The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08
"The night came on clear and beauti-

"The night came on clear and beauti-
| full. and we kept straight on. We lost
sight of the boat as the daylight faded,
but in half an hour or so we saw her
again, and we still had her right in line.
As we neared her kept the ship up a
little so as to bring the boat under our
lee, and I put men in the fore-chains and
along the sides with plenty OF lines, and
made all possible preparations to make
fast. Iknew the men in the boat would
be so chilled with the cold that they
would be nearly helpless, and whatever
was 10 be done would have to be done by
ourselves.
1--WE got them out all right, and it
was as l had surmised; they were most
OF them too much benumbed to climb up
the sides, and had to be helped. When
they were all safe on bard we tried to
hoi,t thesboat in and she broke in two
with her own weight; how she ever lived
as long as she did is mystery.
"Captain Hitchcock told me they
rowed as long as they could after leaving
the ship, with the intention of getting
into smoother water beyond tho Gulf
Stream, and he had thought that in cas-,
l fell in with the other boat would do
just as I had done. The two cabin pas
sense:s took their share of the labor with
the rest. They were both young men,
with difference of perhaps five or six
years in their ages, and had been travel
ing in Europe, the elder of the two being
tutor for the younger. who was the son
of prominent citizen of New York.
They took passage at Leyhorn for New
York, and when their turn came to enter
the long-boat they had done so without
complaint, and had borne the privations
of the night and day as cheerfully as any
one else.
"All day they had watched and hoped,
hoped and watched, but there was no
sign of a sail. The night threatened to
be- cold, anil thcr; was little expectation
that any of the party would live till
morning, even if the boat continued to
float. As the sun neared the horizon
the younger man was lying in the bot
tom of the bcat, wrapped in his over
coat and a blanket, while the elder sat
in the stern with the captain.
Just rs the sun was dipping into the
| waves, the elder of the twain said to
Captain Hitchcock that, with his per
mission, he wou d offer prayer. OF
course it was given at once: And l
never, in all my life, said Captain
Hitchcock, heard more beautiful
PRAYER from the lips of mortal man.
And as he sad s'amen," and l said
''amen too, I raised my eyes and saw
your sail
"Perhaps," said Captain Raymond to
his group of li.tcners-''perhaps you'd
like to know the names OF those two pas
sengers2 They are familiar to you all.
and you'll find them at the bottom OF
this letter, which I received, with sill
yer pitcher, few d ,ys after we reached
New York. I haven't seen it for some
time, until it turned up to-day while
was overhauling my desk. 1t is an old
letter, you see, and was written before
the envelope was invented"
The letter was passed around ana
handled with great care. 1t was then
read aloud by one of the group, anc
ran as follows
"NEw YORK, December %, 1874.
"DEAR SIR: DESTROYS Of tsstifying our
grateful sense Of the noble disinterestedness
with which you stood from your course on
the 18th Of December last in search OF the
CAPTAIN, passan ,ers, and crew Of the ship
A al aman, which foundered on that day at
sea, and of the Kindness we received at your
hand, whi'e your guests, we beg your ac-
ceptance of the acc mpanying piece OF pla,e.
I've know that no offering OF ours can
add to the proud feeling OF satls1actlon
whi Ii must have animated your bosom when
upon your own deck you saw the eighteen
buman beings whose lives you had saved;
but we wish you to possess some slight token
which in atter-days may serve TO remind
Your children an your friends OF how nobly
Won did your duty to your God anu your
fellow-men: and we desire that other ship
masters, melted as we'll by their own humane
impulses as by the appreciation which SO no
BILE an never fails to cal down from the
public, may go and do likewise.
"In conclusion. we congratu ate you upon
the opportunity you have enjoyed OF graIl-
fving the most generous prom tings OF the
soul we pray that Heaven may shower It's
choicest blessin s. uIon you and yours ana
we beg Vol to be assured of the lasting graft
tude Of, very truly, Your friends,
"EDwAse DIV. 3 G9oFER, 2pM117 Passengers.
ITO Cartain George b. Raymond, OF the
ship Atlanta, of New York"
"a day or two after receiving and an
swering this letter." snid Captain Ray
mond, III received an invitation to go to
MIR. etcr Cooper's house, as the family
was very desirous of seeing me. | was
so busy with the affairs of my ship that
I could not respond at once, but sent
word that wJuld call on New 1ear's
Day. When called, and my name was
announced, they did not wait for me to
90 into the parlor, but all came out into
the hall to greet me; the ladies pressed
around me, and I assure you it was
rather embarrassing for young sea dog
to receive so much attention. l had
done moth n more than my duty, and
so mellow felt that I was being thanked
and praised good deal beyond what l
mcrited. tried to tell them 50, but they
wouldn't listen to me, and all the time |
WIS there they made such hero of me
that didn't know what to say, and
wonder ed how l would be able TO es-
cape. ;,
None of the CO per or Hewitt family
have ever forgotten me, but, on the
contrary, they miss no opportunity of
referring to that incident @. the 18th of
December. When the otos Club gave
a dinner to Mayor Cooper I wanted to
come as much as ever wanted to do
anything in all my life, and l thought |
would do so; but don't like 10 be called
up for speech, and I knew that Hewitt
or Cooper would be sure to have me out
and make me say something; so | stayed
away, and saved the club from listening
to the story of the loss Of the Ai0hamian."