The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-04-27
A CASTAWAY'S STORY.

Il L
We were on the run down from YOka-
hama, Japan, to port i'll Cochin China,
on English tea brig called the Russell.
Our course lay to the south down the
Pacific to the island of Formosa. and
then around into the China Sea. l. was
the season for squalls, and the first four
days out gave us plenty TO do, although
we made good progress. One the even
ing Of the fourth day, Just as twilight
was coming one. a sudden squat laid us
almost on our beam ends, and while in
that position we were swept by sea
which carried me overheard. | don't
suppose was even missed for the next
quarter of an hour, and | was no sooner
in the water than | understood the brig
could do nothing for me. No craft
leaves a man to drown if there is the
slightest show to save him, but | knew
the brig had her hands full with the
squat. ! was near done for before got
n breath OF air, and rad not vet pulled
myself together when ! flung out my
arm and touched a solid object. 1t
proved 10 be cage containing about
twenty live fowls, which had fetched
away, and | wasn't over five minutes max
ing fast to it by means of my belt. By
the tirle | could look around the night
had come down and the brig was no
where to be seen. The squall lasted
| about twenty minutes, and then passed
away, to be followed by a steady breeze
during the entire night.
had no idea that the brig would re-
turn 10 look for me, and the best thing
l could do was to make myself comfort
able. The water was warm. the night
balmy and starlight, and the sea was not
heavy enough to annoy me much. | had
every hope Of being picked up next day,
a. vessels were numerous on that route,
and 20, taken all in all. | was not in de-
SPAR. ! was driven to the west at a
steady pace up to about midnight, and
then aqueer thing happened. was on
/ top the coop or cage. which was buoy
ant enough 10 'oat me foot above the
surface. 1t had no doubt been dashed to
the deck 10y rope or two, and portions
of these ropes might have been trailing
underneath, or it may be that in going
overheard it entangled a rope. At any
rate, at about midnight there was sud
den cOmmotion under and about me,
and then my craft started off at almost
railroad speed. have an idea that a
big shark came nOsing around after me
and became entangled, but it might
have been some other large fish. What
ever it was, was fast and acting as a tug
and the way he lowed that cage along
the surface was q caution. He tried
diving, but he could not pull it under,
and seeming to be more frightened by
this discovery he set off with increased
speed.
For at least three hours the shark, O
whatever it was, ran TO the west at rat,
of speed which could not have been les
than ten miles an hour, and the frs
flush of day was in the horizon at m.
back when there was shock and a crash
and l went end over end off my float
To tell the truth, | was asleep. i hat
been towed so steadily and rode so easil
that | went to sleep without KNOWN.
that my eyes had closed. l struck GU
and began swimming, confused an,
frightened by the shock, but had no
made hundred strokes before beaches
myself on the sand and saw that | wa
ashore on an island. sat down to wal
for daylight, and when it came tn
situation was plain. was on a thickl
wooded island, and 200 feet from tn
beach due east of where stood was tn
wreck of my hencoop entapgled in