Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-10-06
4 SWIM FOR LIFE.
Third Interposition of Providence.


From the Springfield Republican, Sept, %.
Among the numerous disasters to the
coast fishing vessels in the recent great
gale were the complete wrecks of two
Rockport schooners, with their crews, save
one survivor. Charles Jordan, of the
schooner Helen Eliza, returned to tell the
tale of his peril and escape; the rest of her
twelve brave sailors were swept out Of life
rs their craft went to pieces near Peaks
island in Portland harbor, leaving desolate
five widows and seven orphans, besides the
mothers, sisters, or sweethearts who Will
mourn the unmarried seamen. 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 out and lost, the cables
swapping like thread; the rudder was pow
erless as a feather, and in twenty minutes
of ungoverned running, the VESSEL struck
the ledge. Mr.. Jordan was in the fore
castle stripping off his heavier clothes for
the chance of life, when the bow was
smashed in, and five men near him were
instantly killed. He Immediately ran into
the hold, when IL tremendous sea knocked
off the deck and he was swept into the
raging waters. With coolness hardly
creditable, he realized his position, and
swan for the wreck, which he reached,
and clinging to it regained his breath.
Soon after he was fortunate enough to catch
an empty barrel, for which he abandoned
the wreck. The waves ran fearfully high
and as he was borne along he passed two of
his shipmates, clinging to plank. He
heard them each speak of their fearful po-
sition, and doubt whether they would be
able to hold on: and heard them inter-
change the promise that if either was saved
he would tell the folks at home all about it.
It required Jor(lan's utmost efforts to keep
the barrel in position, as the undertow was
very powerful and so more perilous still
was the endeayor to safely land upon n
rocky ledge amid the terrible surf; the
waves at one time heaying him toward the
ledge, then retreating, would engulf 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 a ship
mate hailing some one. He answered. tell
ing where he was, and encouraging the 9th
er to try to get upon the ledge, but that
was the last heard Of him. He soon found
that the ledge did not form a part of the
island, but was covered at high water, and
the tide was already coming III. 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 headway, as his strength was
fast failing. Words are inadequate to de-
scribe such Il situation. Moments seemed
like hours, and the sullen roar of the wa
ters as they beat upon the rocks was an aw-
ful accompaniment to the burden of his
fears. After his desperate efforts had clear
ed him from the breakers, his misfortunes
were not over, for he dropped into fresh
water pond, as he climbed over q wall in
his progress inland which was supple
mentary calamity quite unnecessary to the
poor fellows comfort. An especially re-
markable fact is that this is the third time
that Mr.. Jordan has been the sole survivor
of disaster. Out of company of eighty
confined in Libby prison during the war,
he Was the only one who lived to return
home; and out of a crew of thirty men
wrecked on Cape Cod, he was the only one
saved. He has certainly fair right to con-
slider himself the subject of providential
interpoSition.