The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1857-10-30

/ AZ coon they saw sail They had been so
cruelty disappointed that they hardly dared TO
hope But they looked earnestly and steadily
at The stranger. She too was bearino down
upon them. Every quarter of an hour they
could perceive her increase in size.
IL seemed doubtful whether at best, she could
heiP them, ior the sea was running very high,
ana Grant and his companion were being con-
stantly washed off the hatch. Eight times that
day Grant was swept into the sea.
Hheh Inc strange ship was a mile or so dis
lant she holsted flag. What thrill ii sent
10 the hearts OF the poor fellows They
knew what 1t meant. That piece of stuff
tod them IN Paioest language that there was
( help near.
They were washed off again and again. but
the neaTness Of salvation gave them strength 10
regain their hold. Ii was SIX in the evening
SIX bonrS after Grant had first seen her that
The Cambria sailed up aud took them on board.
thought then" says Grant, ..,hat | had suf-
cred as much as mortal mau couG." He had
been fifty hours in The water. Captain Luce
was on board, andthey were well cared for tin
their arrival at Quebec, whence they made the
best Of thrirway 10 New York
Having been thus rescued twice. almost by
miracle, from the jaws Of death, Grant mar
rl~d pretty young girl Of his acquaintance
and went to sea again. There WAS evidently a
fatality about ii.
He sailed in the Crescent City as a fireman.
One day he was below. at his post. y hen bump.
bump.-thr old. familiar souud-and Grant ran
on deck 10 find the ship fast on the reef oil the
Little Bahamas. There was otr colnfort--the
steamer seemed 10 enjoy being on The reel; true
should she happen to change her mind. there
were the sharks in abundance all around. and
very evidently there was no chance for any one
who got overheard there, Happily the wpa-
ther was fair, and before a storm came on, wreck
ing vessels from the Bahamas came sailing ont
and took everybody safely Off So this was an
improvement in the shipwrecking way. Grant
felt as though he was falling off in the way Of
adventure.
He was not doomed to suffer long under bis
disappointment. He left Havana in high spir-
its, eager to meet his young wife and little
child, who live here, when The Central Amer
lea was overtaken by the gale, and being either
unseaworhy or in charge Of an unfaithful en-
ginerr, foundered at Spa.
For some hours before she went down, Grant,
who must have been good authority on ship
wrecks, toresaw her fate; ana though he dis
dainrd the use OF life prcserv-r, wrought hard
20 provide an escape for himself and a trw 9th
ers by cutting loose portion Of the hurricane
deck. About five minutes before she >ark be
was below. Feeling her rise on the side OF
heavy sea. he toreSaw that the last moment had
probably come, and rushed on deck There be
found that his raft had already4abeen launched
from the bows OF the steamer, aud that men
were Ieaping on board. He instantly jumped,
and was ordered by an officer to cut the rait
loose This done, the Central America went
down. Gran; and his companions being al
most the only persons of her crew and Passea-
gers who were not submerged by the vortex she
created in sinking,
When the first shock was over they found
themselves, ten in number, on a raii-part OF
the hurricane deck-sone twelve feet square,.
The weight Of 50 many persons sank The raft
couple OF feet in water, so that all hands had to
stand up. II was dark night, and ihry could
not see hundred yards before them but they
heard desparlng cries for help during the whole
night.
Next morning there were but few persons in
sight, and those too far off to offer them place
on the raft Mr.. Dawson, however, who was
swimming on plank, made his way to the raft,
and obtained standing room on it, Vacant
places enough were made during the day
Before noon one poor fellow became drlirlous
from drinking saltwater and fell of, and before
night three more died, partly from fever Prodn-
ced by drinking saltwater and partly from eX-
haustion Toward evening another passenger
was picked mp. During that night four more
Of the tenants ofthe raft perished-when and
how the survivors hardly knew. The SEA IN
ces>antly Washed over them, and they only no
ticed tht deaths by prrceivlng, after heavy
wave had swept over the raft, that there was
vacant place. When Monday had dawnrd
there were but four persons on the raft.
Monday passed, dull and dreary hunger and
thirst telling severely on Grant and his com
paQions. The raft was now so light that they
could kneel, the water being barely foot deep;
and in this kneeling position they contrlVed to
sleep. On Tuesday they fell in with PasSen-
ger who was in part OF the captains room 4
They offered him a place on their raft, but he 7
declared that ~ was better off as he was, as ne .
could paddI,. himself around, and pick up any
thing. he saw. So they parted-perhaPs never /
to meet again. Next day two OF thr four ten
ants Of the raft became deranged and fell off, /
having now ONLY two persons on t-Crani, /
the sole SURVIVOR OF TUE oIiSiudi 'e''' "''o ~
son, the passenger who had been picked up.
..On Thursday, the fifth day" says Grant,
81 saw boat about three miles OIL, bul couid
not tell whether there was any onein II or not, /
but thought there was. / resolved, however,
10 reach il il possible, and accordingly ] dives
ted myself of all but my under clothes, and ty-
ing life breserver around me, jumped INTO +
the sea and swan toward The boat with all my
tnioht. j cannot say how long it was before
finally reached the boat; but before got 10 ner |
| discovered man sitting down and trying 10
scnu IN, boat toward me. On reaching The