Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-11
The Wreck of the Copeland.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.

Henry Ridsr HaggaIS, la3 s; vas :. 3
s psSn H0Sf kins soiomons Mines "sh q
etc.
The steamer Copeland, of about a
thousand tons register, bound for Leith,
sailed from Reykjavik, Iceland, on the
morning of Friday, July 20. with cargo
of 480 ponies and IL passengers, name
ly: Maj. Gen. Bevan Edwards, c. B.;
Capt. Miles, Messrs. Williams (twol
Ross, Warner, Rider Haggard, two serv-
ants and an Icelandic lady and baby.
The ponies-rough. hardy creatures
averaging 10 hands high-were shipped
from the beach in large boats, about 10
to boat, and then hoisted on board
with the donkey engine. 1t may be
doubted II any other breed of horses
could have borne such rough-and-ready
treatment. Once on board they were
slowed in the holds, between decks, and
to the number of about so on the deck
itself-being packed as closely as her
rings in barrel.
The Copeland left harbor In a dead
calm, but by breakfast time she was
laboring through head sea and half
gale Of wind from the northeast. This
gale blew with ever-increasing strength
and with the steadineSs of a monsoon
for four days. On July % it became
SO violent that the vessel could no
longer plunge through it at half speed,
and Capt. Thompson was forced to lay
her head on to the seas, merely keeping
enough way to hold her in that position
The situation now had the charm of
uncertainty. Owing to the ponies it
was impossible to batten down the
holds, for to do so would have been to
suffocate them. On the other hand,
the risk of riding out such a gale with
three yawning hatchways ready to re-
ceive the water was obvious to the most
inexperienced observer.
During the afternoon and night Of
the 23rd the weather grew still worse
than it had been, and the discomfort of
the voyage, even to those who were not
seasick, was a thing to be remembered.
It became impossible to stand upon the
wet decks without support. and to cling
to a rail or rope with the spray whip
ping ones face and watch the great
gray seas rush down upon the ship in
an endless succession, breaking over her
bow with a cloud Of foam, as one by
one she climbed their mountainous
sleeps, Is an occupation that in course
Of time affects the spirits even to the
point OF prolonged reflection on ones
teStamentary arrangements.
Below matters were scarcely better
The only thing to do was to eat and
drink, and everybody knows what that
means in heavy gale. and when this
became impossible to lie upon the stern
sofas and try to read. But who can
read when every few minutes a black
mass surges up over the screwed port
holes, through which, tight as they are,
water squirtS?
About o'clock in the morning of the
oath the gale lulled a little, and the
captain tried to drive ahead, with the
result that we were nearly shaken out
OF our berths. Very soon, however, he
abandoned the attempt, the strain on
the ship and machinery being too great.
AS 1t was, the man steering was on two
or three occasions thrown right over
the wheel. About IL in the forenoon,
however, the weather suddenly cleared
and We pursued our voyage without fur
ther interruption.
Next morning at breakfast time we
found ourselves slowly steaming through
o soft white mist. All went we'll for