Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-11
THE EVENING STORY
One of World.Famous Works of Literature

nearly an hour and half. The mist
was still thick, but the sea was quite
calm, and the passengers, who had
ceased to be seasick, were standing
about the deck talking of Iceland and
salmon rivers. Presently, glancing over
the stern, I saw by the track In the
water that the ships course had been
altered two points. Had that alteration
never been made the Copeland would
not have been at the bottom Of the sea
today. The captain, believing that we
had passed the rocky island Of Stroma,
was standing in to shore two minutes
too soon.
All of a sudden the curtain of mist
seemed to be drawn UP before our eyes,
and there, not more than q hundred
yards in front Of us, we saw field OF
breakers and the current boiling over
the rocks, while right ahead something
huge loomed up through the heavy air.
We looked at each other, but do not
remember that anybody spoke. For my
part, knew what was coming and con-
centrated my attention on the develop
ment of the drama.
The captain and the first mate were
on the bridge. The engine bell rang
loudly and the screw stopped; again the
ball rang and the engines began TO go
full steam astern. But although we
were only running at half speed, ths
way we had on and the tide over.
powered the screw and we glided quick
y through the deep, quiet water towar,
the lip OF the breakers. Another fet
seconds and we were in them. Then,
with succession of long and grinding
but comparatively gentle shocks, the
end came, and the Copeland stopped for
the last time.
Ia an instant all was confusion. The
escaping steam began to roar, the crew
hustled along the decks and the firemen
tumbled up through the matches, pres
emily to be sent down again to rake out
the fires before the water reached the
boilers. AS for the passengers, they
went below to try to save their belong
ings. Fortunately, with the exception
OF the Icelandic lady and the steward
eSSeS, there were no women on board.
What would have happened If the Cope
land had been carrying 500 emigrants.
say. There was no panic, for the ponies
could not demonstrate against death by
drowning.
Presentiy-we had been seen from the
shore and boats had put out-a Stroma
man from one of the boats boarded the
ship and came running aft He was q
handsome looking man, with wild eyes
and flying hair, and as he came he
spoke words OF great weight.
Get off of thisl" he said. There's
5 feet Of water in her hold and so
fathoms under her stern. She's only
hanging on the rocks. She'll slip of
presently and 60 down by the stern
and drown every man Of you'll"
Then we began to think that 1t was
time to make move. And I win con-
fess that during somewhat varied ca
reer never spent more unpleasant
quarter Of an hour than I did between
the arrival of the gentleman with warm
ing in his voice and our final escape.
1t is irritating to be sucked down and
drowned in the wake of sinking ship,
and In calm weather, within sight of
shore, 1t seems unnecessary. So we
called to the men in one of the boats
for our own boats were dangling use
lessly, the crew having been unable to
launch them-and asked If they could
take us off. They answered that they
could II we could come down to them.
Having obtained the captains con-
sent and. what was even more neces-
sary, q rope ladder, we went on to do
this decently and In order, but still
without delay. When we were descend
ing, Capt. Miles suddenly remembered
the Icelandic lady and her baby. She
had vanished into the smoking room
four days before and had been quite
forgotten. Not even shipwreck had
brought her out. He fetched her and
she came down into the boat, baby and
all. To Judge from the happy express
sion on her face, she did not In the
least understand the position-prob-
ably, indeed. she thought the ships usu-
ally unloaded themselves after this
fashion.
We landed at last, and even finally
saved all our baggage Same 100 Of
the ponies were also saved. For the
Copeland continued to hang there on
the rocks until everything we wished
to save or could save was rescued. And
so ended the story Of the Copeland,
now doubtless at the bottom of the sea,
together with most Of her freight of
y,onfae