The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-01-04

He wen' through an open space between the two boat davits-and walked
overheard.
had been stretched across the openings between the davts."
house M but ths sIso y 9s nave ~do mot only IL the layout tot Of H Tern sea;goins pent.
I'M missing Missing rope rope was quite a problem: You know they don't
interfere with the vision Of the officer o watch up on the bridge.
watch his step pretty carefully e~a - Usually %1s1i h se ~onr Sc start es n naH TO
from the ladder in a straight line, counting out the number Of
he paused half way in his course and looked a back. w. &
back. Herman just Sort Of lost his bearings, I that atu w a s almost stAa as
bad. When he started out again he va going the wrong way in the
through ar open space between two boat davits-and walked overheard.
And Then Came the Ten Terrible Seconds.
And then came those ten terrible seconds-the worst moments
in He,msn's life: It felt a $ if time had been slowed down like
oven ever; We S !: FL shs %s. se saa'ss Z ss :an REMEMBER ss'%s" + how '% thu ; Ssss:
arms sra.ed the rail Of the lower deck as he went by, and
thing he could possibly have caught hold Of
.,,d Below sa him nov Nv were only the smooth steel plates Of the ships side,
sh resi- ex the water at the ships stern and remembered hearing that
the vortex Of the churnng water and chopped to mincemeat.
duly = sen ~sss' hm "a sd hs SP ss him hfm neT' for He the sou shock se of it s s5slmip is'
line SUD suddenly haS :, MS LEFT LETT arm hit something-hit it with a sharp, singing
rh Herman I'm a. d, id know what it as but insinetiyely he made
along a wet. Shiny surface before he realized what it was. a
rope! A missing rope had gotten him into this spot in the first
to be helping him ot Of it.
His Feet Were Dragging in the Water When He Stopped.
Herman clutched at that rope until he thought his arm would come
ID. M. my feet were dragging in the water IS I came to a stop" he
heard faint shouts above me. The engineroom telegraph rang and I
oula leeim the SIDE 81 tn ship shuddering as though it had hit some OBJ.
struchon in the water. Then I could see heads thrust OF over the deck
rail and several voices were calling to m % hang Oh A couple of men
sitting on the lower deck had seen M flash by and had shouted to the
officer o watch to stop the ship"
A rope ladder came w the side and a deckhand came down
to help Herman back aboard. when reached the deck" he
says 81 was 81 weak with fright that l couldn't stand up. They
took me to a stateroOm and put me in a bunk. Outside of a
few bruises and a pair of skinned hands, l was IS good as yer rim
a few hours, but I saw to it next day that a couple Of lines
were stretched between those empty boat davits."
And in case you're wondering what that other rope was doing hang.
ing over the side Of the ship, here's Herman with the answer. 1T was
what is known as the guest line he says. ITS a heavy rope put
over the side e the waters edge and used to tie small boats and
Launches neal the gang"ay: The ship was approaching the first of our
tropical ports and this line had been put out only a few hours before"
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