The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-09-17

cramped position, and when lifted proved
to be worse than useless in the course we
were taking, and was laid aside.
"At night Mr.. Welch decided to lay
to, though we thought it unnecessary, but
there was no other way to keep him.
This gave us
A NIGHT Of STEADY TOLL,
it was so difficult to keep our boat to
windward with no steerage way. Con-
stant pulling was necessary. Mr.. Baur-
hite and myself taking turns at the steer
ing oar. During the last hour of night l
was reclining, and when day broke l
heard the remark that our leader had re-
sumed his course. instantly perceived
that his course was due north, and we
decided at once no longer to follow him
and turned TO the south. Not long after
he did the same. 1t was absolutely nec-
essary that the men should have some
rest, and we commenced pulling to oars,
only for this purpose. BY the seaweeds
l made careful note of progress, and
made it not much more than one-half
mile an hour to the south and drifting to
westward quite as much l then con-
sidered myself justified in taking what
responsibility l might and soon convinced
Mr.. Baurhite of the hopelessness of this
course. The boat was put about, the sail
put up, and we were going before the
wind at the rate of four miles an hour or
more. 1t was no longer possible for the
men to assist with the oars and they were
laide aside, All day
WE DROVE ALONG BEFORE THE GALE
over and through mountains and valleys
Of water, constantly shipping seas and
bailing out, hopeful and as cheerful as
might be under the circumstances, but
bemoanng the loss Of the previous
day, which l certainly regretted more than
all the misspent days of my previous life,
and they are many.
ut would be impossible to speak too
highly in praise of our men. had told
them on starting that, though our case
was now far more hopeful, we still had
with US and before US perils such as few
are ever called to encounter. 1t was
only possible to servive them by every man
doing his whole duty. If the waves did
not overwhelm us we might be several
days at their mercy, and reduced to the
last extremity for food and water. My
hope was to reach land on the Bahama
Islands, in the direction of Nassau, which
islands, believed not more that 20C
miles distant that in thirty-six hours
if the wind held good, we might hope tc
be in the track of vessels, where We
might be picked up. 1t is little in thei
praise to say that they gave ample proc
of possessing all the qualities that fit mel
for the desperate circumstances in which
we were placed. always ready for any
service, and satisfied to receive the pit
tance of water and food l judged it pru
dent to give them twice day.
/ FEMALE HERoIsM.
, "It was plain to me that there was fo
! them potent inspiration in the presenc
. of the young girls who sat facing them i
the stern sheets. Sometimes a song fror
. Ellen, when her intervals of distressin
> sickness would permit, and the firm faitl
{ Of all that God designed to bring u
through can never be forgotten. Tn
3 burden of steering fell on MIR, Baurhit
and myself, as there was no other me
b that could be trusted for moment at tn
: helm, and when utterly exhausted, W
took our intervals of rest, there being n
, room for reclining elsewhere. the girl
: would insist on pillowing our heads. An
how else we, neither of us strong, coul
=, have survived that scventy-two hours c
steady hard work and uninterrupted mel
4 vous tension,
# WITHOUT FOOD OR SLEEP,
S | know not. AT one time when, wit
: her wonderful facility for making Dol
t. ster Of herself, Maggie nad given my hea
IS position, she said in brogue, "Ye swet
angel of heaven ye saved my life."
d then remembered, for the first time, tina
l. it was she that | had pulled out of tn
l. water, when our first boat foundered
l. God bless those noble girls who, haviu
II left In the fated ship the earnings Of a
n the toll Of their lives thus far, eagerl
d gave us their last dress skirts with whic
= to make sails
n cat four O'Clock p. NJ. of the thir
n day out, greatly to my surprise,
D" WE SIGHTED LAND ON OUR PORT BOW.
q Our sensations none can understand III
=. til they are in like circumstances. "
!. hauled up as much as we could and mac
1t for land. This made our progress les
;. and there was evidently strong It'd
IN against us. With sail and hard pullir
D, we reached it at eight. In the di
10 moonlight we could find no break in Il
surf sufficiently assuring to make an a
" tempt to land in the night, and judged
,e prudent to hold off till daylight, and,
n. possible, keep the same position, as OIL
Ir place in the coast offered some hope tn
* landing might be made. Thund
: showers with violent wind, for nearly ii
whole night were pressing us toward Il
n, beach, aud it was only by the united e
;, ergy of every man that we could ke'
nj ourselves
ynI OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEATH,
OF yawning and roaring close behind I
,g Our immediate peril here was great
ID than had at any time before threaten
st us, and it seemed only an interpositon
divine grace, giving US more than natu
al endurance, that enabled US to wear o
n. the storm and the night, We gave fl
as drink of water all around, and nothil
,o remained in the breaker. This ga
. heart to the men and materially served
er quiet the two old women, who had b
,b come delirious and were continually ma
ry ing attempts to go overheard.
te AT break Of day we put the be
II about without difficulty, but safely. {
or that Sabbath morning and solitary bea
ra our thanks for deliverance we're as 81