Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-27
on a Raft Il THE TROPICS.
saved from . Horrible Death
Tn rfilfng Adventure OF an Es
cApsd brazilian Convict.

Tn Killing Adventure OF an rs
cAPsd Arazilian Convict.
The New York Times of a recent
date says:
The log of the bark Carrie Long.
that arrived in this port on Monday
from Buenos Ayres, by way Of
Matanzas, shows that on February
11th, when 200 miles off the Bra
lillian coast, her crew discovered a
raft, upon which was a man in the
last stages of exhaustion. The men
of the Carrie Long took him off and
brought him to this port. This
man, thus saved by the merest
chances from a horrible death, was
found yesterday asleep in a bunk
on board the bark. He is an ath.
letic young negro, about twenty
five years of age, and, thanks to
the kind treatment received at the
hands of Captain Park and his men,
he shows no traces of his terrible
sufferings. He speaks no language
but the patois Of the Brazilian, ne
gro, and in this tongue tells his
story.
His name is Manuel francesca,
and he is a Brazilian, though he
refuses to tell to what portion of
the empire he belongs. Two years
ago he was convicted of petty
theft in Rio Janeiro, and was sem
fenced to penal servitude of five
years on the Island of Fernando de
Noronha. On this arid rock, be-
meath the burning rays of an egua-
torial sun, he worked in the chain
gang, whose tagging energies were
constantly stimulated by prods
from the bayonets Of the soldier
guard. After a years experience OF
this horrible life francesca determ.
ined to escape or diein the attempt
BY good conduct and strict obc.
diencc he obtained the position OF
servant in the house Of one of the
officers of the settlement. At the
end Of two years he had, with the
assistance of two companions, col
lected a small store Of provisions, {
| few bits Of cordage, aud a bit of al
old sail. These were conveyed, by
night, to one Of the many barrer
rocks forming the Fernando d,
Noronha group. This rock the,
had reached BY swimming, anc
here they also collected, from tn,
drift on the beach, a quantity o
bamboo joints, from which the,
constructed rude raft about ten
feet square and two feet thick. /
short mast, stepped at one end 0
the float, supported their bit of
sail, and broken oar formed thei
: steering apparatus.
The escape was effected on
dark night, and they were waite
from the hated island by a ligh
breeze, which they fondly hope,
5 would carry them to Cape st
! Rogue, 2l0 miles away,
AT daylight Fernando de No
, ronha was but cloud in the hori
zon, the breeze had died out, an,
the intrepid yoyagers lay becalmed
with the long, heaving swell Of tn
Atlantic threatening the demoli
ton Of their irail raft. From til
: first they suffered for the want @
water, Of which their supply wa
, very limited. Their provisions be
came saturated with salt water an,
E eating them increased their thirst
On the third day one of the part
was prostrated with a fever, and tn
fourth his body slid from the it'll
raft, and was seized by the shark
that lurked beneath it and waite
for the prey that an unerring in
stinct had told them must soone
or later be theirs. On the evenin
of the succeeding day terribl
storm hurled the little raft hithe
and thither, at times completed
! submerged beneath the hlge wave,
francesca hung to a box that wa
lashed to the raft amidships, an,
his companion olung to the mast
In the darkness a great rush O
water, a swapping of wood, and
yell Of anguish, told Francesca tina
! his companion had gone, and tina
the sharks had caught another vic
J tim.
| For five days more the raft Aoate
J at the mercy Of wind and waves
but of these days francesca know
! little. lie was without food o
water, and had periods Of uncon
: seriousness. On the morning Of tn
= tenth day, as the Carrie Long cam
bearing directly down upon him
he was barely able touttera hoars
cry, and to feebly wave a bit of rag
: torn from his shirt. AS a boat froT
: the bark neared the raft two shark
1 left its shadow and darted swift
5 away. When the rescued man wa
placed on the deck Of the bark b
5 was unable to stand; but in
Y feeble pantomime begged for watel
8 A gill of water was poured dow
1 his swollen throat, and, half al
9 hour afterward, as much more
} mixed with gin, revived him 50 tha
9 he was able to swallow a fey
: mouthfuls Of soup. His body wa
!, | o,vownl ..,,t L ~,,,, =. 49,, oouag and l.