er with the
suggestions of other friends and shipmates, decided me to launch my
narrative of the cruise and wreck of the Saginaw on the sea of
publicity.

The story itself may be lost in the immense current of literature
constantly pouring forth, but some good friends advise me to the
contrary.

The fact that stories of sea life and adventure have ever possessed
the power to attract the interest and stir the imagination, adds to
the courage given me to set forth my plain unadorned story without any
pretensions to literary excellence.

Some of the first instructions given to a newly fledged naval officer
enjoin upon him the necessity for brevity and directness in his
official communications, both oral and written, and eventually he
becomes addicted to formal expressions that pervade his entire
correspondence. Eloquence or sentiment would probably be crushed with
a reprimand. I trust, therefore, that the reader will consider the
above conditions as they have surrounded me throughout my service,
should he or she find a lack of decorative language in my narrative.

To my mind, as a participant in the related events, there is material
in the story to rival the fictions of Fenimore Cooper or Marryat, and
I think that the heroes who gave up their lives in the effort to save
their shipmates should stand as high on the roll of fame as do those
lost amid battle smoke and carnage.

G.H.R.

August 16, 1911.

CONTENTS

I. THE BEGINNING OF THE CRUISE 1

II. THE WRECK 12

III. ON THE ISLAND 31

IV. THE SAILING OF THE GIG 58

V. WAITING 72

VI. RESCUED 85

VII. THE FATE OF THE GIG 96

APPENDIX 121

ILLUSTRATIONS

LIEUT.-COMMANDER MONTGOMERY SICARD _Frontispiece_

U.S. STEAMER SAGINAW, FOURTH-RATE 2

THE LANDING AT MIDWAY ISLANDS, SHOWING SEALS AND ALBATROSS 8
_From a sketch by Captain Sicard_

THE MIDWAY ISLANDS AS WE LEFT THEM 8

OCEAN ISLAND AND REEF 14

VIEW OF OCEAN