White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-08-23
u. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


aires could not afford. We smoked
quantities of fish and pork and slowed
1t away. We found fresh water on
the island and refilled our tanks Our
traces Of scnrvy and beri-beri disap-
peared. and we were rapidly getting
ready to continue our cruise and work
of havoc In Australian waters.
On the second of August, we made
ready to leave the ship for another
day ashore. AT nine-thirty | noticed
a strange bulge on the eastern rim of
the sea. called my officers attention
to 1t. At first we thought it mirage.
But It kept growing larger. 1t came
toward us. Then we recognized it
tidal wave such as Is caused by sub
marine earthquake and volcanic dis
turbances The danger was only too
clear. We lay between the island and
the wave.
"Cut the anchor cable. Clear the
motor. All hands on deck"
We dared not raise sail, for then
the wind would drive us on the REF.
So our only hope of getting clear of
the island was our motor. The huge
swell of the tidal wave was rushing
toward US with breakneck speed.
The motor didn't stir. The mechan-
les were working frantically. They
pumped compressed air into the en-
CINE. We waited in vain for the
sound of the ignition Now, right at
the critical moment, our motor had
failed us, just as 1t had so often failed
us before. By this time, the tidal
wave was only few hundred yards
away. We were lost. To our fright.
ened eyes it looked like whole noun
tain range of water. 1t must have
been thirty or forty feet high 1t came
! rushing with roar that drowned out
our voices.
gigantic, violent hand seemed to
grasp the ship. The wave swung her
on high and threw her forward. 1t
flung us crashing on the coral reef.
Our masts and rigging went over,
broken like matchsticks. The shatter.
ing impact of the ship smashed the
coral, and pieces flew In all directions
like shrapnel from an exploding she'll.
The swirling water seized great pieces
of coral and whipped them around,
beating them against the ship. The
Seeadler had heeled over until her
! deck was almost perpendicular. The
water swept over the deck, and the
| swirling eddies bombarded US with
| chunks of coral. chung to an iron
| post near the lower rail. The rail
saved me from the tons OF shattered
coral that were hurled up by the blow
Of the falling ship. In moment, the
| wave had ebbed away, leaving us high
and dry. 1t had passed over the cir
! cling reef and the lagoon, though not
over the main part of the island. And
on its way 1t had swept hundreds of
| thousands of birds nests into the Ia
COON.
arose, scarcely knowing whether !
was alive or dead. and stood alone
with one foot on my slanting deck and
the other on the rail- For moment
thought was the only one saved.
"Boys, where are your" shouted
weakly.
Here" came the reply, still stand
ing like an oak"
My men and the prisoners had tax
en- refuge In the bow. and had beer
sheltered by the rail, as had been
MOI one was injured. For that al
least we could be thankful. For tina,
and not much else. The Seeadier was
a total wreck. The jagged coral wat
rammed deep into our hull.
We stand like an oak 4 adopted
the reply of my sailors as our motto
henceforth. We we're castaways OF
this coral atoll in one of the lonelies1
and least visited reaches of the Soutt
Pacific. Everything lost, but I'VE stanG
like an oak {"
] tTo BE coNTlNUED.)