The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-05-21
Memory while Drowning.

One Of the most singular features in Phvsco'o-
gy is the fact which is perfectly notor,us. that
he faculty Of memory acquired an activity and
tcnacty IN the cast Of persons about b.iny
drowned which IL never exhibits under ordinary
circumstances. AH accident occurred tr,ne week.
ago, at New York Whrh threw IA number If
persons hto the North River. Among uth,rs
were Mr.. -, aud Ills ai.er. III. frat
named, editor oI a weekly paper in Philadelphia
Sr, - descrbes the cessation while under wa
ter and il drowning condition. to be pleas nut
but pecnlIar. II .eamrd 10 him that every event
OF his life cruwed in his mind at once He wa.
sensible Of what was occurring and expected TO
drown. but seemed only to regret that such an in.
iercstlng item AS his ssnsati ION wou d make.
should be lost
In noticing the statement in an exchange, am
reminded Of an incident which, dissimllar .. it ia
to the one Just narrated, in its general features
had the same remarkable awakening of the mem
ory, which such cases sometimes exhibit | can
vouch FER the truth of what follows as well as
testify to vivid recollections in NV own case.
when exposed to the hazards Of downing. repro
ducing In a few moments the events Of INV entire
past life,
Some years since A held bond Of d for sew
eral hundred dollars having some time to run-
AT its maturity he found that he had put 1t aw v
50 carefully that lie was unable TO 6nd 1t. Every
search was frGi;!ess He only knew .ha. il bad
not been paid or traded away ln1his dilemma.
he called on b, relating the circumstances Of its
disappearance, and proposed giving HIM II receipt
as All uff-et to the bond ar rather an nlemnifyuu
bond agaln-t its collection If ever funa
To his great surprise, u not only refused to ac
cept the terms OF meeting the difficulty. but pos
itivry denied owing him ANYTHING. and strongly
lutlHat ed The pr,sppr0 nf "A frlnlVl.nt ,,,
the part Of A. Without legal proof, and there.
fore without redress, he had to endure both the
loss Of his money and the suspicion of di-honor
abe IN eniun IN urging the claim. Several vesrs
passed away without any change in the nature Of
the case, Or IT. fact, az above given, when one
afternoon while bathing in James River, eth.
or from inability 10 SWIM, OF Cramp or some 9th
ef cause, WAS discovered to be drowning lie
had sunk anj'fisen several times and was float
ing away under the water, when he waS seized
and drawn to the shore. The usual remedies
were applied to rrsusrilate him. and atbonph
there were signs Of life. there was no appearance
of ConsCicusncss He was taken home IN com.
pIe,e state Of exhaustion, ard remained 80 for
some DAYS
On the first return of strength to walk, he left
hi- bed, went to hi book case, took ou book,
openedit, and handed bis lonp lost bond to a
ibehI "ho was present. lie tien informed him
that when drowning and sinking rs he supposed.
to rise no more in moment, there stood ou, dis.
tinc'ly before hi. mind, a. n picture e,.ry act Of
his lie from tic hour Of childhood. to the hour Of
sinking beneath III" water and among them the
circumstance ol his putting the bond IN the book:
the took Itself and the place which he had put il
IN the bookcase. 1t Is needless to say he recover.
ell hl> own with usury.
! There is no doubt HAT this remarkable quick.
cning OF memory results from the process which
( ~ such cases !. going on the ex ingushment Of
liIe. lis somewhat analogous to the breaking in
I Of The light Of another world, which IN 50 mani
wei altcs'cd cases # death bed scenes. enable.
the d"pmting spirit, even before it has absolutely
lett IT. clay tenement, to behold and rxult'in the
glories Of the future state. l. it not fair infer.
'nCe, that when the soul shases of the clogs and
membranes Of tie body it will posses seiac;
ties for enjoy msut Of which on ear.h it WAS w.
susceptible.
AS regards the memory i; viii he cb ery,d by
most persons how readily IN life We frget ihat
which We do not desire to remember aud IN tia
war we get rid "f much unhippne-s. Ca, us
DO hjs after deliIf This is M important pr4cti
cal gU1stloG--L LiF'S ARytriSer.