The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-18
BLOWN FROM THE BAHAMAS.
Fearful Experience Of Three Negroes
in Small Sloop.
From The Melbourne (FIla.) Nelcs.

| Fearful Experience Of Three Negroes
in a Small Sloop.
From the Melbourne (FIG.) Nelcs.
Last Friday morui about 4 o'clock
Keeper J. N. Hopkins of the Cape Malabar
House Of R fuge, located near Melbourne,
discovered a small sloop riding at aLchor
about a mile off shore. He signaled the
| boat, and presently three persons--wo men
| and boy-emerg5d from the CABIN and,
entering a dinghy, sculed slowly toward
| the shore. A heavy surf was on, and 1t
seemed impossible for tie little boat to
live in the Wild breakers. Half the
time the boat and is crew were
wholly hidden from sight, but 1t arose
safely to the crest Of the following wave
every time until within almost a rod OF the
| beach, wheI a huge breaker lifted 1t up
| and threw it forward like rocket. So
| terrific was its speed that the persons were
| unable to hold on TO the seats. All three
were thrown into the roaring breakers. The
oldest man managed to grasp the ern of
the boat as it shot past him ii the breaker,
| and when the boat was thrown hi "a on the
| sands the old man rolled like ball half
! way up tue beacL.
Anticipating the trouble, Keeper Hop
| kins had run to the bsacn and waied out
into the surf. When the three ere thr pwn
out of the boat, Mr.. Hopkins plugged into
| succeeded il drawi him safely to the
shore. Then he ran back into The water
| and rescued the young man just as the
| u dertow So zed hi II. But for the prompt
and fearless action Of Keeper Hopkins, the
| little oy aud the young man would surely
| have been d owned.
The old man was still lying where the
waves had thrown him when Mr.. Hopkins
was able give him attention. Although
he said his rough-and-tum lie on the beach
mad not hurt MIN any, he was trembling
violently and unable to rise. He was too
weak to hold cup of coffee, which was at
| once carried to him, but after drinking it
he revived enough to tell that ur days
they had been without food. Then the
poor old colored man, with tears of Joy
running down his wri kled cheeks, poured
out prayers of thanksgiving to God for saw
ing them from starvation and drowning.
The V ung man and the little boy walked
TO the house, but the old man was so feeble
that 70 d., as carried to where he was lying
on the sand. The spark of life in him
was very low, but the assiduous attentions
Of Mr.. Hopkins caused it to grow stronger,
and in an hJur or two the old man
was able to walk to the house, on
tbs edge of the bluff Later he was
able to give an account of his experience,
which was very sad and fearful one. To
produce it entire would occuuy too much
opdC6, UuI ~ was UOlu WIN graphic SIN
plicity I'd earnestness. He was what
northerners would deem a typical "Uncle
Tom," tall and veAerable in appearance,
simple and religious In his
conversation, humble and polite
in his actions. His age was
perhaps 60, and he was born in slavery at
st. Augustine, where he was owned by
Da ,iel Role His own name Is Simon
Role, and he is the father OF fourteen chill
dren, all of whom are living. The little
boy, aged about years, who was in the
boat, is his youngest son. The other was
an adopted sou, abo 1t 20 years old, named
James Evans. The following is a conden-
sation Of the old mans story:
"On June l left my home in Nassau for
a trip to Courtney Key after turtles, taking
al ing weeks provisions. We had Just go5
off the Bahama banks wnen q calm, which
I lasted two days, settled down n us and we
drifted into the Gulf stream which carried
us along rapidly. Our anchor cable was
only en- fathoms long, and we tried to row
bacG to the banks t could not do it. The
third day a gale struck us pveilived all my
life on the salt water but never saw such
a sea as there was in that Gulf stream. I've
seen more there in the last week than nv
grandfather saw in all his life. The waves
/ rolled twice as high as our mast. We gave
up all hope, but by the power Of d md
a good understanding We kept the boat from
sinking. Alter the gale broke l headed the
boat west south west. think e I'd
strike the Florida coast som where
ought we were nearer st. Augustine,
and anew our provisions would not last
until we struck land, although from the
day we were blown off the Bahama ba ks
We limited our food to Two crackers a day,
| and finally to Que day. But four DAYS
ago Ben ate the last crumb. We had
plenty of water, though, AMI that kept us
from getting 50 hu CRY. We sighted land
last night at O'clock / praised
the good Lord for letting me see the land
once more. B l was afraid thai we would
perhaps be killed by the india is or Will
beasts. 1 didn't sleep any last night for
thinking about them. We sailed O. until
81 re. THE lights were at the house of
refuge and "hassier's Haven't We
q chore before the first one 1t was the
| good Lord that ordered it; he brought us
safe out of that wild, raw sea, and to the
very door of the good keeper of your gov
ernment's house. He has done everything
in the world for us. We would nave
drowned or died OF starvation but for him.
AS long as God lets me live I'll pray to
him.
There is little more to be told. Mr.. Hop
klns gave the men enough provisions to
last them six weeks, and Sunday morning
they started south. 1t is their int ition to
enter the Indian river at Fl Capron
bar, and sell their sloop here. Nothing
uld induce them to cross the Gulf stream
again. although their boat has proved itself
to be wonderfully soaworthy. 1t is but p
feet long, with 10 feet bea n, draft feet.
Ii is on tho English model, without center
board. The boat cleared from Port Bemini.
i New Providence, Captain James Evans,
| although the old man, Simon Rylle, is her
owner.
pRINIER A Nh HOO " Z, NJ r, =.