Poems (Gifford)/The Foundering of the "Elbe"

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THE FOUNDERING OF THE "ELBE," Through Collision with the "Crathie,", 50 Miles from Lowestoft, 5.40 A.M., Januwary 30th, 1895.
Adown the bleak North Sea the vessel steamedIn intense darkness, 'mid the blinding snow,On that cold, wild, rough morn, ere daylight dawned.A sharp collision, dire disaster came,A sudden crash, a rude awaking, swiftConfusion, rapid hurrying on deck,Hoarse shouts, shrill shrieks, awed silences, reportOf water inrush, awful signs of doom,Appalling horror, consternation great,Deep desperation, rocket-firing quick,Short orders, prompt obedience, and a rushFor lowering boats.For lowering boats.One swamped at once,One cleared the vessel with a living freight,But ne'er was heard of, never seen again,One only weathered the fierce elements,And bore just twenty of four hundred livesTo safety, and those other fated onesIn few brief moments passed unto their death,As sank the huge wreck in that seething sea.
Oh, who shall picture, who shall ever tellThe hurried agonies of heart and mindCrowded into those moments of suspense,And the succeeding quietude beneathThe surging surface of that dark abyss?
And who shall picture, who shall ever tell,Though twenty lived and told, oh, who shall tellThe mingled feelings of the castawaysTossed on the boisterous, stormy, threatening waves,But a mere speck on the vast, heaving deep!On, on they fought with almost certain death,Destitute, desolate, exhausted, drenched, ​Ice-coated, all but frozen, on they fought,Hoping, despairing, rowing, signalling,Labouring incessantly as best they mightTo free their little craft from the cold brineThat dashed and poured upon them, and well nighImmersed the one frail woman that it heldBearing with courage strong her rare distress.
At length, at length, after long, weary hours,That tiny speck is sighted ere too late,And the brave skipper and the worthy crewOf the smack "Wildflower" hasten to their aid.Through difficulty and through danger great,Those noble Englishmen upheld their fame,Hauled to the boat, and with strong effort drewThe beaten foreigners aboard their own,Gave kind relief, and lively sympathy,And generous care to those unhappy waifs;Then vigorously they made at once for land,Until, as evening ended that sad day,They reached the safe, calm, friendly shelteringOf Lowestoft harbour and its Sailors' Home.
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