The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-09

The Ccylon Observer Of the 18th of June
gives the following narrative Of the only
survivor Of the steamer Spoke Hall, which
recently foundered:
When ! came to the surface after being
washed off the bridge I and Quartermaster
Usher were cinging to the same life-buoy
and saw the funnel Of the Spoke Hall lust
going under water. Boats and everything
had been smashed TO pieces and washed
away and, indeed, II the boats had been
available, they could not have lived in such
water. Catching a spar, abandoned the
life buoy to Usher. II was dark at the time,
and could not see him, and saw nothing
more of him or any one else. At daylight
managed TO secure another spar. dashed
the two spars together with my belt cross
wise, so that was able TO sit upon the GEN.
tire. could not have held on much longer
to the single spar, because every now and
then the spar would fall above me, and my
head would go under water. When day
light set in the sea and the wind had gone
down IL came on TO rain. had a SOU 'wester
on, luckily, and held IL mp till caught
about cupful Of water. I believe that
saved my life; for I had swallowed a good
deal OF salt water, and my mouth was
parched.
saw nothing that day except pieces of
the second day saw the smoke of a steamer
a long distance off. She passed on without
seeing me. saw one or two others during
the day, but they were still too far of.
About the middle Of the second day shark
came rushing along at a great speed. It
was not very large one-about nine feet
long. | was sitting on the cross. piece with
my feet underneath. The shark rushed
over one piece of wood, and fancy he got
the other arm Of the raft In his teeth, be.
cause he stopped suddenly. had piece
OF stick about three feet long which picked
up, thinking IL might be useful for hosting
my cap on as signal. poked him with
this stick and he cleared of at once, and
never saw anything more of him. That
night steamer passed quite close TO me.
could see all her lights, but, the night being
dark, she did not observe me. HAILED her,
but she was too far off to hear me. dozed
off once or twice, but whenever dozed fell
into the water. didn't feel much moon
venience from the sun. My hat saved me.
On the morning OF the third day saw a
steamer and sail. l took my coat of and
hoisted 1t on the stick, and tried to attract
her attention. She altered her COURSE and
came straight toward me, and fancied she
had seen me; but presently she altered her
course and steered away from me. had
almost given up hope then.
" Later in the same day another and
much larger shark visited me, but did not
come within the circle of the raft. lie was
tremendous fellow, twenty feet long at
least, and gave myself up for lost when
saw him. Nothing more occurred until the
evening. The sun began to get low, and
could not see anything all around the hori-
zon. and made up my mind for another
night, must have rona ofr into , loppor
doze than usual, for fell of the raft on my
face, and when got up again the French
steamer Peiho seemed close on me, rs IL IL
had sprung out of the water. had moth.
ing to signal with but my hat. held it up
as high as could, and one of the soldiers
on board saw me. A boat was lowered and
an officer and -four men came over to me
and took me on board, where they treated
me very kindly"