The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-27

How IT FEELS TO DRowN.-My wife
and went to see the baptism OF the
converts, and took up 8 position On the
bridge, about thirty feet from the first
pier, and between it and the abutment.-
We were surrounded by neople-nen,
women and children. Suddenly, while
Mr.. Pratt was entering the weser with q
female, l heard q report similar to that
made by O small cannon, and iu an in
stant the water closed over me, and I
felt that s1mething was pressing me
down. A heavy weight appeared to be
over me. I did not sink to the bottom.
was perfectly conscious, aud immedi-
ately thought Of getting out if possible.
My hands camo in contact with the tres
tie work, and. crawling up Us if ascend
OH ope pig, through which I crowlcd,
aud immediately rose 10 the surface. I
was then, as near as can Judge, about
seventy or eighty feet from the shore,
swan toward tho bank, but when near it
my strength gave out and sank. While
swimming, some person, who must have
been under the water, caught hold OF my
left leg and grasped tight for minute,
preventing me from going forward. The
person let 60 as suddenly as he had taken
hold, and gave q stroke or two, when
l encountered dress. Thinking it was
my wife, who was standing beside me
when the spnn fell, grabbed it, but,
having become enervated. I was Obliged
TO let it go. l was almost exhausted at
the time, and do not know that the
dress was that of my wife. I did not
notice it particularly. My thoughts were
almost solely confined to her, and I i'm.
agined, when I saw the dress, it was hers.
When I sank wns still sensible of
surroundings. I went apparently very
close to the bottom. The current rolled
me over and over, and my hands fre.
quently came in contact with the gravel
l could feel the water running down nv
throat and in my cars and all at once ex-
perienoed the most delightful sensation.
l seemed to be at peace with everything
and perfectly happy. My whole life
flashed before me like flash of light
ming. the events appearing in sequence,
the most prominent appearing to be in
delibly impressed upon my mind. Cir
ounstances | had forgotten appeared
viViliy. md did not want to be dis.
turbed. should have preferred to re-
main where I was. While in the midst
OF beautiful reyerie, thinking what nv
wife would do if ehe were saved and 1
were drowned, / felt hand on nv
shoulder. was pulled out and placed
on rock. was almost insonsible. but
gradually came to myaeif. Oh. how sick
and wretched felt
After remaining on the rock about nn
hour. was taken to my home. Here I
commenced vomiting, and frequently
elected water and partially digested food
until O'Clock in the afternoon. I was
taken ont of the water 600 feet below
the bridge. I was very thirsty after
vomiting, and tried to drink some water,
bat the taste was 80 disagreeable that
could not bear it. The only way I could
qnenoh my thirst was by putting vinegar
into the water, about an ounce and a
half to quarter of pint. That struck
me as rather curious circumstance. 1
was greatly astonished at the number of
events that passed Though my mind
while under the water. Nothing that
occurred during childhood was evident,
but everything since I was about nine
teen years old appeared before me as If
photographed. 1'he sensation I expe-
rienoed while the water was going down
my throat was not unpleasant. It seemed
as il I was going on journey and wns
surrounded by all kinds Of beautiful
things. While on tho rock, felt very
bad and desired to be let alone. The
sudden transition from the beatific state
in the water to the dry land seemed to
have bud effect, and made me indiffer-
ent to what was going on around me-
Several people came to me and wanted
| TO take me home, but I told them to let
me alone, was 80 miserable. The corpse
Of my wife was found after she had been
in ths water about three hours. It is
said that Mrs. Hoffman's couptenance
was lighted up with life-like smile, so
peaceful and suggestive OF such pleasant
thoughts when dying that everybody =
attention was attracted to her.
Chicago Tribune
LIBERIA. Shufe!dt, of the
| United States ship Plymouth, writes
from Monroyia, March 2Gtb, to the Navy
Department about tho condition of the
colony Of Liberia. He is glad to find
that there has been no retrogression in
the colony, but admits TINT there has
been little progress since he last visited
it. He has faith in its permanency and
in the firm hold taken there by Christian
civilization. The colony has begun to
export sugar and coffee, and there arc
five steam sugar mills in operation on
st. Paul's River. The Captain urpes tho