The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-08

Beaufort to DR.. W. H. Wollaston, giving an ac-
count Of the feelings Of the former when appa-
rently the very point Of death from drowning,
was originally published in the life OF Sir John
Barrow.
'sThe following circumstances which attended
my being drowned have been drawn up at your
desire; they had not struck me as being 80 curious
as you consider them, because from two or three
persons who, like myself, have been recovered
from similar state, have heard detail OF their
feelings, which resemble mine nearly as was
consistent with our different constitutions and dis
positions.
'sMany years ago, when was youngster on
board one of his majesty 5 ships in Portsmouth
harbor, after sculling about IN very small boat'
was endeavoring to tasten her alongside the ship
to one of the scuttle rings; in foolish eagerness
stepped upon the gunwale; the boat, OF COURSE
upset, and fell into the water, and, not knowing.
how to swim, all my efforts to lay hold either OF
the boat or the floating SOULS were fruitless The
transaction had not been observed by the sentinel
on the gangway and therefore it was not until the
tide had drifted me some distance astern OF the
ship that man in the forctop saw me splasning
in the water and gave the alarm. The first lieu
tenant instantly jumped overheard, the carpenter
followed his example, and the gunner fastened
into boat and pulled after them. With the vio-
lent but vain attempts to make myself heard
had swallowed much water; was soon exhausted
by my struggle, and before my relief had reached
me had sank below the surface; oil hopes had
4 f1ed-all exertions ceased-and felt that was
drowning
$50 far, these facts were either partially re-
membered after my recovery or supplied by those
who had latterly witnessed the scene; tor during
an interval of such agitation drowning person
is too much occupied in catching at every passing
straw, or too much absorbed by alternate hope
and despair to mark the succession OF events very
accurately. Not SO, however, with the facts
which Immediately ensued; my mind had been
undergoing the sudden revolution which appeared
IL. Ill ptrO vvpcfo oonC
of which are now as wildly fresh in my memory
as if they had occurred but yesterday. From the
moment that all cxortion had ceased--whlch
imagine was the immediate consequence OF COM
plete suffocation-a calm feeling OF the most per-
feet tranquility superseded the previous tumutu-
GUS resignation, for drowning no longer appeared
to be an evil no longer thought OF being res
cued, nor was l in any bodily pain
son the contrary, my sensations were now OF
rather peasurable cast, partaking OF that dull
but contented sort Of feeling which precedes the
sleep produced by fatigue Though the senses
were thus deadened, not so the mind; its activity
seemed to be invgorated in a ratio which deties
all description, for thought rose alter thought
with rapidity of succession that is not only IN
describable, but probably nconcelvable by any
one who has not himself been in similar situa-
ton The course of those thoughts | can even
4 now in a great measure retrace; the event which
had Just taken place-the awkwardness that had
produced 1.-THE hustle it must have occasioned
|
chains)-the effect it would have on a most atfec-
Tomato father-the manner in which he would
disclose it to the rest of the family-and q thou
sand other circumstances mlnutely associated
with home were the first series of reflections that
occurred. Then they took wider range: our
last cruise-a former voyage and shipwreck-iny
school-the progress made there, and the time
| had misspent-and even all my boyish pursuits
and adventures.
"Thus travelling backward, every past incident
of my life seemed to glance across my recollection
| in retrograde successon not, however, IN mere
outline as here stated, but the picture filled up
with every minute and collateral features in short,
| the whole period of my existence seemed to be
placed before me in kind of panoramic review,
and each act of it seemed to be accompanied by
consciousness of right wrong, or by some re-
Election on its cause its consequences; indeed,
many trifing events which had been long for
gotten then crowded into my IMAGINATION, ana
with the character of recent familiarity May
not all these be some Indication of the almost in
finite power of memory with which we may
awaken in another world, and thus be compelled
to contemplate our past lives:
ssBut however that may be, one circumstance
was highly remarkable; the innumerabie ideas
which flashed into my mind were all retrospective,
yet had been religiously brought up; my hopes
and fears of the next world had lost nothing OF
their early strength, and at any other period in
tense interest and awful anxiety would have been
excited by the mere probability that was floating
on the threshold of eternity; yet at that inexph
cable moment, when had full conviction that |
had crossed that threshold, not single thought
wandered into the FUTURE was wrapped entirely
in the past. The length OF time that was occu-
pied by this deluge of ideas, or rather the short
ness Of time into which they were condensed, l
cannot now state with precision, yet certainly two
minutes could not have elapsed from the moment
of suffocation to that of my being hauled up
"The strength of the Aood-tide made it expe-
dent topull the boat at once to another ship,
where | underwent the usual vulgar process OF
emptying the water by letting my head hang
downward, then bleeding, chafng, and even adj
minstering gin; but my submersion had been
really so brief, that according to the account OF
the lookers-on was very quickly restored to ami
nation.
ssNIy feelings while life returning were tho
very reverse in every point of those which have
| been described above. One single but confused
| idca-a miserable belief that | was drowning
dweIt upon my mind, instead of the multitude OF
clear and definite ideas which had recently rushed
through it; helpless anxiety kind OF continu-
! Gus nigbtmare-seemod to press heavily on every
sense and to prevent the formation of any distinct
thought, and it was with difficulty that became
convinced that was really alive
"Agan, instead of being absolutely free from
bodily pain, as in my drowning state, was now
tortured with pain all over me; and though have
been since wounded in several places, and have
often submitted to severe surgical discipline, yet
my slficrings were at that time far greater; at
least in general distress. On one occasion was
shot in the lungs, and, after lying on the deck at
nght for some hours bleeding from other wounds,
Mt length tainted. Now, felt sure that the
wound in the lungs mortal, it will appear OBJ
vious that the overwhelming sensation winch ac-
companies fantng must have produced a perfect
conviction that | was then III inc act OF dying'
Vol nothing in the least resembling the opera
t;ons of nv mind when drowning then took place;
and. when began to recover, returned to clear
conception of my real state
| oIfthese involuntary experiments on the oper-
alton of death afford any satisfaction or interest to
hn,- s1,ffnrcd nI1ifn in