Well, here is the story of the _Queen of the West_--only one of scores of Lake incidents equally unusual; and I hope that it will have at least some weight in showing that things _can_ occur on the Inland Seas. In the late navigation days of 1903, the freighter _Cordurus_ left Duluth on a “last trip down.” In mid-lake, the lookout reported a ship in distress, and upon nearer approach the vessel was found to be the _Queen of the West_, two miles out of her course, and sinking. Captain McKenzie immediately changed his course that he might go to the rescue, at the same time signalling the other vessel to lay to. What was his astonishment when he perceived the _Queen of the West_ bearing rapidly away from him, as though her captain and crew were absolutely oblivious of their sinking condition, as well as of the fact that assistance was at hand! [Illustration: A Ship that Made the Shore before she Sank. The Work of Raising her in Progress.] Now began what was without doubt the most unusual “chase” in marine history. Every eye on the deck of the _Cordurus_ could see that the _Queen of the West_ was sinking--that at any moment she might plunge beneath the sea. Was her captain mad? Each minute added to the mystery. The fleeing ship had changed her course so that she was bearing directly on to the north Superior shore. Added fuel was crammed under the _Cordurus’s_ boilers; yard by yard, length by length, she gained upon the sinking vessel. Excited figures were seen waving their arms and signalling from the _Queen of the West’s_ deck. But still the ship continued on her mysterious flight. At last Captain McKenzie came within hailing distance. His words have passed down into Lake history: “You’re sinking, you idiot! Why don’t you heave to?” “I know it--but I _can’t_,” came back the voice of the _Queen of the West’s_ captain. “We’re almost gone and if we stop our engines for a second we’ll go down like a chunk of lead!” Not stopping to consider the risk. Captain McKenzie ran alongside. The _Queen of the West’s_ engines were stopped and her crew clambered aboard. Hardly had the _Cordurus_ dropped safely away when the doomed ship went down. Her momentum alone had kept her from sinking sooner.