Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-19
MEMORY WHILE DROWNING.

SINGULAR ANECDoTEs.-One of tho
most singular features in physiology is
the fact, which is perfectly notorious,
that the faculty of memory acquires an
activity and tenacity, in case of persons
;-bOut being drowned, which it never,
exhibits under ordinary circumstances.
An accident occurred some weeks since
at New York, which threw a number of
persons into the North River. Among
others were MIR. - and his sister, the
first named editor Of weekly paper in
Philadelphia. They were both saved.
Mr.. - describes the sensation while
under water, and in a drowning condi-
tim, TO be pleasant and pecuiisr. IL
seemed to Linn every event in his life
crowded into his mind at once. He was
sensible Of what was occurring, and ex-
pected - drown, but seemed only to
regret that such an {" item" as his SEN
sations would make should be lost.
In noticing this statement in an ex-
change, / am reminded Of the incident,
which, dissimilar as it is to those Just
related in its general features, had the
same remarkable awakening of the mem
ory, which some cases sometimes exhibit.
can vouch for the truth of what fol-
lows, as well as testify to vivid recollec.
tons in my own case, when exposed to
the hazards of drowning, reproducing in
few moments the events of my entire
past life.
Some years since, A held q bond
against B, for several hundred dollars,
having some time to run. At its matu-
rity he had pat it away so carefully that
he was unable to find it. Every search
was fruitless. He only knew that it had
been paid or traded away. In this
dilemma he called on B, related the cir
cumstances of it's disappearance and
proposed giving him a receipt as AZ
| against its collection, if ever found.
To his great surprise, B. not only re-
fused to accept the terms of meeting the
difficulty, but positively denied owing
him anything, and strongly intimated
the presence Of fraudulent design on the
part of A. Without legal proof, and
therefore without redress, he had to en-
dure both the loss of his money and the
supicion of dishonorable intention In
urging the claim. Several years passed
away without any change in the nature
of the case, or of its facts as above given,
when one afternoon, while bathing in
James river, either from inability to swim,
or cramp, or some other cause, was dis
covered to be drowning. He had sunk
ard risen several times, and was floating
away under the water, when he was
seized and drawn to the shore. The
usual remedies were applied to resusci-
tate him, and although there were signs
of life, there was no appearance Of con-
sciousness. He was taken home in
complete exhaustion and remained so for
some days.
On the first return of strength to walk,
he left his bed, went to his book case,
took book, opened it, and handed his
long lost bond to friend who was pre-
sent. He then told him that when he
be was drowning, and sinking, as he
supposed, to rise 40 more, in q moment,
there stood out distinctly before his mind,
as a,picture, every act OF his llfe, from
the hour of his childhood to the momtnt
of his sinking beneath the water, and
among the circumstances, that of putting
the bond in book, the book itself, and
the place IN which he had put in the book
case. 1t is needless to say that he re-
covered his own with usury.
There is no doubt that this remarka-
BILE quickening of memory results from
the process which in such cases is going
on-the extingaishment of life. 1t some
what analogous to the breaking in of the
light of another world, which in SO many
we'll attested cases of death-bed scenes,
enables the departed spirit, even before
it has left its clay tenement, to behold
and exult in the glories of a future state.
Is il NOT a fam inference, that when the
soul shakes off the clogs and in,cumSr,nees s!
for enioynfcnt, of which ON earth it is
unsnsccptible nm As regards memory, it
will be observed by most persons how
readily we forget that which we do not
desire to remember, and in this way We
get rid of much unhappiness. Can we
do this after death. This is an impor-
tant prscticalquestion. Advertiser,
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