Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-05-22


the force Of the breakers, until finally,
as we clung TO eur old spot in the main
rigging, the vessel seemed TO lay over on
her beam ends, the heads OF her masts
being seward and our side uppermost.
What could cause this singular move
ment i could not imagine, but
KNEW THE CRISIS WAS COMING,
and we would soon be putting the EN-
bers Of the smouldering fires on the
beach together to warm ourselves by, or
be lying stiff and stark amidst the sea-
weed on the strand. The vessel, as
have before indirectly mentioned, was
laden with lumber, the deck load being
heavy logs of square timber, which |
thought would be driven on shore in
great masses, when once set free by the
breaking up of the sides of the vessel,
and that the danger Of drowning would
be small provided we were not crushed
or injured by the floating wreck as it ca.
reered towards the land
Once or twice she righted, after keel
ing over as described, but finally the
bottom parted company with the top of
the vessel, and the whole fabric was
MASS OF WRECK IN DETAIL,
people, timber, spars, rigging, all over
board in the seething, boiling cauldron.
| popped up beside noble stick of tim
Der, foot square, and thirty or more
feet long, upon which / at once engaged
a passage in whatever direction it might
be going. Ny mind was full Of expedi-
ents for keeping clear of the wreck, the
most important Of which was to dive un-
der my log when | saw the breaker COM
ing, with its crest laden with crushing
material. Somehow had set my face
toward the shore, whether / went that
way or not, and had to look over my
shoulder to observe the approach Of the
breaker, and know when to get under
my log. / think / had come up but
twice, when, to my surprise, found
that my good craft had collected two
more passengers, one of whom was the
carpenter, who was rapidly making
promises of good behavior in the future,
if only the future was allowed him. just
then l observed, by the manner we
changed the range of the fire on shore
and an old wreck, that we were going on
shore very fast. This raised my
spirits very much, and encouraged my
antagonism to the carpenter, whom |
denounced as hypocrite and braggart,
who would be drinking and brawling
again in week. Ny Interruptions to
the poor fellows attempts at piety were
cut short by another huge breaker, which
caused me to dive. Vixen | came up
BOTH MY COMPANIONS WERE MISSING.
As soon as came to the top looked
for my landmarks and saw that was
still going ashore. Over to my right |
now heard the voices of the captain and
his wife. The latter was praying very
fervently, whilst the former was encour-
aging her to hold to the pieces of wreck
they had seized on, and not to be afraid
of drowning on that occasion. He was
so firm, gentle and COOL Pretty soon /
discovered that the breakers did not look
so threatening as they ran after me, in
fact broke before they got to me- there
upon / dismounted from my log, and on
letting myself down to sound, found
THE WATER NOT WAIST DEEP.
/ waded over to where the cap
tain was trying to extricate his wife,
and assisted them to dry land. We soon
saw other figures emerging from the
water, and hearing terrible row down
the beach short distance, we repaired
to the spot and found the carpenter
bowling piteously. He had received
blow on his arm which had dislocated
the elbow joint and disabled him for
long time. Ny rowboat lay moored
inside the bay not two hundred yards
away, and within the same distance from
her brig, ready for sea, rode at anchor,
aboard which l knew we must find
cheer and comforts. So soon as | could
muster party of four or five we started,
and in a very few minutes were disturb
ing the quietly sleeping crew and officers
of the brig aforesaid. They received
and cared for us all in kindly, hospita-
BILE manner. On counting up our peo-
pie next morning.
THREE WERE MISSING,
whose bodies were never recovered. The
mainboom came on shore, but the bag
and money we're both missing. 1t was
supposed that sone Indiana passed
along the hea6h just at dawn and Sc
cured the prize. Next morning the sea
was quite calm and smooth, and our yes.
sci and cargo strewed the beach for a
long distance. Though Captain Tom
linson lost nearly all he possessed that
night, and came near losing his life, he
was not discouraged from entering upon
the same business again as soen as he
could get vessel, and in less than five
ranrs he had amassed a handsome for.