The Dickinson press., 1889-12-14
A SEA ADVENTURE.
How u Fishing boat Was Blown from the
ISahnmaa IN F1oridn.

HOW u FISHING Loaf Was Blown from the
bahamas to Florida.
Last Friday morning about 4 o'clock
Keeper j. NJ. Hopkins, of the Cape Mala-
bar house of refuge, neal here, discov-
cred a small sloop riding at anchor about
a mile off shore. He signaled the boat,
and presently three persuasive men
and a boy-emerged from the cabin and
entering n dingey sculled slowly toward
the shore. A heavy surf was on and it
seemed impossible for the little boat to
live in the breakers. Half the time the
boat and its crew were wholly hidden
from sight, but it arose safely to the crest
of the following wave every time until
within Il rod of the beach, when a huge
breaker lifted it up and threw it forward
like a rocket. So terrific was its speed
that the persons were unable to hold on
to the seats. All three were thrown into
the breakers. The Oldest man managed
to grasp the stern of the boat as it shot
past him, and when the boat was thrown
high on the sands he rolled like a ball
half way up the beach.
Anticipating the trouble Keeper Hop
kins had ran to the beach and waded
out into the surf. When the three wero
thrown out of the boat Mr.. Hopkins
plunged into the breakers and caught
the little boy and succeeded in drawing
him safely to the shore. Then he ran
back into the water and rescued the
young man as the undertow seized him.
But for this prompt action the little boy
and the young man would have been
drowned.
The old man was still lying where the
waves had thrown him when Mr.. Hop
kins was able to give him attention. AL
though he said his rough-and-tumble on
the beach had not hurt him any, he was
trembling violently and unable to rise.
He was too weak to hold a cup of coffee,
which was at once carried to him, but
after drinking it he revived enough to
tell that for four days they had been
without food. Then the poor old colored
man, with tears of joy running down his
wrinkled cheeks, poured out prayers of
thanksgiving to God for saving them
from starvation and drowning.
The young man and the little boy
walked to the house, but the old man
was so feeble that food was carried to
where he was lying on the sands. The
spark of life in him was very low, but in
an hour or two the old man was able to
walk to the house on the edge of the
bluff. Later on he was able to give an
account of his experience, which was a
fearful one He was what northerners
would call a typical "Uncle Tom," tall
and venerable 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 Daniel Role. His own name is Simon
Role and he is the father of fourteen
children, all Of whom are living. The
little boy, aged about 0 years, who was
in the boat, is his youngest son. The
other vas an adopted son, about20 years
old, named James Evans. The following
is n condensation Of the old mans story:
81 left my home in Nassau for a trip
to Courtney Key after turtles, taking
along a weeks provisions. We had just
got off the Bahama banks when a calm,
which lasted two days, settled down on
US, and we drifted into the Gulf Stream,
which carried us along rapidly. Our
anchor cable was only ten fathoms long
and we tried to row back to the banks,
but could not do it. The third day a gale
struck us. I've lived all my life on the
salt water, but I never saw such q sea as
there was in that Gulf Stream. I've
seen more there in the last week than
my 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 God and a good understanding wo
kept the boat from sinking. After tho
gale broke / headed the boat west-south-
west, thinking I'd strike the coast some
where. l thought we were nearer st.
Augustine and knew our provisions
would not last until we struck land, al
though from the day we were blown of
the Bahama banks we limited our food
to two crackers a day and finally to one
a day. But four days ago Ben ate the
last crumb. We had plenty of water,
though, and that kept us from getting
so hungry. We sighted land last night
dU v OClOCh. L plItlSeu tluo SOOu AO1N
for letting me see the land once more.
"But 1 was afraid that perhaps we
would be killed by the Indians or wild
beasts. 1 didn't sleep any last night for
thinking about them. We sailed on un-
til midnight, guided by two lights on the
shore. We anchored before the first one.
It 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 government house. He
has done everything in the world for us.
We would have drowned and died Of
starvation but for him. AS long as God
lets me live Ill pray for him."-Mel'
bourne (Fla.) News.
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