American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-25

the dark. expected another step when yOl
We're on the level, and got a jerk whicl
tried every nerve in your body? Well
that was the effect. Whether 1 wa
throw out of my berth, or jumped dow
in panic, l don't know. l remembe
trampling ON something, which mus
have been the diamond merchant; stumb
ling into the saloon, catching a glimps'
OF three wild-eyed passengers, prostrat,
hitherto with sea-sickness, but now curet
by fear; struggling up the cabin stairs
against torrent of water which cam,
pouring down them; and at last reaching
| the deck.
The day was breaking. The wind ha6
gone down somewhat. A low line o.
coast was visible in the distance. The
steamer was aground, heeling over heI
port side, and the waves were buffetting
her to pieces. 1 managed to climb to the
starbOard side of the funnel, the base OF
| the steep deck. while the bulwarks and
paddle-box behind formed barrier
against the violence ofthc waves.
But this latter advantage did not last
long; plank by plank, paddle-bOx and
bulwarks were torn to pieces, and the
loose splinters were fresh source of dan
ger. A sailor clinging to the skylight
over the engines, not far from my station,
had his arms broken by a mass of wood
and iron which was hurled against him !;
and then the waves, which now washed
the deck without opposition, had him at
their mercy. They rolled him back, away
from ME, then threw him forward almost
to my feet, so that could see his pitifnl.
appealing eyes but before could clutch
him, they snatched him away again. So
they worried him to death, and then
sported with his corpse.
There were two boats; the captain and
crew attempted to get one aflOat; but the
gear was out of order, or they were clum-
sy. or the situation was unfavOrable. Any
way, the boat Was capsiZed, and some of
those who were trying to launch it WERE
I think. crushed, Judging by the cry
heard. The other boat, which was near
me, had side stove In, but amongst the
ruins OF it saw the yellow rim of a life
buoy, which L determined to have. 1t
was task of peril and difficulty to reach
the place, but effected it. and there, in
side the boat, clinging to the thwarts,
found my old man, the diamond-mer-
chant.
''Mine! mine!" he cried, when 1 had
disentangled the life-buoy, and passed one
of my arms through it. He could not
have meant that it was his private proper
ty, because the name of the steamer was
painted upon it; l suppose he had formed
the intention to appropriate it before l
came, and his strength had failed him.
The boat proved better protection than
it had looked. When the large waves
struck the stranded vessel. they rose up
and enveloped her, flooding the decks
with water, which poured off them again
in cataracts. l found on each occasion
that the boat was lifted at the same time
that it was flooded, and this of course
brought relief when the refiux came. l
had not, as before: to cling hard to pre-
vent being dragged away, the give of the
boat as it foated and subsidized, easing the
strain.
The vessel was settling down in the
sands, burying herself as she swayed, bur-
rowing like mudfish; it was plain that
no living thing subject to drowning could
remain with her long. 1t had been broad
daylight now for hours; we were in the
mouth of some river, for land could be
seen on both sides. But no vessel coming
to our assistance, was visible. 1t was a
mere question of time, however: the wind
had gone down, and the sea was not too
rough for good boat ; we We're sure to
be seen. With the aid of the life-buOy, a
man might well float till he was picked
up, and its value was evidently immense.
Mine!' reiterated the old man, clutch
ing at it as the boat was flOated for lon
ger time than it had been yet. And when
the water receded, and we were once more
stranded on the deck, he felt in his breast,
drew out a leather case, and cried: "A
fortune for it! a fortune for t!''
looked at the nearest bank; it seemed
quite possible for strong swimmer to
reach it. and was a very st, ong SWIM
BILE. Money was not worth steady indus
try, sustained self-denial, but it was well
worth striking one blow for.
son your word as 4 dying man," said,
''do you believe that If I survive, shall
get ten thousand for the seventy-five jew
els ~
s.Double, on my oath-double!
l took my arm out of the life-buOy, and
put it over his shoulder, at the same time
the leather-case.
L had run up on deck in my shirt and
and was pOcketless; so took off
a handkerchief had round my head, tied
the jewels up in that, and then secured it
about my waist.
had hardly done this before the boat
in which we were was washed clear of the
deck, and as, though broken and full of
water she proved too shallow and buoy
ant to go down. still chung to her for a
minute or so; but the waves washed so
high over her gunwale, that l had to let
20, and to swim to a loose oar which was
footing near. The old man was kept well
out OF the water by the buoy: [ saw him
4 couple of waves off with his shoulders
well above it. There was no spray now
to drown him, for the wind had sunk to
and, if his strength lasted he
safe. He had made Il good pur-
chase. As for my own prospects, my
short trip from the boat to the support to
which l now chung was sutficien: to show
ne that l had not enough left i'm me to
swim ashore; no. nor half the way, nor a
quarter of the way. My weight slightly |
submerged the oar, so that, when the
crest of large wave caught me, l got |
| ducking which robbed me of the |
breath l wanted so badly. But l
,oud fight tor a long time yet, having
to hold on by. Some part of |
he steamer which must have been tena-
Die up to this time, was SO no longer, for
several fresh figures were suddenly to be
'een i'm the water, clinging to anything
hat would float. Three of them made
or the buoy, and two reached it, which
;ealed the fate of the diamOnd-merchant.
Not that the bouy became useless it was
Is good support to the three men as my
,ar was to myself alone but that was not
enough for the old man, who required to
De kept higher out of the water. l saw
lin still holding on for some time after he
lad ceased from all attempts to keep his
lead up; then he disappeared altogether.
nearly met the same fate; l was all but
unconscious when Il shOre-bOat came to
nv rescue. A sailor twisted his hand in
he handkerchief tied around my waist,
md sought to draw me into the boat by
t. 1t gave way, and dropped back again
ntO the water. He caught me again by
he arm, and dragged me back to life.
But nv diamonds, emeralds, and sap
,hires had gone to the bottom of the
scheldt.
For few hours, and up to my chin in
water all the time, ! was moderately
ch man all the rest of my life have
,een poor one. On if that knot in my
I tl... rf.,h