The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-12-03

screaming. lney wanted 10 I'VE, tney
were helpless. like rats in trap, and
they screamed.
The horror of 1t drove me out on
deck. was feeling sick and squeam'
ish. and sat down on bench. In
hazy way l saw and heard men rush
ing and shouting as they strove to
lower the boats. II wac just as had
read descriptions of such scenes in
books. The tackles damned. Nothing
worked. One boat lowered away with
the plugs out filed with women and
children and then with water. and cap
sized. Another boat had been lowered
by one end and still hung in the tackle
by the other end, where it had been
abandoned. Nothing was to be seen
of the strange steamboat which had
caused the disaster, though ! heard
men saying that she would undoubt'
eddy send boats to our assistance
descended to the lower deck. The
Martinez was sinking fast, for the wa
ter was very near. Numbers of the
passengers were leaping overheard
Others, in the water, were clamoring
to be taken aboard again. No one
needed them. A cry arose that we
were sinking. was seized by the con-
sequent panic, and went over the side
in a surge of bodies How went over
| do not know, though did know, and
instantly. why those in the water were
so DESTROYS Of getting back on the
steamer. The water was cold-so cold
that 1t was painful. The pang. as
plunged into it, was as quick and
sharp as that of fire. 1t bit to the mar
row. 1t was like the grip of death.
! gasped with the anguish and shock
of it, filing my lungs before the life
preserver popped me to the surface.
The taste of the salt water was strong
in my mouth, and | was strangling
with the acrid stuff in my throat and
lungs.
How long this lasted have no con.
ception, for a darkness interviewed.
of which remember no more than one
remembers of troubled and painful
sleep. When ! aroused, 1t was as after
centuries of time; and ] saw. almost
above me and emerging from the fog.
the bow of vessel, and three triangu-
lar sails, each shrewdly tapping the
other and filed with wind. Where the
bow cut the water there was a great
foaming and gurgling, and | seemed
directly in it's path. | tried to cry
out, but was too exhausted. The bow
plunged down, just missing me and
sending a swash Of water clear over
my head Then the long. black side
OF the vessel began slipping past so
near that | could have touched 1t with
my hands. | tried to reach it, by my
arms were heavy and lifeless. Again
| strove to call out, but made no sound.
The stern of the vessel shot by,
dropping, as 1t did so, into hollow
between the waves; and ! caught a
glimpse of a man standing at the
wheel. and of another man who
seemed to be doing little else than
smoke a cigar He slowly turned his
head and glanced out over the water
in my direction.
Life and death were in that glance |
His face wore an absent expression
as of deep thought. and ! became
afraid that il his eyes did light upon
me he would not see me. But he did
see me- for he sprang to the wheel !
thrusting the other man aside, and
whirled it round and round, hand over
hand, at the same time shouting or
ders of some sort. The vessel seemed
to go off at a tangent to it's former
course and leapt almost instantly from
view into the fog.
felt myself slipping into uncon-
seriousness. and tried with all the
power of my will to fight above the
suffocating darkness and darkness
that was rising around me. A little
later heard the stroke of oars. grow.
ing nearer and nearer, and the calls
of man. When he was very near !
heard him crying, in vexed fashion,
why in hell don't you sing out?"
This meant me, | thought, and then |
the Darkness and darkness rose over |
me.