The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-10-03

they had shaken the water out of their
eyes, looked about them a little, and
found their numbers undiminished, they
held consultation on their condition, and
the chances for and against their rescue.
The prospect of affairs was certainly net
inspiIiting, and to people possessed of less
| buoyant dispositions than themselves would
have appeared hopeless. They were cling
ing to the wreck of a small boat, their
ship was hidden from sight by clouds of
rain-for the storm had now come on in all
its fury-and the land was invisible for
the same cause. The sea was rising fast,
the wind blowing perfect hurricane, and,
worse than all, they were drifting with full
force of wind and tide into the Caribbean
Sea; once there, out of the track of vessels,
and far from any land, their fate would be
certain. Such being the state of things,
many hopes were expressed that the ship
would send boats in search of them. Com
Portable suggestions, but with too little
| foundation. AT last the two eldest de-
! termined upon plan, which nothing but
the desperate emergency of the case could
| have suggested. 1t was to attempt to
|
miles from them; they were both first-rate
swimmers, and, as far as the distance was
concerned, might have attempted it on a
! calm day without much fear of failure; but
! in a heavy sea the case was different, and
both wind and tide, though not dead
against them, combined to sweep them
| down under the lee of the island. Above
all, the place swarmed with shaIks. Moth
ing daunted. however, these two brave
fellows stripped to the skin, and, after
short goodbye, and hurried exhortation
to the big ones to hold the little ones on,
and all 80 keep up their pluck, they leaped
into the sea.
| cannot describe with what feelings
they left their little boat, which, though a
frail support enough, seemed like an ark
of refuge, when compared to the pitiless
waves, to whose mercy they committed
themselves. They had both resolved to
! stick to one another as long as they lasted,
| both for mutual encouragement, and as
some sort of protection against the much
| dreaded sharks. For nearly an hour they
swan on, sometimes lying on their backs
/ to rest, sometimes striking out again for
dear life. Up to this time, although much
! fatigued, they had seen no sharks; and
they were encouraged by glimpse,
through a break in the gale, of the land,
as it rose dark and forbidding above its
white fringe of breakers. But all at once,
without moments notice, they were sur
rounded on all sides by black fins. An ex-
clamation of despair forced itself from
them at this sight, and both waited in
agony Of suspense for the moments Of pain
which were 20 end their existence; still
they mechanically swan on, and, to their
surprise, the sharks, although playing all
around them, did not touch them. They
| made continual short rushes at them, and,
when the poor fellows closed their eyes in
all the agony of death, passed by them; or,
turning on their backs, they would open
their monstrous jaws, and close their teeth
with loud crash within few inches of
their victims body. Ono of these men
| said afterwards that he felt at that time
! like a mouse in tho power OF osst, tIrs.G
plays with the poor wretch before she
makes her supper off it. Still, however,
they SWAN on, the thunder roaring, the
lightning flashing above them, struggling
against a heavy sea, terrific wind, and
strong tide, tired and exhausted, with
| these horrid monsters swimming around
them One often reads of nights of terror
| that turn mans hair gray. Many of
these may be considered peaceful when
compared with the horrors of that five
hours swim. At last, however, they sue
ceedeG in nearing the extreme end of the
island the sharks one by one left them;
the last, however, made a farewell plunge
at the lad nearest him, and, though he
missed him with his teeth, struck him
violent blow in the stomach with his strong
tail The poor fellow called out, and his
companion, who was swimming a few
wards in advance, though thoroughly ex-
hausted returned to his friends assist
ance; he supported him until he recovered
sufficiently to proceed, and at last they
once more touched the firm ground They
struggled up to the beach, and lay down
for a few minutes utterly worn out; but
the thought of their comrades clinging to
that upturned boat reused them to fresh
exertions. After staggering on for about
half a mile in the direction of some houses,
they met number of negroes, who, as our
heroes were entirely naked, attacked them
with stones, and they would in all proba
b;litv have fallen victims to this "nigger"
sense of decency had not an officer for
tunately passed by at the moment and
; recognized them.
Tn few minutes their story was told,
and prompt measures were adopted to res
cue the remainder of the party. Boats
were quickly launched under the lee of the
island. and the two mates. although near
" dead from exhaustion, persisted in en-
barking in them. The danger was not yet
, over. for the sea was running mountains
biob. the gale had little abated, and the