The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-10-13

fhat ever fell upon my ear; | thought 1t
the death knell to many, perhaps to all.
| cast nv eyes to the Northward and dis
covered dark and dreadful looking clouds
tumbling up rapidly above the horizon,
threatening TO sweep the ocean with the
besom OF destruction. | was on the brace
for moment. only, when felt it giving
way. In looking round calmly and col
lected, as every moment appeared my
last, nearly every act OF my life rushed
through my mind; felt perfectly recon-
ciled to my condition and was cheerfully
looking upon every breath as my last
| said 10 myself, loud enough to be heard,
if any one had been present, Fearless
let him be, whose trust is in God. =
Discovering the pilot-house floating about,
| thought my best chance was to try and
reach it. | watched favorable moment
as the floating mass came up with the
surge Of the boat; | lowered myself
down and made a spring to reach piece
of the wreck; the moment struck it it
turned, and | suppose must have gone
down at least six feet. 1t is surprising
how rapidly one can think at moment
when he feels himself done with time
As was rising to the surface thought to
myself drowning IS pretty easy death,
but TO be jammed, mangled, and crushed
here amidst this mass of iron and timber
is horrible When reached the surface
| with great difficulty reached the pilot
hOnse, which discovered made rapid
semi-circle TO and fro. and | judged the
filler rope was still fast; in reaching over
and examining, discovered it TO be the
case. Having small pen-knile in my
pocket, / got it out with great difficulty
and succeeded in cutting the rope. /
then floated clear Of the mass and swung
down and caught hold of the wheel, when
the whole upper part of the house tum-
bled off. picked up piece of plank
and showed myself out from the wreck as
far as possible. As we had a very heavy
sea running, lashed myself to the wheel
TO prevent being washed off. A piece of
the promenade-deck floating by me,
hauled it towards me with strip OF moul
ding which was floating by me, in my
reach, and lashed it to nv raft so as 10
make it more buoyant, for found the
wheel was so heavy as to waterlog my
raft. At this time. black dog that was
floating on piece of the wreck discov-
cred me. left his raft and swan for me.
| gave him a hearty reception and assist
ed him on board. He appeared very
grateful and atfectionate, and would stay
no place but IN my lap; tried to make
him lay down. but he implored me with
such beseeching looks, that thought |
would let him alone, and although he was
but dog, those lines in Pope's prayer
came forcibly to my mind, and | repeat
ed them loudly
''1'hat mercy - others show,
That mercy show to me-"
The wheel. | afterwards found, was too
heavy to keep ahoat, and | cut my lash
ing adrilt and got on the piece of deck;
the moment did so, the wheel capsized
and sunk. After floating a few hours, |
found piece of the deck of the boat
floating near me. | managed, by using a
piece of plank for an oar TO sheer enough
as thought TO make it. | made the ef-
fort, and as | stepped near the edge of my
raft to make spring the plank under me
sunk, and Invent overheard. | had my
LANYARD in my hand, and as | came up |
struck for my raft and threw the lanyard
over one of the spikes, and crawled up,
decorating my leg with one of the numer
Gus spikes with which il was lined. It
NAV seem strange, but | found the sting
ing sensation produced by the salt water
in my fresh wound, gave me rather
pleasureable excitement. In examining
my raft, which | at once named New
Providence, found myself quite happy,
for felt as if ! had something under foot
that would ride out the gale. A squall of
wind and rain soon set in, which was
followed by heavy seq, which very fire.
quently made clean sweep over me-
Some time after it subsided in measure,
| discovered large raft containing ten or
twelve persons.
took wide plank that | had on my
raft, and by bracing one end of it with my
feet against the beam, and bracIng the
other part with my head and hands, |
found it answered very well as sail, as
it was blowing very fresh. could tack
about by arranging my plank, according
ly; stood up towards the large raft con-
tanning Captain Philips and numerous
others; their raft was composed of the
greater part Of the promenade deck abaft
the wheels. Inquired how they were
getting along, and was answered very
badly. saw Judge Toler looking very
wishfully towards my raft, and asked
him if he would not come on board. He
and Mr.. Stakes answered in the affirma-
tive, and after some time | got them or
board. My dog passenger left me at this
time and swan on board of the Other