THE BURIAL OF OLAF OLSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10910, 15 November 1898, Page 3

THE BURIAL OF OLAF OLSON.

A STIR*® 6 TALE 0 THE SEA. -The week of tho fishing smack, Fredonia, hich took place off Cap Sable, in Decern'hp 1696) rms " 10 subject of an art ' c in he' current Century Magazine. Captain Morgan hid a crew of 23 men on board, -J «t half-past four in tho morning it was ??•„„ so wildly that Is hove tho vessel to i°rler a double-reefed forceful. Without mrainK » curling monster, cross-trees high— In tall and toppling that one could see right rader it, much as, in toe caso of tho Cave "f the Winds, ono can look under 1,10 avahnclie of Niagara— the Fredonia, L& swept her clcan. Tho dories were demolished, masts gone, chain-lockers gone, Eli Is gone. . _ Only the pumps wore " - One man had jone overboard, and another was literally Mown to pieces- Tins was Olaf Olson, lie lived about six hours. ill this happened in less than a minute, between four and five in tho morning, when vitality is at its lowest obb. Fortunately only three men were on deck when the catastrophe happened; otherwise the fatality ffould have been multiplied. As it was, the plight of the crew was desperate; for it was soon discovered that the schooner's "grub-beam" had started, and that she was All hands immediately manned the pumps to* keep her above water. This thoy were scarcely able to do. The deck was almost flush with the sea. Every wave boarded the OTOck, and the men were exhausted and disheartened. If the sea had not moderated by nine o'clock nt night, and made the task easier tho crew would have given up tho struggle; for the Fredonia was fast sinking, and the men were losing courage and becoming numbed. At half-past four next morning, just twenty four hours after the disaster, tho steamer Colorado hove in sight, and, noticing the frantic signals of distress, bore down on the sinking vessel. With great danger, a lifeboat was lowered: for tho seas were very high, and rescue was a feat of great difficulty At last only five were left aboard the Fredonia. Sho was sinking rapidly, and the seas were washing her with increased malignity. . "We can't leave him behind," said Captain Morgan, pointing to their crushed and silent mate. wli'iso body was lashed, to prevent it washing overboard. For to leave a shipmate to go down with a vessel is a discourtesy to tho dead that sailors will not allow. "But she's likely to go down at any moment," suggested one of the crew. "You'd belter get out of her while you can. Any one of these seas might bear her under."

But Morgan shook his head. In (he black before the dawn, outlined before a background of white spume, ho could seo tho lifeboat labouring back to save the remnant of the crew.

"I ain't going to leave until we give him a decent burial," said tho skipper, firmly. "We're with you, skipper!" tho men cried, as with one voice.

Then liogan 11 scene which is not so rare at Boa as 0110 might suppose. By this time the Fredonia was hardly able to keep her waterlogged nose up. "Keep off till we holler!" cried tlio skipper, motioning the wondering life-boat off. Tenderly the men unleashed Olaf Olson, .and tied him in a blanket. Then, order that everything might bo done ship-shape, they lashed some wreckage together and made a raft. Upon this they bourn! their dead. Ami all the while they silently prepared their male for burial tile tremendous seas rose upon them, anil whipped litem with icy spray, and chased them with curling tentacles. And all the time the gallant vessel, throbbing with punishment, and groaning in her last efforts to keep alive, threatened to nk from under them. Then, when I he corpse was prepared, Captain Morgan said: "Wo'vo got to have a prayer, boys. It won't do to send him over without one." Then his v. Ie- broke. "I can't," he stammered. Let someone else."

Then up spoke Hob Digging. I'll try my best, skipper!" So, while the rest hold the raft at the stern. Bob uncovered his head, the others doing likewise, and made such a prayer as he could. " It- wa'n't much of a prayer," the fisherman would say. if you asked him; "it wa'n't worth mentioning." But we may think that the requiem of tho gale and the tumultuclis dirge of the waves were not sufficient to drown that prayer before it reached the throne of the Almighty. Then, with faces wet with salt of the. sea and with their tears, the crew shoved Olson over the stern into a toppling wave. Every moment had been a risk to their own lives: but they did their duty by their mate, and they buried him with that religious instinct and respect for the Christian hope which survives in wilder hearts than th'>sa of the Gloucester fishermen.

By this time the Fredonia was at her last gasp. "Hurry the life-boat up! Jump! Haul him in! Next!" Captain Morgan was of course the last to leap for safety. He had scarcely been hauled into the life-boat by willing hands when the Fredonia, in final agony, tossed her head proudly nil high, hung in the air for a thrilling instant, and then plunged forward into the ocean, adding one more tally against the deep which will be paid at the last day. Thus the noblest vessel of (hp. fleet met her end, witnessing in her last throes a loyal courage which deserves to be classed high among our modern instances of heroism.

ON THURSDAY NEXT, "THE KENTUCKY HEIRESS."