The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1886-03-11

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Then it grew brighter. | heard o
bell and horn, at distance, which
I knew proceeded from fishing 'ves-
sells, signalling to their boats. Re-
peatedly / shouted at the top OF my
lungs, but was unable 10 attract at
tention.
"That day three or four seals
cumo about tho bulk, and often
climbed on il | could hear them
grunting and blowing in the watel,
as they ished about the schooner +;
and during the afternoon the hulk
drifted amidst school of herring.
| could hear the patter of the her
ring against the planking outside,
aud hundreds of them came in at
the gaugway beneath, filling the
water in the cabin. ! could see
them dimly, aud with a tin basin |
dipped up fifty or sixty, which put
in a box For by this time | had
become so nearly famished rs to cat
these raw fish. But | was even
more thirsty than hungry, and at
times felt tempted to drink my fill
Of the salt water, though knew
rom tho testimony of sailors whom
had heard talk, that the effects Of
drinking it would be fatal to me
Sometimes / tbought that it would
be better to drink il and be crazy
than to live logger, ia saue cons
diiion, in such dreadful plight.
Another night of comparatively
calm weather passed, and on this
night slept considerably, but was
aroused an hour or two before day
light by some ponderous body
which | think must have been either
q shark or whale-sportiug ubou,
the schooner First it butted its
head aginst tho hulk (rooting it
about as u pig might pumpkin)
Several times the creature gave vent
to Il deep, monotouous groaD. There
may have been number of them
Instead of one, aud this was per-
haps their mode of communicating
with each other. / felt some fear
least they might roll the hulk over.
Suddenly one Of the creatures dealt
the vessel tremendous blow-with
it's tail, probably For moment |
was nearly stunned by the coucus-
sion, and then waited breathlessIy
for some time, dreading IA repetition
of the stroke But 1 heard uothiu .
further from these rough visitors.
The blow was apparently their part.
ing slap.
Daring tho day which followed,
experienced considerable difficulty
in breathing and WAS seized with
dreadfully sharp pains in my chest
/ When these had subsidized | fell
asleep, and may have slept all the
following night, being, as now
think, in half-comatose condition.
From this lethargy l was aroused by
the sound Of voices very near. 1t
was light again and on listening
for Il few minutes, i beard oars. A
boat was near by. l shouted-aud
was heard, think. For the voices
and oars ceased suddenly. Then l
heard the voices again, still quite
ugh, 80 close that | could distin-
guish that the language vas Cana
dian French.
81 now shouted Help help I az
loudly as / could For Gods sake.
screamed, help me. Get me- out
of this vessel"
Then listened again with fever
ish anxiety. For moment or two
there was dead silence, then ! heard
a sound of oars, dipping softly iu
the water. At first l thought that
they were coming close in, but soon
found they were going away. l
shouted and implored and yelled
again, then stopped to listen. For
an answer, heard the oars fainter
stealing away. Such fit OF de-
spalr and madness then came over
me that ! shrink from speaking OF
it, In my frenzy | cursed them for
brutes and beasts, without hearts.
The superstitious fools, doubt not,
had taken my cries for some ill.,
omened voices Of spirits for have
reason to know that numbers OF
these provincial fishermen are worry
ignorant aud credulous in such
matters.
Il now gave way to despair,
Probably wandered in my mind
somewhat, aud may even have drank