The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-08-27

had been on the bridge, was in the
ward room when the explosion came,
and not one of them survived. 1t
would be useless to describe the ap-
pearance Of that room. The living,
breathing human beings who had filled
1t the night before with laughter and
courage and hope We're one shapeless
mass-part of the twisted, broken steel
And they never had a chance to
fight. Death came to them without
warning and without giving them the
opportunity SO much desired to strike
blow for Britain In the going. But
that is part of war as it is fought to-
day.
went up to the hospital to see the
navigating officer and, swathed In
bandages and suffering from terrible
burns, he told me all he knew of what
had happened.
1--WE were running along at fair
speed" he said, with most of the crew
on deck and watching out sharp, for l
knew that sixth mine hadn't been pick
ed up, and it's pretty safe to count on
six being laid here every Wednesday
The rest of the officers were below,
poor chaps! Not one Of them left, they
tell me.
Thrown Into the Sea.
II was swinging her round, which I
guess Is what brought her stern quar-
ter on the mine. thought thunder
clap had detonated right under my feet.
/ went spinning off the bridge like
catapult. / don't pretend even to know
whether l was conscious as hurtled
through the air, but the shock of the
cold water brought me to. was some
yards from the destroyer and started
to swim toward her. 1 could see some
Of the men lying on the deck, others
crawling up the companionways and
some crawling about on the deck. A
very few were standing on their feet
and doing the best they could to help
the others.
There wasn't an officer in sight, and
I knew then they must all have been
killed or at least knocked unconscious.
"My leg hurt me 80 that 1 could
scarcely move it, but kept on strug-
Cling. The water tasted oily, and I
could make out that oil was escaping
from the destroyer and spreading all
over the surface Of the sea, which was
as calm as If 1t were q mirror.
Suddenly there was a fash A lit
tie tongue Of fame darted out Of the
entrails Of the wounded destroyer and
ran short way over the surface OF the
oily patch, then died Presently came
another tongue. Then half a dozen
began to lick. A dozen! Twenty!
Great God, there were a thousand.
and they were licking the surface of
the water as though a thousand hell
cats were tapping giant bowl OF
fiendish milk.
They ran toward me, and I may
have screamed. II didn't It was be-
cause was too scared. struck out
away from the destroyer The tongues
ran toward me faster than could
swim, then seemed to curl back upon
themselves, but only DO dart out once
more, and each time thsy darted near
er 70 me.
IF only could get beyond that oil.
The sun glimmersd IN sainbow colors
on its surface, but the only thing 1t
meant 10 me was was etiil In 1t.
The smell OF It IN my nostrils and the
taste Of It In my mouth 10 terrified my
imagination that could feel the pierc-
ing pain of burns already.
II envied the men who bad been
smashed to Jelly quickly In the ward
room.
AT last the flames were upon me.
felt them on my neck. / dove and
drove myself forward under the wa
ter, but when I came up my haiT was
singed and could smell II burning.
After that do not ss,aeni.e: what