The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1879-08-30

| lluIIS" u bGi'f ms pan '' ''''''
| which struck him on the head.
Clapping both hands thereon, with
q yell he rushed into the fnrccastlc.
1t was evident the skipper expect
ed 10 hear the voice, for he looked
nervously aloft; but when all was
silent in that direction his courage
returned. and he desired the Sec
ond officer to call Chester back to
the deck. Getting no answer to his
call, the mate went below, when he
found the poor fellow dciirious.
Returning from the deck, he rep0r-
ted him to be in dangerous con-
dition.
This filled the captain with ioar.
lie ordered that every attention
should he paid him, which was
done. That night it became nee
cssary to havo all hands on dock
to reef, and while we were on the
yards an awful cry, like that ola
maninc, arose from the bow Of the
vessel, and the next moment sev-
cral of It's saw u human form on
the rail near the forc-swiftcr, and
then a loud splash was heard in
the water under our leo.
Tho captain and chief officers
who werc on tho deck rushed to
the side. A hat was seen for q
moment bobbing on tho crest Of II
wave; tho maniacal scream was
repeated, when Captain Phillips.
himself uttcring Il cry, fell scnsless
on the deck. Tho mate then hail
ed us who were on the topsail
yard: "Comc down from aloft !
Clear away the small boat! We
thought ho was as near beside
himself ms was the captain; and so
he was for moment, for when wo
had gained the deck he was ready
to countormand the order.
Everything was awful beyond
expression; the wind and tho wa
ter wero raging wild; it was i'm
possible for q small boat to live In
so rough sea, SO making Il virtue
Of necessity, the search for the
poor madencd fellow waa abandon
cd, amid vowF of vongancc against
the captain and tears for our lost
mcssmato.
Forty-eight hours aftcs this wo
entered the port of ITilo. \ vast
change had come over the crew,
The captain knowing their peculi-
aritics, had supplied them with
money and copious libations Of
whisky; SO, instead Of reporting
him 10 the Consul, as they had de-
clared they would, they were ready
to shout his praises all day long.
In this however did not agree;
but unable to bring tho tyrapt to
justice single.handcd, resolved to
quit the Niger,
did so. After hiding in the
woods several days, I was caught
and brought back to the ship. As
my adventures as fugitive are not
essential to the unfolding Of my
story, l pass them by, and take
up the thread Of my narrative.
We sat sail on Our voyage. Cap
tain Phillips was an altared man.
lie abstaincd from spirits, he con-
trolled his temper, and this, with
the addition Of q fine steady breeze,
made our lives on board happy.
But alas wc were doomed to n sad
ending Of the voyage. Keeping too
near the land, and n squall laying
hold on the ship, we were driven on
4 Ice shore. 1t was just after mid
night when we struck, and the
darkness was terrible, and lcping
out OF my hammock, | ran on deck,
I could SEQ nothing save tho wild
waters racing over the deck. |
cried out to my shipmatcs, but got
no answer. 1t was not possible to
reach the after part OF the vessel
where the life bells were kept, so,
acting on the impulse Of the mo-
ment, lcapcd into the sea. Catch
ing hold ofa friendly rock, l was
saved. Daylight came after
weary waiting. The first thing 1
saw was the dead body of poor
Captain Phillips, and not far from
it that of our Chinese cook. The
rest were saved.
We made our way 10 Portland,