The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-23
AN ESCAPE
AT SEA
A Yankee Prisoner Takes
to the Water
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN

+ By WILLARD bLAAEnAN I
i-'-,-,-ss-iiss.s.s.s..ss-s-s-s-i-s-ssss;s'
In the autumn Of 1914 when the Ger
man cruisers were destroying British
commerce on the high seas Jack Mars
ton, an American boy, was an or
binary seaman aboard the English ship
Sea Gull. That wasn't the real name
Of the vessel, but there are reasons
why It should be fictitious. Jack had
been brought up on the Maine coast
and was as much at home in the water
a. on shore and nearly as much at
home in It as out Of 1t. At any rate,
he preferred to be in It.
Just why he shipped aboard Brit
ish vessel instead Of an American does
not appear, though American ships be-
ing few and far between 1t is prob
able that he would have been obliged
to look for some time in order to get
a berth on one. He was in Portland
one day and, finding the Sea Gull there
and about to make a trip to Valparaiso
and return. concluded to sign for the
voyage.
One morning when the Sea Gull was
not a hundred miles from the port OF
her destination her captain espied on
her port quarter a war vessel too far
distant to make out to what nation
she belonged. He was not long In
doubt, for the ship headed for the Sea
Gull. and when she came near enough
the German flag was seen flying from
her stern. She proved to be the EN-
den. one of the most remarkable of
the commerce destroying cruisers Of
that period.
The Sea Gull being defenseless, her
captain and crew realized that her
sailing days were ended. They were
taken aboard the Emden, and their
ship was scuttled and sunk. That
Jack Marston was United States
citizen was no especial advantage to
him, for, being member Of the crew
Of British ship. he was subject to the
same terms as the others. However
there was nothing to be done with thu
captives until the Emden's commander
could find some way Of getting rid o,
them, and they were all kept aboart
the Emden. They were considered
prisoners Of war. but not placed in con
nnement. Indeed, there were crew
of two other captured ships aboard
besides a oumber Of passengers.
Jack had not shipped to be KEEP
aboard German cruiser, darling hith
er and thither hunting for the mer
chant marine Of Germany's enemies
and was much disgruntled. He toll
the captain of the Emden that he wa
an American citizen and asked to b
furnished the means Of getting ashore
But he had no proofs of his citizenship
and even II he had would probably no
have been entitled to different treat
ment from the other captives.
Jack having nothing to do, his min
turned on the problem Of regaining hi
liberty. He did great deal of think
ing, with no practical result. Their
may be regularly planned escapes. bu
Jack, being out on the ocean, usual
hundreds of miles from shore, Nigh
plan till the crack Of doom withor
hitting upon any way Of getting ashOr
even II he could elude the officers an
crew Of the Emden. If the cruiser ha
put into port the matter might hay
been feasible. But this she dared NJ
do, for British warships were watc
ing the harbors. Indeed. the safe'
place for the Emden was far out
sea, where the area was so large tn;
she was not likely to be>found, and
sighted by an enemy too strong II
her she would have plenty of room Il
flight.
Such being the case, Jack soon mat
up his mind that he must wait for o
opportunity, and an opportunity wou
not likely arise unless the Emdt
found it essential to approach Il
coast, either for supplies or to get r
of her prisoners, who were makiI
great inroads into her stock Of pro,
sions.
Jack one morning on awakening WI
surprised to see land not two mil
from the ship. The Emden was steal
ing northward. skirting the shore. II
reason for this was soon appareI
Jack saw seward British man-C
war. cruising along in the same dir,
ton as the Emden 1t was evide
that the latter was keeping within t
limit of three miles from shore, viii
by international law is neutral waite
Jack looked at the shore longingly l
would have undertaken to swim to
but In broad daylight 1t would be Il
possible for him to leave the ship wit
out being seen. He resolved to W;
till night. But when night came t
idea of committing himself to t
black, inhospitable waters to swim
tween two OF three miles to shore
could not see was too much for ev
his water pluck, and he dared not
II. He hoped for an opportunity J,
before dawn.
But during the midwatch fog n
ed In, and the captain of the End
taking advantage of 1t. ran out to S
and when the next day the fog lif'
she was out of sight of land. ia
ground his teeth, for he feared that
would not again get so near the shor
That day one of the Sea Cults or
died. The sailmaker of the Emden v
engaged In making bag In which
give the corpse sea burial, and
Jack sat watching him at work an Il
entered his head. One might put b