The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-10-28
A sstlss ron LIFE.
qIuno .srssroarps or rpoyrDrNcr.


AmaaG tie numerous disasters 10 the
COAST, t~hiFg vessels IN the recent great
gasa were the eonPlete wrecks of two
NOckr0rt sefloohers, with their crews, and
but vne survivor, Charles Jordan, of the
schooner HeLeh E7.F1, returned to trlI the
tHle of his peril and escape The rest of
the twelve brave sailors were swept out Of
h4eas their craft went To pieces near Pr.k s
Island. IN Portland harbnr, leaving desc
Iaie i've widows and seven orphans, be-
sides mothers, sisters, ar sweeihcats ts who
viii mourn The unmarried seamcn The
captain became alarmed ai the threaten.
ing skies ON the morning oi the fatal day,
and ran for Portland. The violence of
TUE storm, fO~eyer. came upon the vessel
too soon bIih anchurs were thrown ont
and the cable swapping like thread; the
rudder WA powerless as feather, and in
twenty minutes of ungoverned running,
the vessel struck tile ledge. Mr.. Jordan
was ia the forecastlc, stripping off his
heavier clothes for the chance of life, when
the bow was smashed in and five men
near him were killed Instantly. He inn
Heeiately ran into the hold, when tre-
mendous sea knocked off the deck and he
was swept into the raging waters. With
GOODNESS hardly credible, he realized his
position, and swan for the wreck, which
be reached, and, clinging to the wreck,
regained his breath. Suon after he was
fortunate enough to catch an empty bar
rel, for which he abandoned the wreck
Tho waves ran fearfully high. and as he
was borne along he passed two of his ship
mates, clneing 10 plank. He heard
them each speak Of their fearful position,
and doubt whether they would be able to
hold on and heard them interchange the
promise that if either Of them were saved
he would tell them at home all about il
il required his utmost efforts TO keep the
barrel in position, as the under flow was
powerful, and 30 mnre perilous aiill was
the endeavor 70 land upon rocky ledge,
then retreaiing, would enguf him in the
treacheross grasp, threatening every mo-
mont TO bury him beneath the water -
When be finally succeeded, then came a
toilsone passage up the jagged ledge, and
be reached the top completely exhausted
While resting, he heard the voice Of u ship
mate hailing some one lie answered,
telling where lac was, anil encouraging the
other TO try TO get upon the ledge, but that
was the last heard of him He soon found
that the ledge did not form part of the
island, but was covered at high water,
and the tide was already coming in So,
after brief respite, he again plunged into
the seething waters; another conflict with
the surf followed, in which it seemed i'm
possible fol him to make any headway,
as his strength was fast failing Words
are inadequate to describe such situation.
Moments seemed like hours, and the suI-
len roar of the waters as they beat upon the
rocks was an awful accompaniment 10 the
burden of his fears. After his desperate
efforts had cleared him from the breaker,
his misfortunes were not over, for he drop
ped into fresh water pond as he climbed
over a wall in his progress inland, which
was a supplementary calamity quite unne-
eessary to the poor fellows comfort An
especially remarkable fact is, that this is
the third time that Mr. Jordan has been
the sole survivor of disaster Out Of
company Of 80 confined in Libby prison
during The war, he was the only one who
lived TO return home and out of crew
of thirty men wrecked on Cape Cod, he
was the only one saved. He has certain
ly fair right to consider himself the sub
ject of providentiai nterposition. on.-Spring-
field Mass. Republican.