Evening star., 1942-10-16
CHAF-ER Xxx.

HCTC Us tOtU " nOOCIt 1TuWOuHs 1
CHAP-ER Xxx.
Tony wanted to die on q calm day,
but the weather was becoming in
creasingly worse. The winds were
variable and generally high. The
sky was overcast much of the time.
Squalls were numerous and nasty.
This was the beginning of the hurri-
cane we were to learn about later,
the most disastrous hurricane re-
membered in the South Pacific. 1t
was fortunate, perhaps, that We
were unable to recognize the signs
Of what was in store.
When the clouds blackened and
the wind rose, the sea grew angry
and lashed us viciously. Even with
the canvas anchor 1t was difficult
TO control the boat. We were contin-
ually drenched and often in danger
OF upsetting. Worst OF all, we had
little strength left for fighting. The
weakness hit us all at once and left
our ravaged bodies full of pain.
Our morale, too, was lowest when
we needed it most.
The rains came often and merci-
lessly. The squalls were cold now
miserably cold, and we huddled to-
gether to keep warm. We were
almost without flesh, it seemed;
when we lay down in the bottom of
the boat for warmth we were wedged
together, and our sharp bones
bumped painfully. The only way I
could stretch out was to lie in the
middle Of the boat, the two boys one
on each side. Tony's hips would be
punching into me on one side,
Genes knees and elbows digging
me In the back We could lie to-
gether in this position only short
while until our circulation would be
cut OIL. Then we would have to get
lip and stretch to make our starved
and sluggish blood move again.
Knew Time Was Short.
Often we would deliberately leave
several inches of water in the bot
tom OF the boat, as it was warmer
than the air. When we sat up, the
swift wind blew needlepoint spray
that seemed to penetrate our tender
akin. In our dry mouths, our foul
tasting teeth chartered until they
ached
None Of us thought very much
about talking and carrying on a
conversation. We grew away from
that toward the last. Things were
becoming serious. We could see that
our end was approaching, one way
or another. We must be saved soon
or we would die.
Tony and I seemed to be able
to take it a little better than Gene.
He weuld beg us to talk to him, and
then the only thing he was willing
TO talk about was food. made
constant effort to be affable and
agreeable with both boys, as I
knew we were under a constant
strain and felt that it was up to
me as leader to do all in my power
to maintain good feeling and har-
mony among us, in an effort to
ward of the tendency we were all
showing, so obviously, to brood over
our position. Clearly, our courage
was beginning to fail US at this
point.
When we had our sip of water
IN the middle of the day, we tried
imagining it was coffee. The tiny
drink would bouy our spirits. and
we could conjure, in our minds. a
good meal to 60 with it. Sometimes
we would 60 to Genes house and
have big dinner of his Missouri
hickory-smoked ham with all the
fixings. Another time we would
visit Tony's, where we ate all kinds
OF Polish food. One of his favorite
dishes was what he called pigeon
In the blanket" made by rolling
hamburgers in cabbage leaves. It
sounded good to us then. and we de-
Voured 1t in our minds. Again,
we would 60 to my ranch. CaIavo,
In La Mesa, and stuff ourselves with
avocados and oranges.
Even Discuss Cannibalism.
Despite my own disaste for this
self-torturing conversation, I didn't
discourage 1t, for at least it occu-
pied our minds more pleasantly
than any other thoughts we had.
After the 28th day and the last
coconut, we realized at last that we
were starving. I am convinced that
the small amount we ate contributed
nothing toward maintaining our
strength. The few unpalatable
mouthfuls made our suffering worse,
II anything. by stimulating our