The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-10-08
The Ceaseless Toll
of the Ocean.

Following the occurrence of storm
which strikes near at home, and espe-
cially like that which dashed the gulf
coast during the latter part of Sep
TENDER, those who give the matter =
thought remember all too well what
sympathy went out to the sea-faring
nan, the men who in big ships, go
down into deep water. The thought
is natural one to any person who
has the least knowledge of the sea,
and the sympathy shows a fellow
feeling for the poor sailor. The
thought is fine one, and there is no
harm in indulging in such reminis-
cences.
There are numerous unexplained
mysteries of the sea, especially in the
wake of great storms which we feel.
There are unreported ships. Ships
which have started out, and which
have never again been heard from.
Possibly, as in the case Of the Ma
rowinje, there will be just enough de-
bris left floating to give an idea as
to the ships fate. But just how pas
senger and crew went to their death,
viii be a story shrouded in gloom.
It will never be known.
Vessels have left this port which
have never been heard from. In .
case few years ago. fishing smack,
the long stay of which caused cease
less watching and waiting. But the
VIM. H. Warren was not only never
heard from, but not vestige of the
wreckage was ever found.
What became Of the captain, his
wife, and members of the crew Of
the Donna Christina, will never be
known. just whether they tried to
reach safe port, whether they were
swept into the nav of mountainous
sea, whether they were picked up and
started for some foreign shore, and
whether or not their rescuer was in
turn wrecked, all these are mere fan
cies of the mind, but nothing was
ever known Of them. The overturned
vessel was discovered, with not the
sign of life aboard.
A few days ago there drifted up or
the beach at or near Daytona, in this
state, the barred bodies of two infants
Whence they came, who they were
what terrified mother had parted from
them, what ever became of the par.
ent, of the ship, of their guardian
viii never be known, but account.
state that when people saw the badly,
eaten bodies of the little innocents
dried eyes were unknown in the CROWD
of citizens who knew what the sea
had brought ashore.
Whole columns of dangers to navi
cation" news are printed IN the news
papers and in the shipping journals
following stormy conditions. Some
times these reports are carried un
der the head of Unknown and miss
ing" but it all means the same. Very
few words tell the story. Steamer A
reports lin indicated latitude and Ion.
gitude) having passed derelict about
$50 feet long, bottom up" Steamer
Ormond reports passing mass Of
wreckage." Steamer Bankdale re
ports passing stump Of mast protrud
ing from the water, evidently at
tached to submerged wreckage.'
Schooner Conrad reports passing
part Of vessels bottom, that Of
schooner about 800 TONS" @Floatinr
mast, attached to wreckage, wa:
sighted"
Such are the excerpts from shi,
reports which find their way to jour
mails, but behind the mere reports
there are certain stories of lost lives
souls gone to their Maker, countless
men drowned; possibly fathers, broth
ers, husbands, but all some mother
son.
II the sea could tell its story il
detail, or even in part, a horrible
recital would be the result. But some
body must go to sea, and just S,
sure viii somebody, and many, vii
go to satisfy the cesseless toll of tn
oeean.