Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-09-15
four persons upon it.

worked my way up in the course Of half
an hour so near as to be abFe to hail them
and then discovered fifth man some few
rods beyond them, on another piece of wreck,
sitting upright The sea was SO rough that
these were only occasionally visible. L
hailed them and asked them how they were
getting along. The German made some
reply, and then asked them if there wasn't
room for me. They seemed to think that
they were loaded down enough, and think
ing so myself bade them goodbye, and
told them / was going ashore. then told
the man with the straw hat that ifhe saw
vessel to put his hat on a pole or something
and swing it. struck oftowards the shore,
making considerable progress and in the
courss Of half an hour lost sight OF them.
At length be came across some persons in
one of the steamers boats, who invited him
to come on board. The boat was bottom
upward, and feeling that he had not sufficient
strength to hold on, be declined.
We exchanged some messages TO be de-
livered by each to our friends in case either
survived, and the boat presenting more sur
face to the wind driftsd rapidly past me, and
in a short time was out of sight.
About or o'clock the wind yeered
around RON the east to the northeast and in
creased to a perfect hurricane, raising the sea
till it rolled mountains high I found that
/ could ride over these huge waves with COM
/ parative ease by keeping myself nearly in q
horizontal position. That if l let my feet
drop they would be thrown forward of me,
and throwing me upon my back and under
! the plank, which occurred on two or three
occasions, when came near drowning, and
only recovered my position of my breast to
the plank by the most terrible exertion.
During the early part Of my solitary trip
was sea-sick, and became very much exhaus-
ted from vomiting and retcling. Occasion
nally I found an almost irresistible tendency
to 20 to sleep, as had slept but little for two
nights preceding The pain in my shoulders
and neck from head and shoulders above the
water became intoIerable and was not able
for hours to make any material change in
my position. I also feltvery faint from exer-
tion and hunger, and towards noon was for
tunate enough to find two or three pieces Of
dried apples and one large fresh apple, which
got hold of after a ten minutes struggle
Ny hands turned purple and became cramped
so that had almost lost the use Of my fng-
ers, and sustained myself upon the plank by
hanging my arms over it. and resting upon
my chest.
/ About an hour before reaching the shore
I was surrounded by a great deal Of debris
from the ship, and amongst the rest discovered
an old ship plank, about l6 or Is feet long
with several long spikes in If, and one or two
mortices. felt that could not hold 70 my
old plank much longer, and that the Other
had appeared Providentially, and could hang
my arms through the holes or aronnd the
spikes. A few minutes, swimming brought
me along side of it, completely exhausted
and l seized hold Of it, and experienced grsa
relief from the change.
As approached nearer, and discovered th'
PERCEPTIONS nature of the bank, which should
: think to be iorty feet high, and almost per
pendicular, could see no possible foundation
for any hope Of escape, as the waves brok'
clear to the foot Of the precipice. / reserved
my strength as much as possible for the ter
ribls struggle that knew was inevitable
Shortly sftsr entering the breakers, and wbel