The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-08
From the New Yor Ledger.
A CAPTIVE AMONG ARABS.
by EMERSON BENNETT.

During recent conversation with a
very Intelligent old gentleman, whose
acquaintance We formed by travelling
by rail aud boat between two of our
principal cities, he incidentally men
,ionsd something which occurred the
year following among the Arabs.
"Aud were you ever indeed cap
tive among that wild, brutal race % we
inquired, with that degree Of curious iu-
terest usually excited by the expecta-
ton Of hearing narrative of adventure
and suffering.
"Ay, brutal race indeed y be said,
compressing his lips; "and through
life l shall carry twenty good proofs of
the fact in the shape of as many scars. (
This being sort of affirmative an
aver to my question, We expressed a
strong desire to hear the story of his
nisfortunes.
"Well," he replied, g. will tell you
something of what happened to me
> the most important facts and events, ra-
ther than a minute detail. To begin,
then, YOU must know that, in the year
1918, [ sailed from the port of Boston
for the Cape Verde Islands, but never
reached my intended destination Some
where near the coast of Africa-I never
lnew exactly whsre-the vessel caught
fire, and after trying in vain to subdue
the flames, we all took to the boats to
save our lives. There were three boats,
with part of the crew and passengers
in each--so divided by the master, or
captain, that all might have chance Of
being saved. Each boat was provided
with water and provisions sufficient for
three days-the fright of all parties, and
the rapidity of the flames, preventing us
from securing more.
1--WE put to sea in company, steering
westward, in the hope of soon making
land, but violent storm came on the
night following, and we all became
J. separated. The two boats I never saw
again. nor ever heard of the nineteen
souls they contained. 1t is probable
they went down in the storm. In fact,
1T was almost miracle that we did not
share the same fate. For three days
and nights we were tossed about by the
winds and waves, sometimes our boat
nearlv full Of water, requiring the most
active exertions at bailing, and once We
were upset, losing two OF our number
by drowning, and all our provisions and
water, and our compass besides.
Is AT last, in the darkness Of night,
without knowing where we were, our
boat was caught and whirlei about in
roaring surf, and then stove to pieces.
There were lond shrieks Of terror and
distress, and these were the last sounds
of my unfortunate companions that ever
reached my eprs. ! remember finding
nyself struggling ia the water, and be
lisving each moment would be my last;
but Heaven, it seems, had decreed
was not to perish then or there.
There was period of unconscious
= ness, however, for l remember rousing
up, as it were, from horrible dream,
only to find the reality still more horri-
BILE. 1t was still as dark as pitch, the
wind shrieking and bowling, and the
surf laundering and roaring. was
lying, bruised and half dead, npon a
beach composed Of alternate rocks and
sand, whitherI had been cast by some
lnonstrous wave or dash Of the sea, and
as soon as comprohended my situa-
tion, though half regretting that the ills
of life were not already over, | crawled
up to point where ! was secure from
being carried back into the ocean, and
there remained, without further effort
at preservation, through the long, horri-
bic night.
Av"oiA AAViHlnS thc e'otn CledIeu
away, but at daylight the sea remained
violently agitatsd, and the roaring of
the foam. covered surf was as loud as
heavy thunder ] looked eagerly along
the barren and desolate beach, in the
hope Of finding some of my late COM
panions alive, but nothing human met
my view. All we're gone, leaving me,
% far ~ know aud believe, the only
living human being Of the twenty nine
souls that sailed out of Boston harbor.
I" As had not tasted food for at least
forty-eight hours, and was besides CON-
!, plstely worn down by my recent exer.
tions, and - lame and stiff, from my
bruises and exposure, as to I've able only
70 move with much effort and pain, it
will p6o 1ffv hnF