EPIC OF THE SEA

&MY TURNER WRECK FINAL SCENE OF TRAGEDY ALOJS rE IN MID-PACIFIC j*». " • | IE: (By Charles West.) . No. 11. . For three days and nights the water had been gaining rapidly, arid, in spite of all our efforts, there must have been fifteen or sixteen feet of -water in the hold. Thjs, with an old wooden vessel laden deeply with coal, did not 'tend to improve matters, and the very soul of the poor old ship seemed to cry out in agony, at every roll and plunge, to us who could do nothing more to aid her. It was pitiful, agonising, heartrending—the end of all our hopes and aspirations. Gone was all the fun and frolic of the dog watches. The fruits of our labours were no longer apparent. The ship which a few days previously had been a pleasure to look upon aloft and below, with not a rope yarn out of place and the tropical sun shining like silver on her cotton canvas, was little better than a hulk, battered beyond recognition. With bulwarks gone, mainmast tottering, hull soggy and settling lower and lower in the water, she was enough to make the stoutest heart quail—yet there was no outward sign of fear. Orders were obeyed promptly, and when the job in hand was completed the men returned automatically to the pumps without urging. Yet all hands knew that at any moment the ship might take her final plunge. She was very much down by the head, and took a long time to rise; when she pitched, her forecastle head and the forward portion of the house were completley buried, and it seemed impossible she could lift to it again. Yet she did. As night fell, rockets were sent up, and as each shell burst we comforted ourselves by saving that an American cruiser would not take long to reach us if the distress signals were seen from, the shore. DECISION TO ABANDON SHIP. At midnight the captain called us on to the poop, gave us a glass of rum, and told us that we had done all that human beings could do. He had hupes of the weather clearing a little and it was his intention, as soon as daylight came, to endeavour to get the boats out and abandon ship. We could knock off the pumps and get whatever rest we could on the poop in turns, while others were to do their best to reach the top of the house and provision the lifeboats. . No praise can. be too great for the work performed by Clifton Cornish (the boatswain) during the final hours on board. He it was, who, unaided secured the main hatches when they started to go. Disdaining a life line ho risked his life time and again, being on more than one occasion washed overboard into the raffle of bulwarks and gear and spare spars which was hanging to leeward of the ship, entangled m a hopeless mess of fouled cordage of every description. It was his efforts, that encouraged us to get a purchase on the foreyard after he had himself secured it to the backstays, so that the lifeboat could be lifted off the house into the water. He was superhuman, the quintessence of superb nmnhood. His presence dominated all, and he had a joke and a smile ±or everyone. FACE TO PACE WITH DEATH. In reading this narrative, please remember that I have no log book or diary. lam stating the facts as they appeared to me during a period of stress, when vitality was at a. very low ebb, and my mind was, perhaps, not able to record correct impressions. Some sailor critics may say, "Why wasn't this done?" or "Why did they not do so-and-so?" We probably did. I do not remember all. One does not any more than I can tell you everything about my first bayonet charge. There are many things which one does not recollect when facing death, for which we may be thankful. One thing I would impress upon the reader is that wo were no highly-trained and disciplined body of men; we were of different ages, nationalities, temperaments. We had no fixed traditions or precedents. We were just a handful of average sailormen doing our best to save our ship, and every man jack of us was quite prepared to give his life to save that of the brave woman on board, if that should be necessary, without any thought other than that we were doing what we "signed for." The captain was satisfied that we had done all that could be done, so the traditions of the Merchant Service were carried out, and that is quite sufficient reply to any criticism that may PREPARINO THE BOATS. As it was intended that all hands should get away in the lifeboat, the bulk: of the provisions was placed in this boat with the exception of some tinned meat and a few other articles which were placed in the smaller boat! during the process, the passing from the poop, which was comparatively dry now, to the forward house was fraught with considerable danger, .and it baffles my comprehension how it was accomplished at aIL However, a fair supply of biscuits, tinned meats, milk and fruit were passed along, and we hoped at daylight our efforts would be successful. Lifebelts were served out at dawn, a 3-inch line was passed from right aft outside of everything, and made fast to the boat, so that if it was successfully got over .the side it could be j hauled under the counter. Those remaining on board were then to jump and be picked up by the occupants of the boat. It w.as at first decided to place Mrs. Neilsen in the boat, prior to its being launched, and we had managed to get her along the deck and on to the top of the house. However, as blocks and other gear began to tumble down from the foremast and the swinging yards aloft, it was thought advisable to return her to the poop until the boat was hauled close enough for her to be lowered into it. We were quite optimistic about getting the boat out, and I remember giving my waterproof, containing all my private papers, money, medals, etc., to this courageous little lady, before she went aft, telling her she could return them when wo got ashore, then making some slight adjustment to her liftbelt, assisting her off the house into the arms of the captain, who managed to regain the poop with her in safety. All was in readiness for launching the boat. The crew were mustered on the house with the exception of the second mate and a boy stationed aft to ! attend the boat rope. Oil was plentifully strewn to leeward, and it seemed as if Providence was coming to our aid, as a pronounced lull occurred, and a heavy rain squall beat down the tops of the seas. The boat was slung by a rope bridle from the two ring bolts in the bow and stern, and the boatswaiu was in her with an axe to cut away as soon as she was swung outboard, with a man at each end to fend off as far as possible with boat hooks. In case of emergency, the gripe lashings of the smaller starboard boat were cast adrift, aud I might mention that this was my last act on tEe doomed vessel. THE LAST PLUNGE. A strain was put on the boat tackle tall. Another pull was taken and the

boat was lifted sufficiently high to push i her outboard. The fall was belayed and we were awaiting the next lee roll to swing out and cut, when the ship gave a sickening plunge. There was a roar like thunder as the coal shot away below. One mad wild rush of water over us all and I found myself with two otherß in mid Pacific, hanging on to the gunwale of a boat, and my former companions struggling in the water all round me. The Amy Turner had taken her final plunge and was no more. The boat was the small one whose gripes I had cast adrift a moment or so before the shin went down, otherwise I should not be relating this story. Although right side up, the boat was full of water, and, scrambling into her, I got the sea anchor over and put a steering oar over the stern. Tracey and Lindholm managed to get into the boat and commenced baling for their lives, and a few minutes later Clifton Cornish swam to us and we endeavoured to get back to rescue our comrades. The captain and his wife were plainly to be seen, clinging to some wreckage, and we tried to reach them first. The sea, from so frail a craft, was fearful to behold, and I blessed my early training in yachts and boats for the knowledge I possessed of boat handling. I marvel to-day to think that any boat could possibly live in such a sea. She would rise up on to the apex of two or three cross seas, balance like a celluloid ball on a jet of water, spin round like a teetotum, and then sink* into a great valley of calm water with huge mountains of foam towering above her. Then came the rain, a perfect deluge, blotting everything out, and wa knew that our efforts to save our comrades were useless. THE SOLE SURVIVORS. ' The squall passed. Nothing was in sight—not a soul. We four were the sole survivors of the ship's company. To add further to our misery, we had now the torture of mind duo to the loss of our shipmates, for we knew there was no hope for them. Our thoughts were diverted, however, by the necessity for_ keeping our frail craft afloat and saving our own lives. Nothing could be done until the weather abated except to bale, tend the anchor, and endeavour, by means of the steering oar, to head the confused pyramidal sea as far as possible. All through the long day and far into the night we toiled, wet to the skin, tired, hungry, utterly' broken in mind^ and body, not knowing the direction in which we were being driven, or even 'the extent of our food or water supply. Long after darkness fell,, physical fatigue conquered, and, one by one, we collapsed across the thwarts, waking later to find the wind and the sea going down, and a watery sun trying to burst through the clouded sky. We decided to step the mast, make sail, and hold a consultation. SCANTY PROVISIONS. After we had taken stock of the contents of our boat, particularly the water breaker, setting half of the spritsail and reefed jib, we sailed with the wind on the quarter, and found that the boat made fairly good weather of it. Cornish made an inventory and found that we possessed 10 tins of Australian boiled mutton, two tins of milk, one tin pears and about two-thirds of a fourgallon breaker of water. No biscuits were found, much to our disappoint ment. A sextant, a chart of the North Pacific, boat's compass, nautical almanac, a few exercise books, and a pocket wallet belonging to the second mate, were also discovered, wrapped up in a canvas, also an axe, knife, fishing line, four blue lights in a watertight tin, a piece of soap, and a few odds and ends of clothing. The compass was immediately brought into commission, and after reckoning as far as possible our drift and the position (which would be a mere approximation) of the ship when - she foundered, it was decided to' set a course and try to pick up Saipan Island (north of Guam, and about 100 miles from the spot where the Amy Turner sank). This was done and spirits were somewhat raised at the faint hope of "picking up something," by the weather clearing, the sun coming out, and by our first meal of tinned mutton and a little milk and water. Cornish showed what a splendid calibre of man he was, by asking me to take charge of the boat, and the others expressed their confidence in my ability to bring them finally to ■ safety. COURSE FOR THE PHILIPPINES. The next day the sea had gone down completely, the sun was shining brightly and the boat making.good progress through the water. Having run our distance down and no sign of land being visible, it was thought prudent to waste no more time in searching for mythical islands, but aa I had got a latitude at noon, that we would shape a course for the Philippines, running our distance down about the eighth parallel of latitude which would not only enable us to keep the north-east trades and give us the benefit of the stronger counter-current setting to the westward, but might reasonably be supposed to give us rain later on, which surmise proved correct. There was also the chance of picking up the M'Kenzie Islands (470 miles south-west of Saipan) en route. We figured the distance to ba 1800 miles and realised that we must ration out the food and water 'very sparingly, the boatswain assuming charge, of the stores. We estimated that we would be three weeks in covering the mileage if my calculations were anywhere near correct, and thoroughly understood that we would be mighty hungry and thirsty before the journey's end. However, all hands were full of grim determination, and there was always the possibility of being picked up by an American transport bound for Guam. A MODEST CELEBRATION. We celebrated the squaring away on the long, long trail, by opening the tin oi pears and dividing them equally among all hands. As there was no dipper.for the water breaker, one was fashioned out of a sextant telescope case, the end being plugged with rag, and each man was in turn given the rag to suck, in addition to his whack of water, which consisted of about two tablespoonfuls each day: Watches were kept, two-hour tricks being taken at the tiller, and while our strength lasted during the first fortnight, one hour's look-out was kept during the night by each man, not only in case of sighting anything, but for company to cheer one another up. Great joy was experienced about the fifth day out, by our hooking a splendid specimen of a dolphin on our fishing line. Oh! those never-to-be-forgotten moments of anxiety as we hauled him alongside, got the boathook firmly embedded in his gills, and finally had him floundering and kicking in the bottom the boat. How eagerly we drank of the warm blood and relished the strips of flesh cut from the quivering fish, until we had eaten our fill, and could feel new life being instilled into our famished- bodies. The remainder was cut into strips and hung in the rigging to dry, and after the tropical sun had played on it for a day or so, it was really quite palatable, but greatly aggravated our thirst.