The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-11-11

Amona Tie Ill, I'll rous diss stars ID the
coast fishing vessels In tie recent great
gale, were the complete wrecks Of TWO
Rockport schooaers, with their crews, and
but one survivor, Charles Jordan Of the
schooner Helen Eliza, returned totelE the
tale of peril and escape; the rest of the
twelve brave sailors were swept out of Life
as their craft went TO pieces near Peaks
Island, in Portland harbor, leaving desc
late FIVE widows and seven. orphans, be-
sides the mothers, sisters and sweethearts
who VIII mourn the unmarried seamen-
The captain became alarmed at the threat
ening 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 anchors were thrown
out and lost, the cable swapping like
thread; the rudder was poEerless as a
feather, and In twenty minutes OF un-
governed running, the vessel struck the
| ledge. Mr. Jordan was In the f0recastle,
stripping off his heavier clothes for the
chance Of life, when the bow was smashed
| in, and five men near him we're killed In
stantly. He Immediately ran into the
hold, when a tremendous sea knocked off
the deck and he was swept into the raging
waters. With GOODNESS hardly credita-
bic, 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 each of them speak of their fear
flu position, and doubt whether they
would be able to hold on: and heard
them interchange the promise that if
either was saved he would tell the folks
at home all about it. 1t required Jor-
dams utmost efforts to keep the barrel In
position, az the uniertOw was very pow
erful, and so more perilous still was the
endeavor to safely land upon rocky
ledge amid the terrible surf; the waves
at one time heaving him toward the ledge,
and then retreating, would engulf him in
their treacherous grasp, threatening every
moment to bury him beneath the water.
When he finally succeeded, then came
toisome passage up the jagged ledge, and
he reached the top completely exhausted.
While resting, he heard the voice of
shipmate hailing some one. He ANSWERED.,
telling where he was, and 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 come In. So
with brief respite he again plunged into
the seething waters; another terrible con-
flict with the surf followed, in which it
seemed impossible for him to make any
Roadway, as his strength was fast falling.
Words ere inadequate to describe such
situation. Moments seemed like hours,
and the sullen roar of the waters as they
beat upon the rocks was an awful accom-
paniment to the burden of his fears At
ter his departure efforts had cleared him
from the breakers, his misfortunes were
not over, for he dropped into fresh wa
ter pond as he climbed over a wall in his
progress inland, which was supplement
tary calamity quite unnecessary to one
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 that lived to
return home; and out of a crew OF thirty
men wrecked off Cape Cod, he was the
only one saved. He has certainly fair
right to consider himself the subject of
providential interposition.