a footnote to history-第34节

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quarter　to　eleven　her　stern　took　the　reef；　her　hand　swung　to　

starboard；　and　she　began　to　fill　and　settle。　　Many　lives　of　brave　

men　were　sacrificed　in　the　attempt　to　get　a　line　ashore；　the　

captain；　exhausted　by　his　exertions；　was　swept　from　deck　by　a　sea；　

and　the　rail　being　soon　awash；　the　survivors　took　refuge　in　the　

tops。



Out　of　thirteen　that　had　lain　there　the　day　before；　there　were　now　

but　two　ships　afloat　in　Apia　harbour；　and　one　of　these　was　doomed　

to　be　the　bane　of　the　other。　　About　3　P。M。　the　TRENTON　parted　one　

cable；　and　shortly　after　a　second。　　It　was　sought　to　keep　her　head　

to　wind　with　storm…sails　and　by　the　ingenious　expedient　of　filling　

the　rigging　with　seamen；　but　in　the　fury　of　the　gale；　and　in　that　

sea；　perturbed　alike　by　the　gigantic　billows　and　the　volleying　

discharges　of　the　rivers；　the　rudderless　ship　drove　down　stern　

foremost　into　the　inner　basin；　ranging；　plunging；　and　striking　like　

a　frightened　horse；　drifting　on　destruction　for　herself　and　

bringing　it　to　others。　　Twice　the　OLGA　（still　well　under　command）　

avoided　her　impact　by　the　skilful　use　of　helm　and　engines。　　But　

about　four　the　vigilance　of　the　Germans　was　deceived；　and　the　ships　

collided；　the　OLGA　cutting　into　the　TRENTON'S　quarters；　first　from　

one　side；　then　from　the　other；　and　losing　at　the　same　time　two　of　

her　own　cables。　　Captain　von　Ehrhardt　instantly　slipped　the　

remainder　of　his　moorings；　and　setting　fore　and　aft　canvas；　and　

going　full　steam　ahead；　succeeded　in　beaching　his　ship　in　Matautu；　

whither　Knappe；　recalled　by　this　new　disaster；　had　returned。　　The　

berth　was　perhaps　the　best　in　the　harbour；　and　von　Ehrhardt　

signalled　that　ship　and　crew　were　in　security。



The　TRENTON；　guided　apparently　by　an　under…tow　or　eddy　from　the　

discharge　of　the　Vaisingano；　followed　in　the　course　of　the　NIPSIC　

and　VANDALIA；　and　skirted　south…eastward　along　the　front　of　the　

shore　reef；　which　her　keel　was　at　times　almost　touching。　　Hitherto　

she　had　brought　disaster　to　her　foes；　now　she　was　bringing　it　to　

friends。　　She　had　already　proved　the　ruin　of　the　OLGA；　the　one　ship　

that　had　rid　out　the　hurricane　in　safety；　now　she　beheld　across　her　

course　the　submerged　VANDALIA；　the　tops　filled　with　exhausted　

seamen。　　Happily　the　approach　of　the　TRENTON　was　gradual；　and　the　

time　employed　to　advantage。　　Rockets　and　lines　were　thrown　into　the　

tops　of　the　friendly　wreck；　the　approach　of　danger　was　transformed　

into　a　means　of　safety；　and　before　the　ships　struck；　the　men　from　

the　VANDALIA'S　main　and　mizzen　masts；　which　went　immediately　by　the　

board　in　the　collision；　were　already　mustered　on　the　TRENTON'S　

decks。　　Those　from　the　foremast　were　next　rescued；　and　the　flagship　

settled　gradually　into　a　position　alongside　her　neighbour；　against　

which　she　beat　all　night　with　violence。　　Out　of　the　crew　of　the　

VANDALIA　forty…three　had　perished；　of　the　four　hundred　and　fifty　on　

board　the　TRENTON；　only　one。



The　night　of　the　16th　was　still　notable　for　a　howling　tempest　and　

extraordinary　floods　of　rain。　　It　was　feared　the　wreck　could　scarce　

continue　to　endure　the　breaching　of　the　seas；　among　the　Germans；　

the　fate　of　those　on　board　the　ADLER　awoke　keen　anxiety；　and　

Knappe；　on　the　beach　of　Matautu；　and　the　other　officers　of　his　

consulate　on　that　of　Matafele；　watched　all　night。　　The　morning　of　

the　17th　displayed　a　scene　of　devastation　rarely　equalled：　　the　

ADLER　high　and　dry；　the　OLGA　and　NIPSIC　beached；　the　TRENTON　partly　

piled　on　the　VANDALIA　and　herself　sunk　to　the　gun…deck；　no　sail　

afloat；　and　the　beach　heaped　high　with　the　DEBRIS　of　ships　and　the　

wreck　of　mountain　forests。　　Already；　before　the　day；　Seumanu；　the　

chief　of　Apia；　had　gallantly　ventured　forth　by　boat　through　the　

subsiding　fury　of　the　seas；　and　had　succeeded　in　communicating　with　

the　admiral；　already；　or　as　soon　after　as　the　dawn　permitted；　

rescue　lines　were　rigged；　and　the　survivors　were　with　difficulty　

and　danger　begun　to　be　brought　to　shore。　　And　soon　the　cheerful　

spirit　of　the　admiral　added　a　new　feature　to　the　scene。　　Surrounded　

as　he　was　by　the　crews　of　two　wrecked　ships；　he　paraded　the　band　of　

the　TRENTON；　and　the　bay　was　suddenly　enlivened　with　the　strains　of　

〃Hail　Columbia。〃



During　a　great　part　of　the　day　the　work　of　rescue　was　continued；　

with　many　instances　of　courage　and　devotion；　and　for　a　long　time　

succeeding；　the　almost　inexhaustible　harvest　of　the　beach　was　to　be　

reaped。　　In　the　first　employment；　the　Samoans　earned　the　gratitude　

of　friend　and　foe；　in　the　second；　they　surprised　all　by　an　

unexpected　virtue；　that　of　honesty。　　The　greatness　of　the　disaster；　

and　the　magnitude　of　the　treasure　now　rolling　at　their　feet；　may　

perhaps　have　roused　in　their　bosoms　an　emotion　too　serious　for　the　

rule　of　greed；　or　perhaps　that　greed　was　for　the　moment　satiated。　　

Sails　that　twelve　strong　Samoans　could　scarce　drag　from　the　water；　

great　guns　（one　of　which　was　rolled　by　the　sea　on　the　body　of　a　

man；　the　only　native　slain　in　all　the　hurricane）；　an　infinite　

wealth　of　rope　and　wood；　of　tools　and　weapons；　tossed　upon　the　

beach。　　Yet　I　have　never　heard　that　much　was　stolen；　and　beyond　

question；　much　was　very　honestly　returned。　　On　both　accounts；　for　

the　saving　of　life　and　the　restoration　of　property；　the　government　

of　the　United　States　showed　themselves　generous　in　reward。　　A　fine　

boat　was　fitly　presented　to　Seumanu；　and　rings；　watches；　and　money　

were　lavished　on　all　who　had　assisted。　　The　Germans　also　gave　money　

at　the　rate　（as　I　receive　the　tale）　of　three　dollars　a　head　for　

every　German　saved。　　The　obligation　was　in　this　instance　

incommensurably　deep；　those　with　whom　they　were　at　war　had　saved　

the　German　blue…jackets　at　the　venture　of　their　lives；　Knappe　was；　

besides；　far　from　ungenerous；　and　I　can　only　explain　the　niggard　

figure　by　supposing　it　was　paid　from　his　own　pocket。　　In　one　case；　

at　least；　it　was　refused。　　〃I　have　saved　three　Germans；〃　said　the　

rescuer；　〃I　will　make　you　a　present　of　the　three。〃



The　crews　of　the　American　and　German　squadrons　were　now　cast；　still　

in　a　bellicose　temper；　together　on　the　beach。　　The　discipline　of　

the　Americans　was　notoriously　loose；　the　crew　of　the　NIPSIC　had　

earned　a　character　for　lawlessness　in　other　ports；　and　recourse　was　

had　to　stringent　and　indeed　extraordinary　measures。　　The　town　was　

divided　in　two　camps；　to　which　the　different　nationalities　were　

confined。　　Kimberley　had　his　quarter　sentinelled　and　patrolled。　　

Any　seaman　disregarding　a　challenge　was　to　be　shot　dead；　any　

tavern…keeper　who　sold　spirits　to　an　American　sailor　was　to　have　

his　tavern　broken　and　his　stock　destroyed。　　Many　of　the　publicans　

were　German；　and　Knappe；　having　narrated　these　rigorous　but　

necessary　dispositions；　wonders　（grinning　to　himself　over　his　

despatch）　how　far　these　Americans　will　go　in　their　assumption　of　

jurisdiction　over　Germans。　　Such　as　they　were；　the　measures　were　

successful。　　The　incongruous　mass　of　castaways　was　kept　in　peace；　

and　at　last　shipped　in　peace　out　of　the　islands。



Kane　returned　to　Apia　on　the　19th；　to　find　the　CALLIOPE　the　sole　

survivor　of　thirteen　sail。　　He　thanked　his　men；　and　in　particular　

the　engineers；　in　a　speech　of　unusual　feeling　and　beauty；　of　which　

one　who　was　present　remarked　to　another；　as　they　left　the　ship；　

〃This　has　been　a　means　of　grace。〃　　Nor　did　he　forget　to　thank　and　

compliment　the　admiral；　and　I　cannot　deny　myself　the　pleasure　of　

transcribing　from　Kimberley's　reply　some　generous　and　engaging　

words。　　〃My　dear　captain；〃　he　wrote；　〃your　kind　note　received。　　You　

went　out　splendidly；　and　we　all　felt　from　our　hearts　for　you；　and　

our　cheers　came　with　sincerity　and　admiration　for　the　able　manner　

in　which　you　handled　your　ship。　　We　could　not　have　been　gladder　if　

it　had　been　one　of　our　ships；　for　in　a　time　like　that　I　can　truly　

say　with　old　Admiral　Josiah　Latnall；　'that　blood　is　thicker　than　

water。'〃　　One　more　trait　will　serve　to　build　up　the　image　of　this　

typical　sea…officer。　　A　tiny　schooner；　the　EQUATOR；　Captain　Edwin　

Reid；　dear　to　myself　from　the　memories　of　a　six　months'　cruise；　

lived　out　upon　the　high　seas　the　fury　of　that　tempest　which　had　

piled　with　wrecks　the　harbour　of　Apia；　found　a　refuge　in　Pango…

Pango；　and　arrived　at　last　in　the　desolated　port　with　a　welcome　and　

lucrative　cargo　of　pigs。　　The　admiral　was　glad　to　have　the　pigs；　

but　what　most　delighted　the　man's　noble　and　childish　soul；　was　to　

see　once　more　afloat　the　colours　of　his　country。



Thus；　in　what　seemed　the　very　article　of　war；　and　within　the　

duration　of　a　single　day；　the　sword…arm　of　each　of　the　two　angry　

Powers　was　broken；　their　formidable　ships　reduced　to　junk；　their　

disciplined　hundreds　to　a　horde　of　castaways；　fed　with　difficulty；　

and　the　fear　of　whose　misconduct　marred　the　sleep　of　their　

commanders。　　Both　paused　aghast；　both　had　time　to　recognise　that　

not　the　whole　Samo