The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-29
SOLDIER AND SHARK.

tiQu9i ana .Vlstl'lil "'VP''u PiihS'picS
which govern yarn spinning have, IL Is
true. cast slight shadow athwart his
,eracitv. but lac is nevertheless listened
toUith respectful attention when he starts
ort 10 entertain his friends with relations
q. his adventures AS an oarsman and
s,,inroer. however, this rcnOwn IL I'M
d,mmed by his Aforesaid reputation. The
irsDe.for passes most of his spare time
during the spring and summer at the
Veruaa Boat club house, al Bay Ridge.
Ne is a member of the club and the happy
owner Of one Of the landiest and most
uerlcct rowing shells. When lie is not
-, the water in his pet craft. he is in the
water IA c bathing suit. Sometimes,
however. as ON occasions of very cold
weather such as that Of the past week.
La ,,oes down to the club house Tor the
finn Of the thing and sits there surrounded
hy other members. Then he tells stories
This happened a day or two ago. The in
sncctor had had his dip and had emerged
from the water lie hastily donned hi
clothes carefully brushed his iron gray
bair glanced at his 500 presentation
watch and sat down among the other
members
Was the water cold, Inspector asked
one
"Coldl | should think it was. 1t re-
minded me-
Then the other members drew their
chairs nearer and ontrcated him to tell
them what the chilly state of the water
reminded him of.
1T reminded me Of 4 very queer and
unpleasant adventure during the war.
The chairs edged little nearer and one
III .,.tfi
above the noise OF the moving OF seats
But the story is strictly true, he went
on and should not relate it if it were
not for the fact that there are several
gentlemen living in Brooklyn who were
witnesses Of the events refer to. One
u these is Sorgt Holbrook Of the
Central squad. stationed at police head
quarters. and another Is Capt. Folk, OF
tlo Twelfth precinct,
Then followed several assurances that
Lot single Naruna flannel shirt covered
abreast that could fora moment entertain
doubt of it.
"lnlSG2 began the Inspector Il joined
COMPANY T. Of the One Hundred and
s.yenty-third Metropolitan regiment. 1t
wasa police regiment, and llolbrook and
Folk belonged TO il also. On the 18th Of
ItLtAlDfl VI Sl4AllNu l0i .NtN OiltstlAo ~
the steamer Continental. LOO strong.
The steamer was pretty crowded, as you
NAV imagine. and comfort and cleanliness
were at a discount. But perhaps chief
among our discomforts were the plentiful
hess of salt pork ani the absence of sea
water soap or fresh water to wash in.
We lived on the salt pork and tried to
wash in salt water with fresh water soap,
I ell fhara n Crnnl
dirty faces and pairs of hands on board
Oh the second day ont. 1t had been rain
ing pretty hard up 10 the third day out
from New York harbOr. and ! was on
duty on deck. as dirty as the rest, when
we reached the Gulf of Mexico As |
marched up and down the deck of the
steamer which was pitching and rolling
heavily. | noticed that the yawls which
hung from the davits were half fun Of
rain water determined 10 have wash
and slipped below and got towel aud
piece of fresh water soap. But
found it q tough job. Just as /
would get my hands nearly into the
fresh water in the boat, a. leaned over
the gUnwale the roll of the steamer to
leeward would swing her away from me
And there had 10 wait. leaning half over
the side. until the roll the other way
swung her back again. Then oil she
would swing again. just giving me time
10 dip my fingers into the rain water
This vent on for some minutes and had
scarcely done more than wash my hands
80 | made up my mind to make bold
dash for clean face. ! put the soap
down. scooped my hands together and
waitel for the return swing of the yowl.
deter. iacd 10 scoop up some rain water
and throw it over my face. The steamer
somehow suddenly stopped rolling for n
few seconds. and began pitching, with
the yawl lust few inches out of my
reach Leaning over the gunwalc | made
one supreme effort to reach the water IN
the vawl But unfortunately, at that
very moment. the steamer rolled tho way
had not expected, and before ! had time
to express an opinion about ii found my
self several fathoms under water. | had
pitched over the gunwale and slipped be
tween the side of the steamer and tho
yawl. As soon as | realized the situa-
ton I was impressed with its serious
ness This was as began 10 risc To tho
surface. which did slowly, and with diff
Guilty. as had or my full uniform and
heavy pair Of top boots. a storm was
rising rapidly. and the steamer was going
at fourteen knots. so that by the time
rose to the surface. in a trough between
Two waves that seemed to be as high as
mountains. could sec nothing Of the
steamer. In another second | was lifted
on TO the top OF roll. and there saw tho
steamer quite distance away tried to
shout. bit my voice failed me, and my
heart pretty well failed ne too. In an.
other moment ! was again on top OF
q wave, and glanced toward the ship. |
could iust see two or three faces locking
over the silc. and judged by seeing some
arms waving that was seen. Presently
saw what looked like d large box thrown
overheard. and made up my mind that
it was intended as life buoy. This re.
yiyed my sinking hopes, for felt that II
they had seen me on the ship and threw
something overheard to me they would
stop her ard put boat out 10 pick me up;
learned afterward that llolbrook had
seen nc fall overheard, and had shouted
out % the man at the wheel
Man oycrboardN
"A man named ConnOr--who, by the