saturday morning came we
were half stupehed with suffering.
Several times we talked of dropping
into the water and drowning ourselves
And always the temptation to drink
the salt water was strong upon u.s.
But we kept our heads; we hoped
against hope that we would be res.
cued. and determined to hold out as
long as We could.
That afternoon the long swell began
| to subside. The schooner grew quiet
| er. and ceased to duck US, and the
fever Of our bodies dried our clothes
The fact that the swell was coins
down brought us face to face with q
new cause OF fear-the fear that soon
there would not be sufficient trough
to the sea to cause the main hatch
to blow. and give Us fresh air.
But we did not worry greatly owe,
the prospect OF being stified for lacl
OF oxygen; we had about exhausted
our capacity for fear; we we're too
sick and miserable generally to bs
much troubled by the appearance o.
new peril.
After Saturday noon It was Just suf
fering and endurance. We seldom
talked: our parched throats ans
swollen tongues made speech painfu
and our voices sounded weird and up
natural Nor did we think much. Mos
Of the time We lay as In a stupor Nov
and then we dreamed of beautiful ship