Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-11-23
FOR
LIBERTY


colonies. gsss az trying 70 do 20. but
having To- couple Of hundred years
held supremacy an the ocean continued
10 exercise nnmbcf OF tyrannieai 20
called privileges "a reference to our
merchant marine She claimed The right
10 search our ships Tor British desert.
ing sailors and was not particular as
TO their being British. Many an Amer.
icnn was taken OF Yankee ship and
forced TO serve 10 tie English navy.
This was not the worst The kings
ships would hover over an American
coast, send boats ashore with a press
gang aud carry on any man found de-
fenscless
Cyrus T3mklns was u farmer In those
days on the coasi south Of New York at
a pclut where Asbury Park Is now To-
Gated
One day ship was seen running 30
very pear the land. She wns man-of-
war. that was evident from her ports.
bur she carried 40 dag Cyrus was
working "a tie Arla aud too lntcut upon
what he Wan dolDg 90 Uuiice boat put I
out from The vessel aud pull to the /
shore The 1fsi thing be know be was /
tackled from behind hy several strong (
men and, despite his efforts 10 free him
self, WAS hustled down TO boat and
carried 20 the ship
The coast was sparseiy settled IN
those days. aud Il Is questionable II
any one saw the abduction TOmkins
wife was not az home, aud his children
We're nc school some distance from the
water
The farmer knew that his capture
meant serving term OF enlistment In
the British navy. separated from his
home and his family. AS soon as he
was taken aboard he was entered as :
an able seaman. put Ia sailor toys and
len TO go where he pleased. for as for
going ashore he could not do that
without swimming all the way. a dis
lance Of mile and half
The Wind was blowing fresh on shore. =
and the commander OF the ship desired
10 sail away, but he had sent another
boat TO point further north aud was
obliged TO await ITS return. He sailed {
back and forth for awhile. but the
boat not appearing. be dropped his am
'hor. Tho wind had frcahened instead
'f luillng, and II was believed that the
absent ones dare not put out from the '
'hore In the face OF such rollers. :,
II was sunset before Mrs. Tomkins'
amily came home Not finding her A
husband waiting for his supper. she
sent out 20 look for him. Seeing his ~
armlnE tools where he had been cap II
uscd, the marks Of u struggle aud the
hip anchored out In the ocean. she -
ook 10 the situation. Then she saw
ONE one on the ship waving. This I
Fas not the FIRST depreciation OF British 4
hips on the coast. and the poor woman N
new that her husband had been taken II
rom her. his home aud his family.
When Cyrus waved TO bis vito a tar II
landing near him saw him. u,
"Sayln' goodby 10 the ole woman.
latcf' he said. like enough this l. Al
,e last sight you'il get OF er for a
after or three yeGr or more"
Cyrus randeno reply. he was caicu-
ting the chances Of his getting ashore p
such Wind and sea in case he at
mptcd TO swim the distance He must
axe the attempt. n at all. under cover
darkness for II seen he would be re-
ptured. But 10 swim in such sea at
was equivalent 10 suicide. and IN
9 darkness he would not know In
bat direction be was swimming.
'yuis had son fourteen years old
az WAS as much OF duck as his
Their. Young Cy thought of the swim
ng problem and on the same lines
the captive. As soon as Il was dark
mada a bonfire on the high bank
nrlookius the oecan Tomkins saw
and knew very well what Il meant
ON that moinent his resolution was
zen.
Watching his opportunity he worked
way up on % the forccnstie where
re was no one 10 see. and lee himself
vn on 10 the howsprlt chains. An
'rmous wave swept him or. and he
; c1nmltteed 10 the mercy OF the
q. The stern Of the vessel was
wn toward the shore and he was
lged 20 swim along the side Foriu-
- ~" E"o AN@ fht1NH H<hiNoi IL
was soon driven by the wind and
res beyond the stern. lie felt that
reeid live Ia the water. but doubted /
he coald make landing Ia such
"a. However. be nerved himself By ,
thought that he tad bathed Ia wa
almost as turbulent and hoped for
best Whenever he rose on a crest
looked for the shore light. but the O.
Q ~as blowing straight 0n shore aud
tsking him toward Il. As 10 guild
bis direction thst was impossible. "
was not very long before he heard i
dreaded breakers. Nearly all his
agth remained to hin. for there was
use Ia trying 10 swim When close ~
BE shore be watched his opportunity, / sc,
when the wave on which he rode He y
about 10 break. by strenuous ef. M,
be threw himself backward. and. / mi
rsd OF the roller coming down upon &c .
with rs tons Of water. he was And