The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-06-24
From the DetroitaFree Press.l
HOW TT FEELS TO DROWN.
The Story Of a Sailors .Experience,


A sailor named George Forbes, who ar
rived here Saturday on board the scow
Kate, loaded with wood from Georgian
Bay, gave our reporter the particulars of
a perilous adventure which occurred to
him on Thursday night last, while the YES
sci was beating about in squall about
twenty miles off Port Huron. His escape
from death was SO truly marvellous, and
his sensations while drowning so curious
and well-defncd, that the narrative will
be read with interest. q 1
"When the squall struck the scoW,"
says Mr.. Forbes, II was on the look Tout
ahead; we have only three men and q boy
and as one was at the wheel, of course two
were off watch and below. The gusts set
everything to rafting; it seemedfor mo-
ment as is every stitch of canvas was go
ing into the lake. Yelling out to the
watch, | had first jumped on the rail to
mount the shrouds, when the wheelsman
gave her one too much, her head came
spinning up into the winds eye, and
had not time to heed his cry of alarm be-
fore the jibbing- boom struck me fullin the
back. The next instant was going down,
down, the surging, chilly waters of the
lake surging and gurgling round my head.
I felt the full nature and extent of the
calamity, and realized even before / came
to the surface, that should have swim
for life. Ihave sailed the lakes for forty
years, seen good deal of hard service,
and l made up my mind not to knock I'M
der until the last foot of cable had run
out. / had on heavy clothes, and a big
pair of brogans, and when [ popped up
among the white-caps. Immediately com
menced trying to divest myself Of the
heavy weights With the waves knock
ing me right and lett, and the seethlng
waters rolling me over and over, this was
no easy task; but at length got my shoes
and coat of, and then / felt more like a
swim. had by this time drifted far to
leeward of the scow, but the excited
voices of the men came over the water to
my ears. knew that had been missed,
and that search would be made for me as
soon as the force of the squalll had passed
away The water seemed like ice. / had
hard work to keep my arms in motion.
tried floating, but the ugly white-caps
filed my mouth in spite of all could do,
and l had to confine my exertions to sim
ply keeping my head above the angry
waves. / halloed several times, but real
izing that the screaming wind drowned
my voice saved my breath for swim.
Drifting and swimming, | went farther
and farther into the gloomy blackness to
leeward, and the rattling of the cordage
and the shouts of the men soon died away
in the distance. 1 am married man, and
have wife and two children at Saugeen,
Ontario. We sailors look rough, and
some of us have bad habit of swearing
and drinking; but then, we that have a
mate and little ones don't entirely forget
them Going into the black darkness,
half mile to leeward, began to feel
that was drifting farther from help and
nearer to death. The water was getting
thoroughly stirred up, and the way the
caps raped me back and forth made me
weak. thought of Lizzie and the two
little girls, and my heart frightened up
like string when / thought that my
dead body might go smashing about
among the breakers month before being
picked up. When we came down before,
and laid at this dock over Sunday, an old
gray headed man gave me tract, which
told something about-well, Mister, you
have seen EN-, and you know we would
all be better to read more of 'em. Well,
every word of that little tract came right
up before my eyes, and went ringing
through my brain.
After time the wind went down, the
sea got little smother, and I felt sure
that should soon hear from the scow. I
out with will, when a sudden cramp
IL l.
another stroke. / felt like lump of
lead. Ny head began to spin around,
a great lump rose up IN my throat and
choked me, and my eyes closed up as if a
weight had been hung on the lids. be-
gan to drown; / felt it, then came feel
ing something like red-hot iron being
drawn through my brain; my head felt
like fire. A humming, roaring noise went
through my ears; my body felt as light
as feather The waves carried me about
without an effort on my part, and laugh
edit seemed so curious that | actually
laughed. I didn't care to be picked up
didn't care for Lizzie-only wanted to
float and drift forever on the rollers. The
water came into my face and mouth,
but never tried to keep my head up. II
wouldn't have moved my finger to have
been aboard the scow 1t grew darker
and darker; the old fre-feeling coming
through my head again. Something
clutched me by the leg and drew me
down. rocked to and fro, felt noise
like the discharge of cannon, and then
dropped to sleep
Forbes had foated all of mile to lee
ward of the scow, which lowered her boat
as soon as the squall abated, and pulled
away, not, however, with the slightest |