The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-03-06
NARROW Escaps Of a cudarder.

The leaning of the public mind to-
ward determination to find victim
for public censufe who shall be held re-
spOnsible for the loss of the Columbus
inclines me TO send cyou statement
that may in some way modify the ex-
is.ing state of things concerning the
late wreck. In the summer of 1887 |
took passage in the China, of the
Cunard line, for Liverpool We had a
very dismal run across the Atlantic,
rain alternating with thick fog for
twelve days, the ship rolling incessant-
ly, and every night becoming new
horror in the observation-disclosures NO fear
that something would happen to the
steamer. Fastnet Light, off the coast
of Ireland, was seen for a few minutes
during a fog-lift on the evening of the
thirteenth day, and the Captain told
us, one and all, that our wretched pas
sage wonld soon be over.
1'he night that followed was densely
black and very stormy, but the ship
was under full sail, and was driven
through tremendous seas with all steam
on. / turned in about ten O. clock and
slept, l should say, two hours, when an
irresistable-and to this day unaccount-
able-inIluence compelled me to get up
and dress myself The ship rolled fear
fully, but l managed to reach the deck
and to grOpe my way, hand over hand
by the deck railing to the smOke-pipe,
where [ stood few minutes thorough
ly appalled, at the blackness of the
night and the mad plunging of the YES
sci.
Suddenly this terrific cry came up
from the deck below me: "God AL
mighty help US! we're going ashore.
Put the ship about. / family saw the
white waving of an arm in a shirt
sleeve, and the next minute was thrown
from my feet by the sudden change of
the ships course brought about by an
officer telegram to the Wheel-house.
Everything was in instant confusion,
not bet.ered by the fact that the dark
rocks of the Irish coast were plainly
visible to many of the frightened pas
scngers. The ship shook like reed in
the fierce wind that blew, for every sail
was aback and Roadway seemed utterly
impossible to make. TWAS long time
before the vessel answered her helm,
and nothing but the naval discipline of
the sailors saved the China from becom-
ing a total wreck. 's
1 may mention here that the Captain
of the Three Bells--the savior of the
San Franchises passengers after she
was dismasted-w with us, and he
assured us that in all his long, life as a
sailor he never had so narrow an escape
from Instant death. The ship was
nearly upon the rocks, aud at the rate
she was going she would have smashed
herself to pieces in very short time.
After breakfast the next day some one
said: . Let us have up the man who
gave the alarmn' for we had learned
that the man I saw ut m dnight was a
steerage passenger; and soon he APP
pearer among US, q gray-haired son of
the sea, seventy Years of age, or there
about, who modestly said to rs, rs we
gathered about him: "Good friends,
give thanks to God, and 10 not praise
me. I only, smelled the land growing
nearer and nearer, and was bis His
hum bic instrument to save you'll
The fact is we were drawn in some
mysterious Manner tetiti miles out of
our course. Captain Hockey was wide
ly censured by the London papers and
has never been seen, SOL have heard,
upon the ocean since. Possibly the
magnetism of the land, or the effect of
the iron and steel in the ships construc-
ton, or some powerful element of the
stormy atmosphere. produced a devia-
lion of the needle of the compass, and
perhaps counter currents or other con-
trary forces of resistleSs tides made the
great ship a plaything for the PREACHER
Gus seas.-C0r. Boston Journal.