The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-23

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+ Rtchard Smith, the Hran,an oil the iIL ated
Missouri, arrived On Saturday in the steaH1.
ship Eoininbta, from Hayana. He tells the
following story Of his escape from hesbHrn.
ing ship, and bis Subsequent sufferit1gs while
drifting about upon the ocean for seven days
without food Or water: III. Re - y !
When the fire in the ship bad got beyond
control the captain gave the orders to stop
the engines md launch the bolts. Smith
jumped into a bout containing nine men, and
nearly filed with water. After drifting about
for ffteen ortwenty minutes they saw another
boat, the occupants of which gave them a
bucket. Smith and his companions attempted
to- bail their boat, but the sea ran so high
that it was impossible to empty it. They
kept rowing until or O'Clock in the morn
ing, and then saw another boat, bottom up,
Wath two men clinging to it. Smith swan
to- the capsized boat for the pur-
pose OF righting her. One Of the men
that was clinging to her took Smiths
place in the other boat. 1t was dark and the
two boats soon drifted out of sight of each
other, leaving Smith and one Stewart alone
on the capsized boat. While clinging to the
boats keel, the sea dashing over them, they
heard the wild screams of the women and
children who were still in the burning ship,
until the masts tottered and fell and the yes
sci went down beneath the waves. Smith
and Stewart finally succeeded in righting
their boat, and lashed the oars across it to
prevent it from again capsizing. The boat
was still full of water, and was washed from
stem to stern by every sea. Smith prayed
to God to save them, and while he was pray
ing wave dashed over him, filing his eyes,
mouth, and nose with salt water and almost
binding him.
at daybreak they made paddles of the
boat seats ana padded all day. The sharks
followed the boat constantly, and Smith fire.
quently hit them with his paddle. On the
morning of the third day they succeeded in
bailing the boat, and then made sail out of
canvass torn from life preserver. They
had not morsel Of food nor drop of water,
and their sufferings were terrible. On the
third night, while sitting at one end Of the
boat, he was startled by voice crying
"Help! help!" 1t was the voice Of bis
companion, who had fallen into the ocean.
Smith jumped into the water and saved him.
He was just in time. A shark had seen
Stewart and darted at the boat with open
laws Just as Smith drew him out of the
water. The shark remained all night along.
side of the boat. Smith drove it away SeYe-
raj times with his paddle, but the hideous
monster always returned, and the boat was
soon surrounded by huge sharks that seemed
to be waiting for their prey. Stewart was
very much excited. He fell on Smiths neck
a dozen times, and thanked him for having
saved his life. He said he was not afraid
to die, but did not want to die SO horrible a
death. This night seemed to last an age.
At day break they saw SAIL They rowed
toward the ship, they shouted and signalled,
but it was all in vain; nobody could hear
them, and the ship sailed out of sight. As
the dark outlines of the ship became fainter
and fainter their hearts sank, and they gave
up all hope of being saved. Smith says he
felt no hunger, although he had not tasted
food for four days. He prayed constantly
for sight of land. He forgot the cold, the
binding spray, the thirst, the hunger, in
that one thought. He would look for land
until his eyes became weary and he could
look no longer. At last rainstorm came,
and the two men caught enough of fresh
water to wet their parched lips. The relief
was dearly paid for, as the rain poured in
torrents and the wind increased to gale,
until clouds and waves seemed to be one
mass of dashing foam. Still they were thank
full for the few drops Of water they caught
upon their lips, for had it not been for the
storm they would probably have died Of
thirst.
Seven days and nights Of intense suffering
passed away, and on the morning of the
eighth day they caught sight of land. They
embraced each other and shed tears Of JOY.
They had struck OH a reef about mile and
Il half from Abaco. 1t was 5 O'Clock in the
morning. 1t was q wild, lonely spot, and
there were no signs of vegetation. Smith
crawled on his hands and feet looking for
something to eat. He found some spider
crabs and few prickly pears. He ate some
of the crabs-thc first food he had tasted for
eight days. He took the pears to Stewart.
Never in my life has anything tasted to me
50 sweet" said Stewart, after he had eaten
the first pear. Smith ate some, too, and
thought they were delicious. 4 dozen OF
these prickIy pears lasted them three days.
They built themselves small hut out OF one
oar and mass OF weeds which Smith had
found among the rocks.
Stewart had suffered terribly from hunger.
He said, O. know shall starve to death. |
have been saved from the sharks to die of
starvation" At night he rllcd. The hun
ger had driven him to madness. He raved
about his family, his wife aud bis children,
and Rugged Smith to his heart in the belief
that he was his son. One night they were
sleeping together in their tent, and all Ola sud
den Stewards breath seemed to cease. Smith
felt his friends body; it was warm. But in
the next moment his pulse had stopped.
Smith felt his friends body again; it was
cold. Smith quit the tent and sat on the rocks
all night. lie could not sleep in the tent
with the corpse of his friend. The next
morning he dragged the body 10 the rocks
and covered it with sand and seaweed.
Smith spent fifteen days on the rocks. On
the sixteenth day o schooner hove in sight.
He made signal out of the dead Stewards
Dantaloons. Twcnty-four hours passed be-
fore the signal was seen by any one Oh board
the approaching vessel. Meantime Smith,
weak from suffering, had sunk back upon
the rocks, unable to move. Suddenly ne
heard a voice ; it seemed to him almost like
dream. Here is man." the voice said,
I" but l don't know whether he is dead or
alive" Smith heard another voice, NO,
captain, this man is not dead; see him
move" The words revived him. He jump
ed m. and tainted into the arms of the cap