The daily Alaskan., 1915-10-19
AN ESCAPE
 AT SEA
A Yankee Prisoner Takes
 to the Water
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN

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 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 dlnary seaman aboard the English ship Sea Gull. That wasn't the real name Of the vessel, but there are reasons why 1t should be fictitious. Jack had been brought up on the Maine coast and was as much ut home in the water as on shore and nearly as much at home in 1t as out of It At any rate, he preferred to be iu It.
 Just why he shipped aboard q Brit, ish vessel instead of an American does not appear, though American ships be- ing few and fur between 1t is prob able that he would have been obliged to look for some time in order to get q berth on one. He was in Portland one day and, finding the Sea Gull there and about to mako a trip to Valparaiso and return, concluded to sign for the voyage.
 One morning when the Sea Gull was not hundred miles from the port Of her destination her captain espied on her port quarter 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 Em- den, one of the most remarkable of the commerce destroying cruisers of that period.
 The Sen Gull being defenselcss, her captain and crew realized that her sailing days were ended. They were taken aboard the Emden, and their shin was scuttIed and sunk. That Jack Marston was a United States citizen was no especial advantage to him. for, being a member of the crew of a British ship, he was subject to the same terms as the others. However, there was nothing to be done with the captives until the Emden's commander could find some way of getting rid of them and they were all kept aboard the Emden. They were considered prisoners of war, but not placed in con- fnement Indeed, there were crews of two other captured ships aboard, besides a number of passengers.
 Jack had not shipped to be kept aboard q German cruiser, darting hith- CT and thithCr hunting for the mer- chant marine of Germauy's enemies, and was much disgruntled He told the captain of the Emden that he was an American citizen and asked to be furnished the means of getting ashore. But he had no proofs of his citizenship and even if he had would probably not have been entitled to different treat ment from the other captives.
 Jack having nothing to do, his mind turned on the problem of regaining his liberty. He did a great deal of think ing. with no practical result There may be regularly planned escapes, but Jack, being out on the ocean, usually hundreds of miles from shore might plan till the crack of doom without hitting upon any way of getting ashore even if he could cIude the officers and crew of the Emden. If the cruiser had put into port the matter might have been feasible. But this she dared not do, for British warships were watch ing the harbors. Indeed, the safest place for the Emden was far out at sea, where the area was 80 large that she was not likely to be found, and if sighted by an enemy too strong for her she would have plenty of room for flight.
 Such being the case, Jack soon made up his mind that he must walt for an opportunity, and an opportunity would not likely arise unless the Emden found 1t essential to approach the coast, either for supplies or to get rid of her prisoners, who were making great inroads into her stock of prOvi- siOns.
 Jack one morning on awakening was surprised to see land not two miles from the ship. The Emden was steam ing northwNrI, slirting the shore. The reason for this was soon apparent Jack saw scawurd a British mnn-of- war, cruising along in the same direc- ton as the Emden. It was evident that the latter was keeping within the limit of three miles from shore, which by international law is neutral waters. Jack looked at the shore longingly. He would have undertaken to swim to it, but in broad daylight 1t would be i'm possible for him to leave tAe ship with