The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-12-11
4 SEA ADVENTURE.


How = Fsshin@ boat Was Blown from the
Bahainas 80 Florida
Last Friday morning about o'clock
Keeper }. Nj. Hopkins. of the Cape 1aia-
bar houre of refuge. near here. discov-
cred sIaall sloop riding at anchor about
a mile of shore he signaied the boat.
and presently three persons-two men
and boy--emerged from the cabin and
entering dingey scnll,sd slowly toward
the shore. A heavy surf was On and II
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 il arose safely 10 the crest
OF the following wave every time untli
within a rod Of the beach. when 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
70 the seato. An 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 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 were
thrown out OF the boat Mr.. Hopkins
/ plunged into the breakers and caught
the little boy and succeeded in drawing
4 him safely to the shore Then he ran
I 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 tine
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 cslored
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 lie was living 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. lie 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 co, and he was born n.slaveTy
at St. Augustine. where he was owned
bv 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 was an adopted son. about 90 years
cid, named James Evans. The following
is a condensation Of the old mans story:
Il left my home in Nassau for trip
to Courtney Key after turtles, taking
along a weeks provisions. We had just
got off the Bahama banks when q 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 fatboms long
and we tried to row back TO the hanks,
but could not do it. TIC third day gale
struck us. I've lived all my life on the
salt water, but never saw such sea rs
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 rs our mast.
We gave Up all hope. but by the power
Of God and 4 good understanding we
kept the boat from sinking After the
gale broke headed the boat west-soutl-
west, thinking I'd strike the coast some
where. | 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 . day and finally TO one
a day. But four days ago Ben ate the
last cIumb We mad plenty Of water,
though. and that kept us from getting
30 hungry. We sighted land last night
at O'Clock. / praised the good Lord
for letting me see the land once more.
But l was afraid that perhaps we
would be killed by the Indians or wild
beasts. 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.
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 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 I'll pray for him. Mel.
bourne (F1a.) News.