The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-07-17
WHILE DROWNING.

so frequent In the Indian ocean at the
change of the monsoon. However, by
a knowledge of the law of storms, we
were enabled eventually TO sail out of
1t, and get once more into fine weather.
It was Just at this time that the man
at the masthead reported wreck in
sight. Having made sail and altered
the course so as to bear down upon her,
it was not long before we were near
enough to lower boat for the purpose
of boarding her. For this operation l
was selected, and a difficult matter it
was.
The dismasted wreck, which APP
peared to have been a bark, was roll
ing frightfully by reason of her having
no spars to steady her. Consequently,
twas not without very great difficulty,
and much risk of being swalnped,
that we were enabled to get on
board of her at all. Once there, it was
a difficult matter to keep ones footing.
1t was dismal sight. Her decks had
been swept by the sea, her boats were
gone, and she had desperate hole in
her side made by the falling masts.
Here and there, still hanging to the
tangled wreck of rigging which yet en-
numbered the tempest-tossed hull, fut-
tered long. strips of strong canvas.
These strips or shreds, many of them
lashel by the fury of the winds into
hard, incomprehensible knots, were all
that now remained of those good stout
sails of hers that had stood through
many an Atlantic gale.
Towering from the sea on her star
board quarter was that which told a sad
der tale. 1t was the bow of boat, the
rest stove in and battered to pieces.
Possibly she had been crushed by some
pounding sea before, with her living
freight, she could get clear of the ships
side. At all events, her destruction
must have terribly lessened the few
chances of escape left to the crew, for
merchantmen are never adequately sup
piled with boats. Et.g
The whole of the vessels bulwarks
had been swept away, and every sea now
washed in at one side, across the deck
in torrents, and out at the other with
each alternate roll.
She was leaking very much, and, the
leak being inst at the water-line, as she
sank deeper in the water she filed more
rapidly. 1t was evident that she was
settling down fast, and it was quite I'M
certain at what moment she might sink.
Being unwilling to risk the lives of
my men, 1 sent them back in their boat,
with orders to keep as near the vessel
as possible, whilst continued the search
for any of the crew or passengers who
might have been left on board.
On entering the saloon was nearly
-overpowered by the fumes arising from
a large headless cask of rum that stood
in the doorway. From this, it was clear
that the cowardly crew, in their fierce
despair, had broken through all re-
straint, and, like so many other undis-
ciplined men in similar situations, had
sought courage in drinking sayagely.
But this was not the worst feature in
the case. At the end of the saloon 1
observed an old man, sitting apparently
fast asleep, his face buried in his arms
as they rested on the table. I fastened
to awaken him, and shook him by the
shoulder, but he gave no signs of life.
I then lifted up his head, cold to my
touch, and turned his face to the light.
Heavens, what a sightl His bloodshot
eyes met mine with dull, CLASSY stare;
his face, pale and wan, was fearfully
emaciated,- and from his mouth pro-
truded a black, shriveled-up tongue.
He was dead stone dead. - .zs.-..
His must have been a fearful death,
caused by starvation and thirst. Starva-
ton? Was not the floor strewn with
biscuits, and tins of preserved meats
thrown here and there, in the haste and
confusion Of stocking boats prior to the
hurried abandonment of the'vessel? On
swinging tray not two yards from his
head, there yet remained untouched
clear glass Jug of bright cool water, and
decanter full Of red wine. How, then,
was thirst possible? Yet nothing but
the bitter agony of thirst could so have
parched that tongue. Naught but the
cruel pangs and cravings of unsatisfed
hunger could thus have withered that
oAce-strong, handsome face, and turned
that thick young hair to the snowy
Wilderness of age. = i AA&&AL Fl
But how-how could these things be?
The mystery was soon solved. Look
ingldown at his wrists, perceived from
under the sleeves of his pilot-cloth
jacket the bright steel rims of a pair
of handouts. The short chain connect
ing them was fastened down to the Ia
bic by stout iron staple driven
through, and clenched on the other side.
his feet were similarly secured to the
deck. --.
This, then, was doubtless the fiead-
ish work of his drunken, mutinous crew,
for, TO all appearances, he was the Cap
tain. He probably had forbidden their |
abandoning the vessel, knowing that |
she could have been saved Gas, indeed, |
she might well have BEEN, and they, |
having taken the management into |
their own hands in their cowardly, /
drunken humor, had thus prevented
hls ever leaving the vessel.
The edge of the table had been
gnswed and bitten, and the oil-cloth /
that covered it was eaten away as far as
the poor wretch could get at it. HI
LEFT arm bore the marks of his teeth,
where he had sought to assuage WITH
his own blood the burning thirst that
was killing him. Both wrists were
black and swollen with his writings to
get free from the cruel obstacles that so
firmly restrained him from Selling the
food which lay everywhere around, and
the clear, cold water that stood SO near,
and which together were his very life.
Think of that starving man sitting
watching the rats at his feet gorging
themselves ON the food that he was dy-
ng for want of, with the suns rays
streaming through the skyiight upon
he decantar of rr,hv wine making |