The daily gazette., 1875-10-05

Furiously beat the door, all the while
painfully conscious that rescue was i'm
possible and death certain, for it was
night, and, as no doubt the storm would
separate the boats, my absence would
not be discovered until the vessel had
| foundered.
| Could expect aught else, when in the
| occasional lull of the hurricane heard
Ine rusn or the deadly waters in the
| lily each moment as she plunged in the
trough OF the sea? Suddenly she gave
terrific keel over. and a wave came rat
J tnng down the companion ladder like
thunder. rushed under the door and in
undated the cabin.
L shrieked in agony, believing that all
| was over-that l was 10 die thus, not
even with the chance of battling for
felt that could meet death calmly
were on deck, with the heavens above
me; but my very hair stirred at the ter
rible thought Of being buried in the sea
| as 1t were in box. Was there really no
way OF escape? l looked round and ut
tered cry OF JOY, then leaped forward,
| careless now that the water mounted
higher and higher
Fool! !diotp' I exclaimed. "Why did
you not think of that before? You are
your own murderer
| My eyes hao rested upon my revolver.
In second had fred two of its barrels
into the lock of the door, shivering it to
| atoms, and the next minute was upon
l the deck-onlJ Just in time, for the ves-
! sci was settling fast. It would have set
| tied long before, but that the storm had
abated.
With a wild hope l looked for the
boats; Near or far all was alike-dark-
ness hid the waters. But, having sue
| eeeded so far, | resolved not to despair.
one 6y one discharged the remaining
barrels OF my revolver, and then plung-
ed into the sea, to swim !, far as / could
from the ship before it sank, hoping that
should lind some pieces of wreck. |
cld so before | had proceeded far-a
mast, With cordaga attached. This help
3ed me- for after lashing myself to the
mast as well as | could, the waves bore
me away Suddenly, however, fearful
| rush OF water seized me. was drawn
| rapidly back, and then down as in a
| whirlPool-hung, it seemed, here, there
bered no more. When l came to, was
in one of the boats, with May Brodstone
| leaning over me.
l 1t appeared that directly morning
| dawned the boats were called together,
| and the captain went over the names,
| when mine was found missing upon
| which he resolved to row back and see if
| he could not find me, arged thereto by
many of his companions, who wondered
--as did not Jacob Kiel--what could have
prevented my getting into one of the
boats.
The sea was nearly calm, the sun shin
ing, and their search was not difficult
They soon perceived dark object. Ap-
preaching il they found it to be myself,
| clinging like grim death to the wreck,
but laughing and yelling like maniac.
In fact was mad, and for some time af-
ter they had managed to get me into the
boat remained so then became calm
er, though | was delirious for whole
day and night.
Directly sensibibility returned I told
my story, filling every one with horror,
especially May Brodstone.
II see it all p exclaimed the captain.
| ''The villain! Last night our boats sep
arated in the darkness this morning the
| one bearing Jacob Kiel and the worst of
1 the crew was missing. He has either
| steered the boat into different track,
| or paid the fellows to desert us, fearful
of the punishment that might have
| awaited him when he touched land"
Whether this was SO | do not know. for
| We never heard of Jacob Kiel again.
That day we were picked up by one of
| Green's ships, homeward bound, and in
| due time were landed in England, where
| May and were married, and where we
now reside; for my wife will not hear of
crossing the ocean again, as she cannot
forget-as indeed | cannot-that most
terrible moment of my life.
1