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"After midnight the life-boat got alongside, and all hands were for scrambling aboard; but I'd got set in my notion the ship would live the gale out, and I wouldn't go aboard. Well, the old man was too scared to make long stories, and he tumbled aboard the life-boat in a hurry. The last words he said to me, as he went over the side, were, 'Good-bye, Mr. Cope!
"I want every man to act like a man for manhood's sake," he said, "and if they don't, a bullet awaits the coward." With the revolver in his hand a fact that undoubtedly gave rise to the suicide theory the captain moved up and down the deck. He gave the order for each life-boat to make off and he remained until every boat was gone.
"Stop the ship!" repeated scores of voices, when the nature of the accident was understood. Discipline and boat drill were at a high state of perfection aboard the steamer, and soon, with a warning blast of her whistle, the craft trembled under the power of her reversed engines. "Lower away a boat! Smartly, men!" called one of the officers, as he ran up to the davits whence hung a life-boat.
"We will do what we can to save any people on board her," said Captain Davenport. "Get the life-boat ready for lowering, Mr Tarbox." "Ay, ay, sir; I am ready to go in her," answered the boatswain. "Perhaps Mr Thudicumb may wish to go, or the second officer; but if not, Tarbox, I would intrust her to you more readily than to anybody."
Above our heads was a dark, murky sky, below and around the foaming sea. Even the best manned life-boat could scarcely have lived amid that foaming mass of water. "It is very terrible!" I could not help exclaiming. "Trust in God," said a voice near me. Oliver Farwell spoke. "I do, Oliver, I do," I answered. "Right, Mr Walter," he said. "If he thinks fit he can find a way for us to escape."
"Regnar is right, and we must enlarge the capacity of our boat. She has too little standing room, and we four should have little chance in her in a heavy storm at sea. To-morrow we will make her into a life-boat at once, for this pleasant weather cannot last long."
We took to the life-boat in time, but we've had a hard pull of it. We went ashore through the breakers, about six miles below this, and here we are, but I don't want to ever pass such another night. I'm going on down to the consul's now, to report, and Ned had better be there as soon as he can. Then, the sooner he's out o' Vera Cruz, the better for him and all of us."
If people cannot be assured of graves, I fear they will no longer die, and the best interests of civilisation will wither like a frosted leaf." And blowing his eyes upon his handkerchief, he walked away lamenting. The Crew of the Life-boat
"Did you save any?" called the fisherman to Captain Needam, who was busy directing the rescue. "Got some in the life-boat early this morning," was the answer. "They took 'em to the lower station. We couldn't get back with the boat. All ready now, men. Dig a hole for the anchor, Nate. Sam, you help plant the mortar. Have to allow a good bit for the wind.
Then, too, Miss Hays had a Pom dog that she brought with her from Paris and which she carried in her arms when she left the Titanic and held to her bosom through the long night in the life-boat, and to which the children became warmly attached. All three became aliens on an alien shore. Miss Hays, unable to learn the names of the little fellows, had dubbed the older Louis and the younger "Lump."
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