The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-06-09
NOT CORDIAL
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ana ordered US to come along the side
% the U.boat, He first asked US the
name OF our ship, The captain of the
Rockingham gave the desired intorma-
ton. "How many tens does she carry, "
YVES the next question. Captain Ed
wards replied, "fopr thousand" What
Kind Of cargo" was the next interroga'
ton. General cargo" replied Ed
wards, All OF this information seemeo
10 greatly amuse the commander OF the
submarine and tho rest of the German
crew, Naturally, they knew they had
made an extra fine haul. Captain Ed
wards asked the commander Of the u
hpat to give US Q towtowards land, l
helieve the submarine captain really
meant to do 1t for he motioned US IT,
come up side the submarine, but we
( we're afraid to risk it for fear we might
BE aVamped, When we did not obey
the submarine rode of on the surface.
There was good breeze going, so
we hoisted our sails and were soon sail
ing over thelWaters blue. We had a
compass In the life boat, and the cap
tain was steering for the nearest land
which was the north coast Of Ireland,
) about 40 miles distant. The captains
compass being out of commission the
ti0uFae was given to the first mate In
the other life boat, We expected to
reach land in three or four days This
teing Tuesday we thought surely We
should reach land by Sunday. We had
emergency food consisting Of hard sea
biscuits, sardlnes aid canned food of
various kinds. We opened the food uT'
end all ate but myself, was too sea-
sick from the extreme motion Of the
small boat.
Our sorrow was soon forgotten and
we were soon joking about the sink
ing Of the ship. The. only thing that
worried US was the loss Of our two ship
mates, Margey and Waun. l knew Mar
gey quite well and thought him one
a. the best follows had ever met. Cap
tain Edwards said, Don't talk about 1t.
Talk about something cheerful" The
first assistant engineer said, "Any-
enc not knowing us to be a shipwreck-
( ed crew would think Us a party on
pleasure bent"
The sea was not rough, but choppy.
we knew we were safe for the time
being, but we knew storm might
pfise at any time. This was all we
had to fear. After we were out seven
hours We sighted two ships, one large
boat which was tanker, and small
boat which was a British. trawler, es.
epfting tramp boat through the war
zone, We had signal torches which
We lighted and dglalled to the ships
that we were IN distress. The large
chip kept ahead, but tbs smaller one
came toward US. They came up along
tie other life boat which was with US
and picked them up first, Then we
rode up along side the trawler, 1.-THE
ven Of Lennox," he had left the life
boat with the gun'crew and third mate
behind, They had . smaller boat,
which was crowded, and they could not
keep up. OF course we could not wait
"a them for the speed depended on the
wind. We heard IN Liverpool how.
uYer that they were picked up and
landed safely. AZ / said before We
rode up along side the traWleF. When
started to climb IN two Of our men
who were already In pulled me on and
raid, Well, here's the Sparks" After
We we're allSafely On board the trawler
went back 70 look for the subs.
Despite the fact that We knew No
we're going back 70 whore our destroy.
err were, and were likely 10 got Il
again, we an fell asleep from e1hauS'
ton. We failed 10 find any tEaee Of the
U.boatg, 90 W turned and made 'for