The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-10-08
A SWIM FOR LIFE.


THIRD Interposition OF Providence.
From the Springfield Republican, Sept, %.
Among the numerous disasters to th,
coast fishing vessels IN the recent great
Gale were the complete wrecks Of two
l,ockpurt schuoners, with their crews, saw
one survivor. Charles Jordan, of the
schooner Helen Eliza, returned to tell the
tale of his peril aud escape; the rest Of her
twelve brave sailors were swept out of life
as their craft went to pieces near Peaks
island in Portland harbOr, leaving desolnto
i've widows and seven orphans, besides the
mothers, sisters, or s~weethcnrts who will
mourn the unmarried seamcn. The cap
tain became alarmed at the threatening
skies on the morning of the fatal day, and
ran for Portland.
The violence Of the storm, however,
came upon the vessel too soon; both an
chors were thrown ont and lost, the cables
swapping like thread; the rudder was pow
crless NJ Il feather, and in twenty minutes
Of ungoverned running, the vessel struck
the ledge. Mr.. Jordan was in the fore
castle, stripping of his heavier clothes for
the chance of life, when the bow was
smashed in, and Ave men near him were
instantly killed. He Immediately ran into
the hold, when a tremendous sea knocked
OH the deck and he was swept into the
raging waters. With n GOODNESS hardly
creditnble, he realized his position, and
swan fer the wreck, which he reached,
aud clingiug to 1t regained his breath.
Soon after he was fortunate enough to catch
an empty barrel, for which he abandoned
the wreck. The waves ran f%earfully high,
and Us he was borne along he passed two Of
his shipmates, clinging to n plank. He
Iauv1 NH.V. ...l gVanuE Of Nhnfr lnnVlrl No
sition, and doubt whether they would be
able to hold on; and heard them inter
change the promise that il either was saved
he would tell the folks at home all about il.
II required Jordan's utmost efforts TO keep
the barrel in position, as the undcrtow was
very powerful, and so more p]crilous still
was the endeavor TO safely land upon a
rocky ledge amid tho terrible surf; the
waves at one time heaying him toward the
ledge, then rotreating, would cngulf him in
their treacherous grasp, threatening every
moment to bury him beneath the water
When he finally succeeded, then came a
toilsome passage up the Jagged ledge, and
he reached the top completely exhausted.
While resting, he heard the voice OF q ship
mate mailing some one. He answered, tell
ing where lac was, and encouraging the 9TH
or TO try to got upon the ledge, but that
was the last heard OF him. lie soon found
that the ledge did not form o part OF the
island, but was covered at high water, aud
the tide was already coming in. SO with
brief respite heagain plunged into the seeth.
ing waters; another terrible conflict with the
surf followed, in which he was unable
TO make any Roadway, as his strength was
fast failing. Words are inadequate 10 de
scribe such Il situation. Moments seemed
like hours, and the sullen roar of the wa
tiers Ms they beat uponthc rocks was nm aw-
ful accompaniment to the burden of his
fears. After his desperate efforts had clear
ed him from the breakers, his misiortunes
were not over, for he dropped into n fresh
water pond, rs he climbed over a wall in
his progress inland, which was n supple
mentary calamity quite unnecessary to the
poor fellows comfort. An especially rc.
marknble fact Is that this is the third time
that Mr.. Jordan has been the sole survivor
Of disaster. Out Of q company Of eighty
confined in Libby prison during the war,
he was the only u who lived to return
home; and ont OF a OreV OF thirty men
wrecked on Cape Cod, no was the only one
saved. lie has certainly a fair right to con-
slider himself the subject OF proyidcntiM
intprnogition