The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-11-01
1ERMS-92 LIN, ADVANCE
MO-,

'0"'i"o tHo StuC III tHe T;lt, ,4SSytltCh
proving to be a small air.tight litl lia esfh,, essah
part Of q set Of such uspd ,as n lifo
prcserrer, siczed hold Of it jals9 as9 ali ia
dilional token Of The presence Of, q
protecting Providence. p24''aS7 f'has"
cut out one end Of 1t with my
pocket knife, and fo und it answered
the purpose Of what Iabovc anything
else ! then nceded-a baing Poland
by which ! was enabled to keen, nv
little shelter clear Of water, and SO eao.
cel,tabIc rs . protection from the cold,
aud damp blast, did find this little MI.
low house, that soon found myself
cramped down into tho inside, titus
Keeping not only my feet and legs, bit
The lower part of my body something
warm. hi this sort of situation i wore
away the tedious night, and the break
ing dawn relieved to my sight nothing
but the thick mist the unccasihg rolling
waves, and my own little bark. y Not
II single vcsti &c Of all that the night
closed upon was now to be seen -! -
About midday the sun cleared away the
mist, and the heat Of his rays was triu-
~ grateful but oh how desulate in
its very cheeriulncss seemed tho pros.
pect nc thus unfuldcd.a 3OYefsfRo
whole broad cxpansc uf watcfst' not =
san could be sech-2-nothtng save the
figures of the two firemen. saabont aa
half mile distant, still standing erect
aud showing themselves at intervals
MS every ohea*y swell would raise
thnm onAits crest. had not yet felt
either hunger or thirst, for which /
was truly thankfu!, fur.I had but ~
handful of dry broken crackers il, nv
hat, which felt determined to 'saSs,.8ss. Az.
TO tiic last, and oi course no watef. e
dreaded the cravings Of either. 49,
The dHy wore OIL still clear until
about an hour bolorc night fall, when
the two llrelncn, (wilhin hating dis
tancc of whom | had worked NV NV
way again.l discovered far to ths
southwark " ship under full sail, hroafi-s
side towards ns, but it Was will. faint
hopes of SUCCESS that hnisted nv
handkerchief, tied to the end of tho
strip 9f wood | was using asa paddle.
the ilrcmcn doing tho samel' witN.n
shorter piece of wood in their nosses'
sion. The ship at one limo, We Sn,ti.
cod, laid to, or altered her course far
Il moment, giving us a hope that she
had discovered something; but tho
night closed in again, and with it all
hopes oIa rescue. H h.I,
lpasscd this night in doing, drearv
shivcrinS, haIt:scnsiblc sort Of statr
with all sorts of f:.ncies bcGr, nv
drowsy and somewhat disnrdered
mind, and all sorts of pictures in mv
wakciul mun,cnts, Lo,i, ofa pIcasin.r
and revolving character, fl,atii,r he,
fore me on The dark surface of tho
water. Now and then during thc
night Iiancicd ny self hailed Nv ysfi.
ons surrounding parties, con yinocd'as |
WAS at tbs same time .llatinonc others
were within hailing distance but tho
two firemen my disordcred fancy.
however, kept me for more than half
the night in m agreeable state of ax.
citement, under the firm belief that
companies of boats crews were on tho
search tar IA, and most Justify did |
answer every iancied or real signal. !,
The morning dawned asaiiisi and
with its horrid scene ofdcspair at the
gloomy prospect Of the samc dense
t"ggy atmosphere NoY and then fully
developing to view The samc two
erect figures dancing about on tho
rolling surf, and in my selfish liberali-
ty ! hargainel with myself that |
you'd endure sill during ,4iss;day,
seeing that my two comprehensive
obliged to be on th,ir feet supporting
each other in very precarious. lock
'nS back 'to'back attitude, wese atsble
still to exist. felt q little hungry
TINS morning and cat halt o hisepit-