Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-02
SENSATION Or DROWNING.
4 Sssbils ssss,.ns. Describes His Ssrs~
Escape
mobile ,Ala.l Res,sser.l


The sac, ending OF the life Of young Ed.
Kelley recalls to mind that Captain p. y.
Alba came rs near drowning of the Point
AZ any man who ever entered those waters
and escaped to tell the tale. In CONVEX
sation yesterday Captain Alba told his ex-
pcrience In the following words:
al was a great swimmer In my youth.
In fact, I was expert In all athletic exer-
eises, and q swim Of the sort | undertook
nj Point Clear was IN my mind but an easy
pastime. The waves were rolling mode
raiely high, and i swan out to ride taem.
I was having quite an enjoyable experience
when noticed q little flotilla OF ielly-fsh.
which sped toward me with great velocity.
knew they had very little movement OF
their own, and was surprised that 1 swept
past them so rapidly. The thought oc-
Cured TO me that perhaps | was In n cur
rent, and l concluded to turn round and
swim hack TO shore. turned, but nj once
saw that IL was OF no use. for i made no
Roadway at all.
"'Ab,' said /. you are In for II, old
man. You have got out here, and now you
are gong 10 have q struggle with the mon
ster.' At first | did not feel concerned,
but noticed that the clouds were gather
ing and the wind was becoming stronger,
driving the waves up righer; and, more
over, the night was coming on. surely
VIII be picked up said, az swan leisurely
along, trying not 10 exert myself;
but then,' l thought, Il am not what
| used to be; l am older and more
fieshy, and cut CT practice. True,
can swim a long time, but not very
long in such g sea- Then | looked oil
around, and there was not boat TO the
seward. | remembered that in such
weather beats usually sought refuge, and
could not expect assistance out in the bay;
besides, In these stormy hours sharks APP
proaeh the shore in the hope OF securing
something from wrecks, &c. Il guess
am in for Il this time,' said, and i could
hear the waters rat'ling the tune In my
ears, saving, You have come, you have
come. We have got you ut last
- looked back 10 the shore and could
sec that there was excitement at the hotel.
I held up my hand every now and then.
noticed that the people were mlnaing the
beats. but knew that only one boat, the
large ore near the pier, could help me IN
the chop sea. Unfortunately, that boat
seemed TO be manned by peop,e Of little ex-
perience, and | confessed with u sinking
heart that 1t would not get TO me in time.
l.
III while was forced to gulp In some
water. | felt exhausted. but continued my
fight. I thought il | could reach the spot
where the current and tide met | might
get fOothold long enough for the boat to
reach me, snd yet tie water ran so fast
feared | could not make Ii. At length I
sounded for bottom. As let my fees sink
it seemed os ii something grabbed them
and pulled me down slan,wiSe, like u shot.
Down went. and was pulled aud tossed
about under the surface. As went down
| siTangled. and the most horrible pain ran
up in my nose and concentrated between
my eyes, Just as you feel when water goes
the wrong way. felt as IL some blood
vessel would burst unless | got air. / was
down there many seconds, and | tell you
il was the most painful moment Of my lie.
Had lost my head at that moment would
have drowned without doubt. but | re-
solved 10 let the heart break rather than
open my lungs. Finally, just as my reso-
luton was giving away, my head came
acain above the surface, and filed my
lungs with air.
81 was thoroughly worn out. | could
not stretch my arms, and could keep up
only n llultcring OF the hands. | hung
slaniing in the water, and coulG barely
keep ailoat. Just then ] heard the sound
Of oars in the hoat-locks, and saw the
brave fellow approaching IN his skin. lie
was rowing rapidly and skiltully, and
managed to swing the stern OF the boat
around just in time for me TO lay hold
Of Il. attempted to climb in, but he Cap
tain jet iiowIrd) said: Don't try that,
or YOU will owampmc. The boat can hard
" keep alive rs il H. | replied that |
could not hold oil long enough 10 be lowed
in. | asked him to tie my wrist to the boat.
lie said he could not cone TO the stern, Tor
the boat would lose its head and be
Wv mpcd, and we would both drown.
Then said !, get in the bow, and will
try to climb In. II | see she is swapping I
give YOU my word OK honor | viii let go.
with that he got in the bow and cleycry
balanced the boat a. | slowly and clumsily
crawcd over the stern. Tell forward
into the bottom Of the boat; lie seized the
oars and pulled at once ior the shore. II
was narrow escape. Captain Howard
Says am the only man who has been IN
that sink and escaped alive
Il is recorded in this paper that Captain
Alba, soon after this event, presented Cap
tain Howard y handsome gold watch and
chain rs II SOurenir of his heroic act.