Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-06
THE SENSATION OF DsowNrNG.
Something of Capt. 4 ''sba's Remarkable
Escape Fl Sm Death.

Notsls Register.
The sad ending Of the life Of young Ed.
Kelley recalls TO mind that Capt. T. 4.
Alba came as near drowning of the Point
as any man who ever entered those waters
and escaped 10 tell the tale. In conyersa-
ton yesterday with Capt. Alba, he told
the reporter his experience in the follow
ing words;
81 was great swimmer in my youth.
in fact, was expert in all athletic exer-
cises, and a swim Of the sort / undertook
at Point Clear was in my mind but an
easy pastime. The waves were rolling
moderately high and swan out to ride
them. / was having quite an enjoyable
experience when | noticed little fiotilla
of Jelly fish, which sped toward me with
great velocity. l knew they have very
little movement of their own and was
surprised that / swept past them so rap
idly. The thought occurred to me that
perhaps l was in a current, and ] con-
cIuded to turn round and swim back to
shore. / turned, but at once saw that it
was Of no use, for / made no Roadway at
all.
"'Ah,' said /, you are in for it, old man.
You have got out here, and now you are
going to have struggle with the mon
ster.' At first / did not feel concerned,
but noticed that the clouds were gath
ering and the wind was becoming strong
er, driving the waves up higher; and,
moreover, the night was coming on.
Surely l will be picked up / said, as |
swan leisurely along, trying not to exert
myself; but then,' | thought, i am not
what / used to be; l am older, and more
fieshy, and out Of practice. True, can
swim long time, but not very long in
such a sea- Then l looked all around
and there was not boat to the seward.
remembered that in such weather boats
usually sought refuge and l could not eX-
pect assistance out in the bay; besides, in
these stormy hours sharks approach the
shore IN the hope Of securing something
/ from wrecks, etc. Il guess / am in for it
! this time,' said, and / could hear the
waters rafting the tune in my ears, say
1 ing, You have come, you have come. We
/ have got you at last
4 81 looked back to the shore and could
I see that there was excitement at the hotel.
( l held up my hand every now and then.
noticed that the people were manning the
! boats, but l knew that only one boat, the
I large one near the pier, could help me in
4 chop sea. Unfortunately that boat seemed
to be manned bypeople Of little experience
/ and ] confessed with a sinking heart that
\ it would not get to me IL time.
Il continued to paddle about and once
IN a while was forced to gulp in some
water. | felt exhausted, but continued
my fight. | thought If | could reach the
spot where the current and tide met
might get foothold long enough for the
boat to reach me, and yet the water ran
so fast l feared ] could not make it. Al
length sounded for bottom. As let my
feet sink it seemed as if something grabbed
them and pulled me down, slantwise like
a shot. Down ] went and was pulled anC
tossed about under the surface. AS l went
/ down strangled and the most horrible
pain ran upin my nose and concentrated
/ between my eyes, just as you feel wheT
( water goes the wrong way / felt as L
I some blood vessel would burst unless
got air. j was down there many seconds
and / tell you it was the most painful
! moment of my life. Had l lost my head
4 at that moment l would have drowned
| without doubt, but L resolved to let the
4 heart break rather than open my lungs
| Finally, just as my resolution was giving
away, my head came again above the sur
face and filled my lungs with air.
Twas thoroughly worn out. l could
not stretch my arms, and could keep VI
4 onlya fiuttering of the hands. | hung
slanting in the water and could barely
keep afloat. just then l heard the sounC
of oars in the boat locks, and saw thu
brave fellow approaching in his skif. He
was rowing rapidly and skillfully, an(
managed to swing the stern of the boa
around just in time for me to lay hold o
it. / attempted to climb in, but he (Capt
Jet Howard said: Don't try that or you
VIII swamp me. The boat can hardly keel
alive as it is replied that l could no
hold on long enough to be towed in.
asked him to tie my wrist to the boat. HI
said he could not come to the stern for tn,
boat would lose its head and be swamped
and we would both drown. Then, said
Get in the bow and / will try to climb in
IT / see she is swapping | give you my
word of honor l will let co. With tina
he got in the bow and cleverly balanced
the boat as l slowly and clumsily crawleC
over the stern. l fell forward into thu
bottom of the boat; he seized the oars ant
pulled at once for the shore. 1t was
narrow escape. Capt. Howard says l an
the only man who has been in that sinh
and escaped alive.
| 1t is recorded IN this paper that Capt
! Alba, soon after this event, presente
| Capt. Howard a handsome gold watcl
and chain as a souvenir of his heroic act