St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-12-08
Taking to
The Boats
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

/
edge and. sank, leaving us $50 miles
off the African coast.
There was some confusion, of course,
when we took to the boats, but we got
away from the brig in good shape, with
no one lost or hurt and with water and
provisions enough to do US for a week.
4 We were in charge of the boatswain,
and, but for a terrible accident, know
we should have pulled through without
mishap or suffering. He was an oldish
man, a good sailor, and he had author
ity over all in the boat Besides the
crew. there were three young men and
a woman and a girl. The woman was
the girls aunt.
1t had come o'clock or later, and
some of the men were asleep, when
the boatswain went forward and stood
on the thwart with his arm around the
mast to steady himself. think he was
looking about to see if he could find
anything of the other boats. Just
how it happened no one could tell.
though three of us had our eyes on
him when he suddenly pitched over
board. We were still pitching briskly
about and perhaps it was sharp drive
OF the boat which sent him to his
death. If he rose to the surface he
did not call out. He simply went right
out of sight and never even called out.
Little or nothing was said that night
as to who should command the boat.
but morning had hardly dawned when
there was row about it. Being lad
NJ ov1fn Q I
was of course out Of the question, but
each Of the other three sailors was
determined to act as captain. From
words they came to blows, and anoth-
er horror fell upon us. The three
young men were driven into the quar-
rel, and the six had a savage fight
with such weapons as could be laid
hold Of. 1t was dead calm, with the
sea quieted down, and a couple of
sharks were lying Off our port quar-
ter. No one had seen them, nor did
any one see them until two of the
young men were knocked overheard.
It wasn't five seconds before both were
seized and drawn under. This horrid
climax to the row cooled the men off
at once.
One of the sailors had been stabbed
in the back. another badly hurt about
the head, and the third young English
man had his right arm broken.
The sailor who had been stabbed
took command of the boat, and when
things were settled down breakfast was
served out We had not to exceed two
gallons of water and a dozen biscuits,
Al.
of air stirring.
The aunt, as / now heard called Mrs. |
Morton, took very sick, and we were
terrified at our helplessness. She was
soon in a high fever and raving.
About o'clock the aunt sank into |
stupor from which she never awaken
ed, and all of US slept for some time. |
We were finally awakened by wound
ed sailor getting up and calling for
water. In his torment he caught sight |
of the man in the bow, and he rushed
forward and seized him. ran to pull
him off, but before 1 could reach him
both had gone overheard. The two
other sailors sat up, asked me what
happened and then fell back and slum.
cred as soundly as before.
1t was sunrise when the sailors
awoke With a leader these men 4
would have suffered and endured for
week and made no complaint. They Il
no sooner saw that the calm still con.
hnued than they began cursing and
and they looked at the
girl so that she covered in terror.
Presently they went forward and sat
close together and talked in whispers,
and the girl crept over to me and said:
81 know what they are planning;
they intend to kill me!'
l gave her one of the knives and told
her l would protect her to the last
The men talked for an hour or so and
then lay down and went to sleep again.
I was half mad with hunger and
thirst by that time, and / knew the
poor girl was, if anything, worse off.
We talked in low tones of the good
things we had eaten and the springs !
we had drunk from, and we kept our
heads constantly wet with the salt wa
ter to alleviate our thirst as far as it
could. At 4 o'clock or soon after the
wanted to kill the girl. 1 reasoned
Will lu0Iu anu IOIQ Two VI luIO0 O0llD-
crate falsehoods and finally prevailed
upon them to wait another day. / felt
hey would do SO and slept soundly
hat night The sun came up next
morning the same ball of fire, and any
sailor could have told that the calm
would last another day. What hap
)ened along toward noon l can never
distinctly remember for I had little
'eason left There must have been a
light, but l remember none of the de-
ails. 1t is like trying to recall a
lream of years ago. What 1 can re-
member back to was waking up in the
.abin of the German steamer Bergen,
,ery i'll and very weak. She had pick
d up our boat the day before. In it
we're two living skeletOns-the girl and
. We were alone, and there were
wo blood stained knives in the bottom
f the boat to deepen the mystery. The
LrI nuIIed through as well as myself