Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-12-11


side me. Yes, | saw them all as ]
sank beneath that sea.
Delightful sounds played in my
ears, sounds resembling the strains OF
far distant music, and the undulating
motion of the waters was fast lulline
me to an eternal sleep!
"All at once these pleasurable sen.
sations ceased. / felt sudden chill
accompanied by violent pain in my
head and chest, and the music which
had played in my ears was now chang
ed to a terrible ringing.
II felt that | had risen TO the sur
face of the water, and by a supreme
effort of my will / opened my eyes
But what horrifyed scene met my
bleared vision
There was my ship, which had
last appeared half mile away
now towering above me, not more
than twenty feet distant, threatening
every moment to drift down upon me
and roll me under, leaving me, crush.
ed and bleeding, to die in agony.
rather than meet painless death, the
first experiences OF which l had al
ready undergone.
81 could see the yards and spars
suspended menacingly overhead, and,
as in dream, indistinctly hear the
calls of my crew, as they caught sight
of me so near them.
Suddenly l received violent
shock and at once lost all conscious
ness.
Some hours | must have remained
in this condition, for on again becom-
ing sensible of my surroundings |
found myself lying upon II lounge in
the after. cabin of my ship, and heard
the voice Of my mate as he issued or
ders to his men.
"This, accompanied by the rafting
of cordage told me they were making
sail, and feeling the motion of the
vessel somewhat / knew that we were
going through the water and not hove
to as we had been.
81 tried to get upon my feet, but
sank back powerless, and grooming
with pain which the effort cost me.
81 than began to realize my condi-
ton, aud with all the strength that l
could summon | called to some of my
people.
IL was startled at the sound of my
own voice, it so hollow and feeble ;
but faint as it was it reached the at
tentive ears of the steward, who at
once made his appearance.
"He bestowed one glance upon me,
then turned and rushed on deck, cal
ling at the top of his voice to the mate {:
Mr.. Griffin! Mr.. Griffin Come
down into the cabin! The old mans
alive! The cap'n's alive! | saw his
eyes open!
"'Thank God 7 | heard the mate
exclaim. A noble fellow he was, too,
as he came down the after companion
way, while at his heels followed the
whole watch on deck, completely dis
regarding the strict rules of a vessel
which forbid man before the mast
entering ships cabin unless ordered
to by an officer. But | had previous
ly gained the good will of my men,
and, as may be imagined, this breach
of discipline was overlooked.
81 first inquired as to the state of
the weather, and then for the waliare
of the vessel.
"Oh, the weather is fine and the
ship didn't lose rope-yarn except
the tops1 that went afore you did, re-
piled my chief officer.
"Then | asked for the men ! want
ell to know if any of them had been
lost.
"'No; they are all right, saving
Bill he got knocked in the lee SOUP
prrs by the same sea that took you
off, and broke his leg but you, Cap'n,
had the narrowest squeak of any man
| ever saw. Ye see, he went on.
when the sea broke, we, all of us but
you and Bill, got n hand hold,
then, after the deck got clear of water
we looked around and missed YOU
"I looked off to leeward, and there
| saw your head a-bobbn' up and
three ships length away.
"'The men wanted to lower boat
but wouldn't let them, for it would
have been numbering them if | had,
and they could have done you no
good. So we just had to stand and
watch you went down out Of sight.
| tell you it was hard, Cap'n.
"'But in about minute the second
mate sung out: "My, here's the cap'n
right alongside" And he grabbed a
line and was making it fast around
his waist to jump over for you, when,
would you believe it'll never saw
her do anything like it before-the
old hooker (meaning the vesseD gave
lee roll till she buried her rail six feet