New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-06


sbonc brightly, bat before meridian the heat b.
came powerful But dsspoodeocy vss no psn Of his
rauie. Despite the dresIy prospect Of his rsscss he
resolved to struggle for fe Sunday night came. and
for another ten hours be WA budeted BY the s.ll
heavy waves amid the darkness. But his fatigue wss
too mach for him to overcome, and often during tie
night bis head would drop on his breas. while in an
involuntary dcze, and he would suddenly awaken with
his hards instirctively grUpiDg the plsnk, which
alone bore his hopes for the future. But, beside his
sufferngs from exposure TO the and the heat,
thirst AID hunger added their influence to render his
situation the more desperate. The Cravings Of hun.
ger were severe but his thirst terrible. His posi-.
| ton was fearful realization of the words:
"wster water, all around.
But not drop to drink"
Monday morning dawned without the presence of
anything to cheer his hopes. Occasionally sg ments Of
the wreck, drifting in the Gulf Stream, would be lifted
by the waves into view and inflated lfeprs.
server would dance over the summit of wave amid
the white caps and in a moment disappear. The sun
set while be yet tossing the waves, but with
spirit unbroken-which yet to suffer trials
than he had yet eIperienced-he still clung TO his
plank throughout the night, little expecting that the
| dawn Of the morrow was to wait to him means that
would buoy him above the until Providence
should snatch him from the very jaws of death.
| About o'clock on Tueldsy morning, after floating
with his plank for sixty hours ne deserted boat at
the distance two three miles, and without knowing
certainly what it was further than that seemed to sf-
ford better of sustaining himselfthan his plank,
changed ts position rested his body the end Of the
plank ard swan in the direction Of the object. The
wild in the me al time HAD become light, and the sea
smoother and he was able TO make some progress IN
| his swimming. Between II and O'Clock he reached
the object he sought-one Of the wooden e-boats OF
the Central America half filled with water. He grasped
It's side and in moment had raised himself over the
guard In it he found three oars, pan, pail and
three old costs With the pail he coon baed out the
boat. One of the coats he fastened on an oar as
signal, and then placed the oar upright in the bow Of
the boat. He scanned the horizon but not sail was
to be seen His thirst too, was increasing, but he
resisted the temptation of weaker minds to dr ak
| of the salt water, knowing its fatal con-
| sequences As the pieces Of the wreck drifCed
| past he watched them closely to see if they would
| afford him any relief. For a moment his hopes
rallied few yards distant he thought he discov'
| cred wicker task floating the swell He sculled
to and secured it, only however to be disappointed
for the cork had become oosened, and in place of
ANYTHING TO sake bis furious thirst few spoon
fuls of salt water. Night came upon the wanderer,
and, exhausted he fell into an unquet sleep, which
| continued till rear morning.
| With the dawn OF Wednesday, Mr.. Tice saw only
| sea and sky, and all Gay he bad to encounter the
ragings of hunger and thirst and the discomfors Of
hotsun and the night only afforded him the relief of
| disturbed doze.
But Thursday, if it afforded no relief for bodily suf-
| feripg relieved bis mild from the monotony OF his
position. Abont clock be discovered something in
| the distsuce. He took and sculled in that
direction and as he approached il he saw it was
| piece of wreck, on which were two men. When
| within a mile Of them, one jumped overheard and
| swan 10 the boat and about IL o'clock Mr.. Tice
helped him in. He proved to be Alexander Grant, one
of the remen of the steamer, who had been nearly ye
days floating about piece Of the hurricane deck
| The two then rowed to the piece OF the wreck and
! took on board George w. Dawson, coored man who
| was a passenger from California by the Sonora and
| Central Amercs. They left The dead body Of pas
senger on the piece Of deck as they departed That
| day and night they were diftod along by the wind
| and current. After having briefly reated their expe
rerces since the sinking of the vessel, they fell into
| silence, only occasionally broken by suggestion
| which some one might make as 70 their prospect Of
| rescue.
Friday and Saturday brought with them no hopes OF
succor. They had ceased to hunger, but their desire
| for water knew no bounds. But with confident be
lief that they would not long remain thus, they muu
ally encouraged each other and having passed week
sirce the steamer sank in the midst of scenes which
would make any but the stou.est heart despair they
entered upon the eighth day of their experience, and
the night settled upon them with dim hope of rescue
| on the morrow.
On Sunday morning their hopes cheered
| I lnnta saU was sfen IN tine OYth-edSt,
standing for the south. They seized their oars and
pulled fer the vessel-a fore-and aft schooner-and
when nearest her, she not than two miles dIs
ant But the distance began to increase. and in two
or three hours from the time they were overJoyed at
her appearance, che was out Of their sight, and once
more their spirits, for moment buoyant, relaxed
and for time feeling of despair followed.
| Daylight on Monday morning showed nothing to en-
courage hope. But for the first time in over eight
DAYS their thirst for water was to be saked. brisk
shower of rain began to fall and while the pail and
pan were used to catch few spOopfus, they opened
their mouths for the few scattered drops that CHANGED
TO fall upon their parched and swollen tongues They
caught in the pan and pail about quart OF water, but
so great were their physical suenngs that the water
afforded them no immediate relief. But another and
greater hope was to be realized than their desire
for water Hardly had they drank the last drop which
had been thus showered upon them, when the shower
passed over them, and few miles distant they saw
brig steering directly toward them, before light
breeze. Soon her topsais were unfurled and Set and
| she came toward them more rapidly. Grant and Dsw-
| son took the oars and commenced 10 row. They
were all weakened from suffering, and it is
doubtful whether their efforts Of much
avail in moving the boat Bat it was
struggle for hfe-a last effort to save their lives
| if they failed now, nothing but despair was lef