HEROIC VIGIL IN A LIGHTHOUSE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 20 May 1912, Page 6

HEROIC VIGIL IN A LIGHTHOUSE.

How Mrs Peter Borque, alone with her baby in the Bird Rock Lighthouse, off the stormiest area of the Nova Scotia coast, kept the light burning and the fog-bell tolling for ten terrible days and nights after her husband died, is related (says the New York cor respondent of the Daily Express), in a thrilling message from the Canadian Government steamship Seal, which rescued the mother and baby in an exhausted condition. Bird Rock islet, in the Magdalene group, is nine miles from the nearest habitation,, and is visited four times a year by the lighthouse supply vessel. On March 17 the Run] heard distress signals from the lighthouse, and found Mrs Borque and the infant nearly dead. After they had keen revived, Mrs Borque related her heroic story. "Eleven days ago," she said, my husband slipped while entering the' light during a storm, and plunged into the sea. I tried to throw him a lifebelt, but he was' beaten to death oiiv the rocks. Ever since baby and I kept the li^bt and the fog signals going. For a day or two I thought I would go mad, but I forced myself to keep up, realising that the light must not go out nor the fog-bell be silent. My poor baby suffered terribly.- There was food enough, hut I could not take time to cook it. for the weather was the worst experienced for years. The baby cried constantly. I had to hold her in my arms for warmth. It was frightfully cold. Every time I crawled up the tower to attend to the lights I carried the baby with me. Day after day I prayed for h»lp. For five days and nights I did not close my eyes. On the sixth day, when I I awoke after a brief sleep, I seemed to hear a voice whispering, 'Have courage.' Every hour I could see the baby's face grow paler and thinner, and when j she slept I feared she was dying. Only j the knowledge that the lights were burning kept me sane. Finally IV> >- of\me so weak that I remained beside tap lights constantly, believing that if I went away I would not have the j strength to return to. them. I never j realised before how much suffering a hu- j man being could endure. When I saw the Seal I wept, for joy. Summoning mv regaining strength I tolled the bell, with the agonising fear that the men on the vessel might not hear the distress signal. When I saw the Seal come j *<•""■* rds the lighthouse I fell exhaust- I cd."