The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-03-16

sudden mist clOuded my eyes. MY
senses left me; l reeled and fell from
the top to the deck. In my descent !
struck once or twice, which caused me
to turn over, with the result that l fell
on my head. When recovered con-
seriousness was lying in bunk in the
hospital. Still there was a thick mist
before my eyes. / could, indeed, see
every thing SO as to recognize where /
was, but somehow my eyes refused to
move about. and l could only stare
straight up at the deck. i tried to
turn in my bunk, but / could not; to
raise my arms, but could not; to sit
up, but my muscles failed me. At last
the truth struggled into my darkened
mind. l perceived at last that was
in perfectly cataleptic trance. The
strange part Of it was that my mind
was almost rs active as ever. ! knew
all that was going on about me, and !
felt an overwhelming terror at my
possible fate.
lit was soon made known to me.
The captain entered my room. l could
hear indistinctly, as it were afar off,
his footstep on the deck. Then the
steward also came in. l heard them
consulting together, and both came to
the conclusion that was dead; that
my neck was broken by the fall.
Tell Sails to come in and take his
measure. We must bury him tomorrow
while the fine weather lasts" heard
the captain say; and presently the sail
maker came in and measured me for
the last hammock should ever sleep
in. / could not feel him. butt knew
by his motions what he was doing. ]
will not describe how they laid me out
on the cabin table and left me there,
while Sails, close by, made my shroud.
Stitch, stitch, stitch went his needle,
seeming to enter into my brain every
time instead of the thick canvas. lean
distinctly remember that while lay
there the steward tried to close my
eyelids, but, thank God. they flew up
every time and left me the poor conso-
lation of seeing the preparations for
my doom.
"At last all was finished. The canvas
was spread on the deck. and l was laid
in it. Then the sailmaker began to
stitch me up. He had stitched up all
but my face, when heard him say he
had lost his knife. A rigid search was
made everywhere, but it could not be
found, so Sails returned to work, and
all that time Twas thinking in my dull
way what fools they were for not look
ing into my shroud for the lost knife.
As afterward learned, it was next day
at noon that was carried on deck and
laid on a plank. preparatory to being
shot overheard. The men one by one
took look at my face. and then it was
covered up forever. The burial service
was read by the captain, there was
little delay. and then the plank was
tilted and 1 shot into the bitter cold
water of the Diego Ramirez. 1t must
have been the shock that brought me
TO my senses, for, as 1 sank down,
dragged lower by the shot at my feet.
1 felt my feeling and action return. At
the same moment my right hand, re-
leased from its dread inertia, grasped
what / instantly knew to be knife.
Mechanically forced the blade and
ripped my canvas shroud so that the
shot fell and began to rise to the sur
face. In few seconds, suppose. al
though it seemed years, l opened my
eyes-for it is curious fact that while
/ lay in state of coma they remained
open, yet when my feelings returned
with the shock closed them at once
and saw once more the light OF day.
which l had never expected to see
again. was an excellent swimmer, and
had soon regained my breath and cast
from me the canvas which impeded
my movements. Then looked
around over the waters. and saw that
my miraculous escape had been all for
nothing. The ship, looking like a
great swan, was several miles away.
getting smaller and smaller even as
looked. There arose from my lips a
frenzied curse against the God that had
abandoned me thus, but almost i'm
mediately afterward. as if to rebuke
me for my wickedness, I noticed huge
piece of wreckage floating toward me.
Hope once more filed my breast and
swan toward the piece Of deckhouse,
as it proved to be, and clambering on
top threw myself on my face and wept
for very wretchedness. Alone on the
wide ocean, a piece Of wood the only
thing between me and death, dazed
and weak from my last terrible expert
ence, what else could do but weepp
Soon l began to feel an intense hunger.
By the lowest calculation Unjust have