orage Gri art ma:
Shee ce ities ne Sat a ce teed ise tat shot erdiats a" soak ole
Bert i orkarc The Mildura wirelessed us that sh: was laying all on the sea to windward, We illewise used what all we had, Tt had a marvelous effect in stopping the crest of the waves from "The crew were ordered to don their rife belts and stand by. They looked Jo forlorn lot, worn out with constant work and no sleep for some time. T fhoueht cigarettes would cheer them a bit.
got as best I could to my cabin wardrobe where I stowed my elgarettes. and passed one to each man, took one myself, lighted it, made a "chin-Jehin" sign' and wished them "Good Joss." A second later U2 crew cook arrived, looking ghastly, his hair standing straight up while he trem-[bled Uke an aspen leaf. I likewise offered him a cigarettes which he refused with a shake of his hand, but after one word from one of' the quarter-masters, he accepted one. Again I. "chin-chinned" and with 3 wan smile he started to light up.
Tse ale aa om Sates Sat hey teeters ce Ghee SPatanh ili hat sess Bes ant ha ite a saar hot Ses Grate we Sh Sano Reape rear Ga a ye the cabin sei
Sad ese ili habe to sea and might have to make could not be put right.
'A Grim Fight From there on until this morning.
was a grim fight fo save the ship.
times the pumps gained—some-the water, but at last came clear thet the water must eventually win.
"With a lst of fifteen degrees to starboard, rolling heavily we strug-fled back toward Brisbane in a Callant effort to save the ship and ourselves.
We have lost the ship but thanks to the magnificent seamanship Captain Raven of the s, Mildura and the cool courage and skilful boat work fof the chief and third offers and the volunteer boat crews of that ship we are safe at list, was a long-drawn-out and I have lost all my, clothing eluding all the new hats and frocks purchased in Sydney, but T have seen and experienced in really heavy weather way in which the face the worst with them, When my husband told me that in response to his radio messages, the Ss, Mildura was coming to our assistance I was on the alert every minute and when T spotted her about dusk, she looked like a mere pencil line on the horizon, Later she became Visible and the first ray of Vight Gawned on our perilous condition as she came closer and T could see port light, I wished for Alladi Jamp s0 a Sydney Bridge would appoor from our ship to her, It was a fanciful thought, but under stress one. wishes for many impossible thin s, Mildura To Rescue Of course, womanlike, T started to pack and it' had its point in keeping.
mind off the increasing danger.
'The Mildura stood by all night and was possible for me to jer to the open, door and peer through the rain to her, T did so as! to comfort myself. With our heavy' lst, the rain was pouring into my cabin, there being a Targe pool 10 the listed side, port and doors stream ing with water, and to add to the misery of It all, an electric wire slated to fuse. "I thought fire had started but on investigation found an odd disconnected wire over my head was the cause, Tt is rather hard to say exactly how I did feel, because so many thoughts came into my head, but spent a tot of time praying for all Everyone was busy doing what ever was possible and 1 was all alone except for my little kitten who lkewise was ferrited and looked at me with eyes as big as stars.
The night wore on. Hours seemed Wke years and daylight a century away, T Jay down about 3 a.m. so as to conserve my strength but was startled by feeling the ship sink. Geeper into the water. Tt felt as though it was falling under me, like a lift dropping and more pronounced lying down.
Dawn and Hope At last dawn arrived and with it hope. Shortly after @ am. the rescue work started.
Man Overboard The life boat on our Usted side }was swung out and then the only Jaceldent occurred. One of the sailors Got caught in the rope as the boat was lowered and after numerous somersaults in the alr landed in the sea, Someone threw him an oar which he grabbed, and tucked under his Imees a8 he floated along in the out of sight, Our. boat went after him, but it was impossible to see him bejeause the waves were so high. By some miracle of fate he floated towards the Mildura. The waves being so enormous we could only see the Ife boat on the crests for we were very low in the water and our ship awash, However, our boat, with Jour mate in command, landed her [survivors safely.
T did not get into the frst boat because "of the search for the man This accident put a new fear into our men left on board, until one of the sailors spotted the Mildura reseuing the man overboard. The "cigarette joss" had worked its charm sol passed more cigarettes (while we walted for our boat to return to us) "which the "men smoked with a relish, About one hour later our life boat returned with a fresh crowd of volunteers from the Mildura and command, Someone said boat Lady" and as it came up on a crested wave T did and with the help fof one of the sturdy men landed ately.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.