The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-09-19

other day man whose terrible ex-
pcricnces in the North Pacific Ocean
equal those OF Robinson Crusoe.
This gentleman was N. G. Marks, u
sea captain; en- route from Portland,
Ore. to the Atlantic coast, and the
story heard from his own lips is as fol-
lows: --@--=-----
II was wrecked on the coast OF
British Columbia during the terrible
gale which recently swept from one
end to the other of the Pacific coast,
and am now on my way to report to
the owners OF the ship and cargo.
She was d>whaler named the Blanche
Buckingham, and hailed from the
Pelican Inlet, on the coast OF Maine.
We smiled from port =Hearly-three
years ago with a crew OF eleven, be-
sides the captain and two mates.
was the first mate. The captain was
IN old whaler named Captain Leroy
Aubrey, and he has been the friend OF
my lifetime. After striking the whal-
ing grounds we had excellent luck, and
were slowing away considerable oil.
Every thing on board was peaceable
with the exception OF two men, who
had hard feeling for the. captain. and
conducted themselves in such q man
ner as to cause them to be thrown into
irens upon two occasions Upon the
last occasion they seemed to have re-
pointed and promised better behavior,
and every one supposed all trouble
had been amicably settled.
Some two months ago we were off
the coast of British Columbia, some
six hundred miles from land, and one
day when vas out with nine OF the
crew In two yawls, one OF my crew
noticed n signal being worked from
the mainmast rigging. It was evil
IDENTITY one OF distress, and | at once
little after midday. My mind was
filled with forebodings, for the cap
tain and the second mate had re-
manned on board with the two men
have spoken OF and the cook. As we
nearcd the ship the man III the rigging
proved to be the second mate, who
warned us not to come along side, and
said the two men had killed. the cap
tain, and that he had only saved his
own life by sprhging into the rigging
armed with/a harpoon. which pre-
vented the murdercrs from following
him. The cook was threatened, but
begged for his life, and had been Sc
cured in the cabin. My first thought
was to board the the ship, but the
mate told me the men were crouched
on deck. armed with harpoons. sol
withdrew.
..Waiting until after dark, rowed
to within short distance OF the ship,
and removing all my clothing, | armed
myself with meat Snife.slippedE into
the water and struck out for the ship.
All the firearms on board were locked
in strong. iron-bound box, the only
key OF which had in my possession
intended swimming to her, climb on
the rudder, secure the pistols and
either capture or kill the murderers.
II had succeeded in swimming about
one hundred yards from the yawl.
when my heart was almost paralyzed
with. horror as became aware OF the
presence OF shark. could hear him
rushing toward me. his dorsal fin
clcaving the water like streak. The
horror OF n terrible death crept over
me. and in an. instant l seemed
to- live an age Of suspense. Quickly
drawing my knife, and as / felt the
swell on the water which proceeded
the monster. gathered myself for a
desperate attempt to dive, which was
successfully done, and the huge
monster shot over me like a flash far
out into the depths beyond The
ship was only q few yards distant, and
l realized it was fight for life. ! was
desperately wcdgcd between two foes,
which l knew to be equally danger
Gus.
III cried to the mutinous seamen
aboard, they might refuse me assist
sance,. and if mott would perhaps save
me only to be butchered. To escape
the shark was next to an impossibility,
which I recognized as heard the
baflled monster making the water boil
: as he turned to renew the attack. !
: realized that it would be but an in
slant before the man-eater would be
j upon me again, and | fairly threw my
body out-of the water In making such
Y strenuous, efforts to gain the ships
rudder. / could again hear that
chilling sound like the cold cut
ting OF knife through the
water. Ifelt the swell Of the monster
behind me. and every fiber In my body
was struggling to escape. My breath
was suspended and my eyes seemed
springing from their sockets trying to
measure the distance TO a place OF safe
ty All at once the near approach o.
the fish filled me with horror of failure
and.I turned to meet it with the knife
which, I carried in my teeth, when .
heavy body shot over me into the scr
and Ewas nearly drawn into the vor