Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-12-09
A Horror Of the Sea.

ScNPASl.-lu ue Gan TIaLClsNo kSS'D
Alta California newspaper reports that
the steamer Moses TAYLOR, on her last
trip from that city to Honolulu, fell in
with and boarded the wreck Of the big
Sheehot, then one hundred and twenty
DAYS out from San Francisco. The ne.
port says:
The sea being quite rough, the brig
lurched heavily, and the boa, approach
ed her with some difficulty She was
boarded, however, 10y the third officer
and a seaman from the steamer who i'm
mediately went aloft into the ioretop.
and finding no one, went into the fore
castle, where they discovered 4 weak,
emacia;ed man. who exclaimed ~ he
saw them: Great God Almighty, am
| saved" He was lifted into the boat
and taken to the steamer, the only arti
Gle brought with him being 3 small
canvas bag containing n nautical alma
nae and vial enclosing sheet Of pa
per, with the date OF the wreck and the
names of the crew andpasSengcrs. Tho
survivor was Captain Luder llopkcn.
The brig WAS caught in 4 cyclone on the
night of July 3, the same date of the
solar eclipse, and was thrown Oh her
beam ends No time was allowed 10
save any provisions or clothing from
the cabin. and were Obliged to retreat
to the toretop 10 prevent being washed
overheard, rs every wave made clean
breach over her The mate, Mr. John
son, died first, six days sitter the disaS-
ter. Two half barrels of salmon, 4 half
barrel of tonCacS and box OF China
starch were tishcd up ont of the hole,
Lut the drinking water was all found TO
be brackiSh. The salmon, tongues,
starch, and few fish caught with ahook
from time to time, and occasionally
little rain water caught in sail, and al
WAYS more or less brackish rom the salt
spray, were all that the ships cow-
pany had 10 subsist on. Captain Hop
ken 5 account of the suilcrings of lis
men and passengers, is most heart.
rcndjng one. After the death of
the mate, on the 9th of July. none &C.
CURED till September 5ili, when they
began TO become dclnious and weak
from hunger and thirst, and several
died or jumped oyerbaord in their delir-
ium. Boils and disease. induced by
hunger and salt water, added TO tho
intensity oftheir suitcringS.
Nine or ten DAYS before the steamer
rescued him, Capt. lIopkcns states that
a bark ran down 10 the wreck, hove 10
for few minutes, and then squared
away without sending of boat or ma
king any effort TO rescue the lives Of
those on board, of whom there were
eight then living. The bark came SO
near that persons could be seen moving
about on deck Those on the brig wero
so weak as 10 enable TO stand, but got
ON their knees and waved pieces Of sail
cloth, hoping 10 attract attention. Their
feelings, as they saw the bark square
away, when 30 near them, may bc better
! imagined than described. Their last
! hope being gone they lay down, and ono
after another died or lcaped overheard.
We take the following from the Hills
! boro R'cOrder: The man who can have
his coffin made while alive, must look at
death philosophcally. We hear OF a
case in point in Pearson county: Mr.
Richard Harris, who lives near Brad
shcrs store, thirty odd years ago turned
ont sassairas tree 10 grow for the pur-
pose of making himself coffin, and
about twelve months ago the old man
had it cut down aud got some one in
Roxborough 60 make his coffin ont Of il,
and stretched himself ont nv way Of
showing bis neighbors n good fit lie
paid the maker of the coffin la whoat,so
he is one living man who will have no
fuss over his grave about the coffin
when dead THIS reminds us of an old
coon in Murirccsboro. y. C., who had =
coffin east OF iron before the war He
bad his grave dug. also, walled Up with
brick, with n magnificent tombstone sct-
ting forth his name, date Of birth, and
fixing his death somewhere about the
year 1861" But he was alive and
kicking in 1868 The old chap kept
his east iron coffin in his corn crib and
used to shell corn in it, The crib need.
ell no lock at night, for You coldn't get
negro to 90 there after dark.