The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-11-01

ofthe sinking ship, watching operations
there and keeping myself from being
drIftcd out of sight So us to have what
company there might DO loft on RATS
like my own, after our douIned vessel
had sunk beneath the surface. In this
position I saW three different small
'gtis like nsg o'rn leare lie slip, one OF
them aoiM three and another auiM ttco
Of tie .fremen standing erect ON item,
the third with the old Frcnchman we
had already picked up, and one of
the mess boys Of the ship sitting on it.
These three RATS all drifiel close by
mo, SO near that was hailed by one
and anothcr OF them, with the request
for us all us to keep near together, To
which asseuted, but told them that
we had all better try aud keep by the
ship till she went down. At this time
! noticed that the large boat which
had been on the quarter deck was in
thp water and was. being trieyhhd prct.
yJuliy to all appearance wiM seUerui
females ahda good uumJer of males,
and that the raft OF spars was at the
same time being lashcd together and
several getting on it. NOTICED, also,
- compile Of large empty water casks
lashcd together with five men on
them, apparently passengers, leave the
ship, and drifting towards me while
within about fifty yards they capsized
with the force OF a heavy swell, giving
their living, freight al almost immo
dialc water, grave. Three of them, |
noticed reggained the top side of the
casks only to be immediately turned
over again, and tho casks separating
saw no more Of them. My heart sick
i'cncd at SO much ofimmcGiAtc death,
and still almost longcd To ',4Fp' baen
ono them, for at tltc same instant, and
us near rs | can Judge at about i :,
the ship began to Disappear, stern fore
most; shosenterod tinder.tl,c Surface.
her bow 'rising,a little as she slowly
went unner, and | distinctly lcardllhc
gurg!ing aml rushing SOUND Of ll,o va.
ter lilliHg her cabins from stern to
stem rs she went under, taxing, !
should think, from thirty seconds 10 q
minute IN disappearing, with . largo
number df-pcopio,stiIl apon her. docI;.
Thus went down tho noble Arctic,
leaving nothing behind but mixture
OF fragments ofthc wreck and strur.
Cling human beings, saw one large
half round fragment burst above tho
stirE:cs uil,i several of the struggling
!cllow.mortals get OH it. This aud
tho raft ofspars. with several on it, aud
the boat full of people, was all that
could distinctly make out rs being
left in the neighborhood Of where the
ship went down TO windward and
the thrcu small RATS to Iccward, along
With my own, were loft to pass tho
night, npw beginning. to close in upon
and hide away from sight. wish !
could remove from my memory this
dreadful day--but such night of OK.
tren,c melancholy, despair, and utter
lonelincas, | hope shall never again
experience. had, it is true, become
f.niliarzc4 with death. and felt 9s if
it would Ae great relief to 60 ilnmedi
ately like tho rest; and for this end |. |
with somewhat of satisfaction, thought
Of = phial Of laudanlm in my pocket
previously intended for a better use ;
but, oh how unpreparcd was to sec
my God, and, for my t;,n:ily's sake.
how necessary | felt it was for me
still to live II while |Qnger, else | would
hpyc emptird that pial or rol!ed over
the side ofny plank most willingly.
The night was cold and chilly. The
dpnse log was saturating my already
vet clothing. was Standing to tic
ankles in lhe water, with the waves
ever nov and then washing me up
above the knees; no hope in my mind
of being driitcd to the land, and in y |
part ofthc ocean where it is expected
p thick log continually hangs over
the surface, precludins the hopo OF any
chance vessel, ia passing near us, be-
ing aware Of our situatioll-all circum-
stances seemed to say, it is > ques.
ton Of how long the physical frame
can endure this pcrishing state, or how
long before u more boistcrous sea
turns over or separates the slightly
fastened planks. Thus ellccling,
| offered up to Him who ruIe,h the
winds and the waves-to Him my
heartfelt prayers a.
Relieved and consoled By this my
last petition, *as somewhat calmly
resignng myscltlh await my time as
long rs my strength aud power Of, en-
DURANGO could hold out, when ] discoy.
cred close by INC u Mrge square bas.
ket lined Within, floa,ihg lightly by
me--one ofthe stewards dish Iaskets.
it proved to bc--qnd, padding up, 70
it got it oD board, and with the help
OF q small piece Of fropc | had round
my Shoulders, ,lashcd it pretty firmly
Oh top OF the plank, thus not only ten,
-iliNH Ia .Innk a. ilaa,,aS.,ff -lsaora ,.aaI,.