Wilmington journal., 1875-07-30

and I gave good strong pull on the
signal-rope.
"A moment passed and was terri
| fed at receiving no response from a
second or third signal
81 pulled the rope again violently -
waited-stiU no reply!
Great Heavenl what did it all
mean? Had they forgotten me? We're
they to leave me there at the bottom of
| the sea with that awful crew? I no sooner
realized my helplessness than an un-
controllable terror took possession of
me, while horrible doubts and fears
came crowding into my brain. Surely
| they would not desert me!-sure1y they
| had not forgotten me! I pulled madly
at the cord once more, and glaacing
up perceived that there was something
steadily resisting my efforts from the
masthead above.
"Was it some monster who was play
ing with my rope?-some great fish
who was holding it in his jaws? In my
desperation threw my whole weight
on it, and-it gave way, and fell slowly,
silently on the deck at my feet! The
| ragged, frayed ends, which had be-
come entangled in the rigging g, were
in my hands, and the upper halt of the
ropes had foated far away with the
tide.
81 was alone at the bottom of the
sea, with no means of signaling my
distress! The India rubber tube, which
was my only NJ cans of breathing, was
yet left to me; but as soon as they
should begin to wind in the ropes and
tube, on some supposed signal from
me. it would snap in two, and the wa
ter would come in upon me.
81 need hot tell you of the wild ter
ror which took possession f me; you
could not appreciate it.s I knew the
men were close to me-only thirty
yards above-yet L must die because
mad man, and tried to tear my armor
from me, but it's iron rivets held me
fast. shouted piteously, uselessly,
through the waters, my cry going no
further than the wall of my helmet
l was beside myself in my awful ter
ror. tried to pray, but L could not
control my maddened brain.
81 fell upon the deck at last, exhaust
ed-in an Ominous stupor "a sullen
despair and sank into inconsistencies.
When l recovered, I was calm-prayer
come to my lips, and with it peace
and resignation to my heart.
81 closed my eyes quietly, and
waited for the death was powerless
to defer. Wal ed for it with my head
laid on my arms as l used to sleep in
the dear Old days at home. Waiting
quietly for it's coming, praying God |
tuat 1t might come upon me gently, |
and asking that 1 might fallinto uncon-
sciousness When it was close at hand.
Was I crazed2 Was L mad, or |
was this new torture for me in my
last moments? had laid quiet but
moment, when started up in terror,
a cry-a weak, miserable cry, |
which died on my lips as 1 sank again
on the deck and closed my eyes to
terri DIE sight before me.
81 had left tho cabin door open and |
freed the imprisoned dead men. One |
of the dead sailors had foated up to the
deck, and, by some horrible chance, |
the tide bore him directly toward me.
Was L to die surrounded once more oy |
those CHASTITY eentintls as a death
watch?
lie was borne slowly along on the
current, his eyes wide open in all aw-
ful stare, his arms outstretched, as
though to embrace me, welcoming me
TO the unknown world. fell prOstrate
On the deck in my terror, but lie float
I'd on slowly. the tide asting hlm up
against me, when he fell at my side.
II caught him, i'll my desperation,
to fling hIm from me, but his arms clos
"a tight about me in an iron embrace,
and his face was close to mine-the
face of old Lott, the diver, who had
come down through the waters to save
me, and IL whose stout arms [ was
borne up, and carried iusensible to the
boats above.
"We saw what was wrong right
away, dear boy he said to me after
ward, when the ragged ends of your
-opes f0ated to the surface. There was
only one way of reaching you, old fell
ow. and can tell you we flew around
lively. We had no bell to go down
20 you in, 50 we just fastened some
weights to my feet, and ropes to my ,
arms. 1 took rubber mouth-piece
between my teeth, and dropped over ,
BOARD. The water oppressed me fear
'ully, and I couldn't have stood it
nora than q few minutes. In that
ew minutes I found you, old fellow,
caught you in my arms, and signaled {
hem to haul us up mighty quick. I |
couldn't have stood it much longer, {
lear boy, for it was killing me-
''I took his dear hands in mire, and
ooked into his good honeit eyes. !
When a swelling heart told him in {
such words as l could, of my gratitude '
or his herois efforts when he came I
lown through the water at the risk {
If his own life to save mine"