Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-09

Sometimes the sea would break over my
raft and capsize 1t. Then would crawl on
top of 1t again as quickly as possible, think.
ing all the while of the sharks around me
and expecting every moment to be seized
BY them. IL was now very near dark, and
the wind was modeTatfngin q measure and
the sea was going down somewhat. It was
still squallY, and continued so all night,
with rain. Naked, and the rain beating
down upon me felt as though some one
were pelting me with gravel. l was very
cold, too, shaking all over, and my teeth
kept knocking together all night. How l
prayed for morning. It was the longest
night l ever spent in my life. Finally day
came, and the squalls blew harder, butt did
not think the seas were so high. which was
a good sign. was now beginning to feel
thirsty and hungry, aud when 1t would rain
l would hold my head up, open my mouth,
and try to catch some rain water,
but the salt spray would hY in my
mouth. The sharks still kept watch about
my raft. Throughout the day / kept a
lockout for vessels, though | knew if one
that gale. The day Thursday passed away
and darkness settled down again upon the
face of the deep. The wind moderated
considerably during the night, and the sea
grew quite smooth. 1t was calm nearly all
day Friday. had not seen a single sail,
and was so thirsty / could have drank my
own blood. The sharks were still about me.
Friday and Saturday passed with nothing
to mark them. had not yet caught sight
of land or sail, and | wanted water so bad
that | could have drank my own
blood. The sharks were still keeping me
company, and they are not very pleasant
companions, | assure you. l knew the
wind and sea were carrying me shoreWard.
The sharks had left me, tired, perhaps, of
waiting for me. My mouth and throat were
parched. was exposed to the sun long
enough on Saturday to burn my body. Sat
urday night did not feel right in my head.
l was growing delirious and knew it, ard
tried to shake it of but could not. just
about dark / saw vessel five or six miles
off, In the direction in which was drifting,
and another off to the right. I soon saw
that the one to the right
was a lightship. l imagined that
I was close to land, so close that could see
1t plainly, and cried aloud for help. Then
would listen to hear some one answer.
thought had some one with me, and / sent
him in a small boat to get me some water,
and waited for him to return. Then l
would imagine some one was handing me
pitcher of ice water. l would grab 1t and
drink only to find it salt. | would try to
stand up, and would fall overheard, I was
so weak. Then thought my raft was on
land. l could see the trees and bushes
plainly. Then would jump off the raft,
thinking was on land, and would go two
or three feet under water. / made several
attempts during the night to get off on land,
but always found water. At times I would
think | was about to run into a tree, and
would put out my hands to stop myself
and would go overheard. Then
imagined was on land,
about twelve miles from Wilmington, n,
c., and was naked. / saw men at work,
q white and colOred man, and woman. |
asked them for water, and they sent me
to their boss; went to him and he showed
me lighthouse, and told me would have
to go there before got any water; then he
put me ON fiat car that ran on ar&ilroad,
and had to propel the car along with my
feet; | could not get any closer to the light
house let me work as hard as | could.
Neither could | escape from the man who
sent me there. He would offer me water,
and found 1t would be salt. Then | would
think the windows in my raft were beauti-
full springs of water, and would get on my
hands and knees to drink, only to find it
salt. imagined there was a railroad that |
run to Wilmington, and | run away
from this man who put me on the |
car, and begged ticket from the ticket Of |
fee, and was awaiting for the cars, when l |
saw the man coming towards me. 1t seems |
as though l feared that man. However,
when saw him coming | jumped on my |
car and began showing off with my feet. l |
intended to come back before the train got |
there and go to Wilmington on her. lost |
the railroad while was gone and could not |
find it any more. Day was breaking then. |
1 thought somebody told me where the road |
was, but l could not get my car there. l |
tried to swim to the road, but could not and |
had to come back to my car again disap- |
pointed. Sunday morning the sun arose |
out of clear horizon, not a cloud visible in |
the heavens. | discovered | was on my raft |
again, but could not think how got there. |
That is the last thing remember until |
Monday evening. What 1 suffered and |
went through with l can never tell.
Captain s. E. Foote, of the steamship |
Santiago de Cuba, says he picked me up on |
Monday morning, the 18th OF August, some
where about Bulls Bay, delirious, aud from |
that kind gentleman's hands and his crew l /
received the very best OF treatment. He /
clothed me and provided for me, and nursed |
rue like a child. The stewardess, Chief /
Engineer, first and second mates, were all /
so good and kind to me too, do not know
how to thank them. May God watch over |
them, and shield and protect them from all |
danger. May their lives be long, happy /
and prosperous, and, IL my prayers can
guard them, they are safe. We arrived in
Savannah on Tuesday, and that evening l /
went to the st. JOseph's Infrmsry, blistered |
and sunburnt all over dreadfully, and was |
placed under the kind treatment of DIR, |
Geo. H, Stone, and am happy to state |
have almost entirely recovered, and l can |
say, with the ancient mariner;
20 wedding guest this soul has been
Alone on a wide, wide sea.
So lonely twas that God himself
Scarce seemed there to be-"
Yours truly, JAMES II. HARRIS.
81. Joseph's hJirmdry, Savannah, Sept. s.
q ~ MI