The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-05-16

nv berth on hoard the Albatros,
had set my heart on fifty thousand
dollars. That sum looked bigger
10 me then than now. Neverthe-
less, determined TO abide my first
resolve and when at last | found
myself possessed Of really more
than the coveted amount. | resolv-
ed to lake passage by the next
homeward bound steamer.
We arrived at Panama, crossing
the Isthmus in safety.
The steamer we then took was
old and shaky, and altogether IN
seaworthy. Three days out in the
Gulf a terrific gale beset us, and
the crazy old steamer sprang sew
eral leaks, one of which, although
she safely outrode the gale, we
found it impossible to stop, and Ill
spite of our almost superhuman
efforts al the pumps, we found the
wafer gaining on us fearfully.
With the instinct of Self-preser-
walton uppermost, 1 seized upon
an empty hogshead, and clung tolt
tenaciously. Years before | had
assisted in rescuing a fellow-crea.
lure from the surf, who had been
afloat for five weary days in an
open barrel. He was the mate OF
a Nantucket schooner, and The only
one saved out of the entire crew.
now recalled the circumstances,
and profited by it. | secured q
small cask OF water and some sea
bread, which | deposited with my
, gold at the bottom Of my queer
! craft for ballast.
Most of The passengers had large
: quantities of gold about them,
\ which in some instances they cast
!, upon deck before committing
. themselves to the waves. The on
/. ly two boats the steamer boasted
had been swamDed in the begin
). ming, for the sea was still tumbling
S and lashing fearfully, showing that
d the effects of the late terrific gale
; had far from subslded.
# The only chance for the poor
|. yretches was something 10 buoy
o them up, and they irantically tore
+ away the promenade deck, each
trusting himself TO separate
v plank. All the gold which they
v cast aside as an incumbrance /
a picked up as ballast for my frall
'e craft.
AT the fitting moment | launch.
h ed out into the hungry sea, and
ID rode The white-capped waves like
d a cork. In this manner l wa:
d tossed about for three days and
e nights, till at length was picked
IS ND by Spanish galleOn, and taken
IS to Faval, where | obtained PAS
IS sage to New York in an English
ship. / rewarded the Spaniards
ST and the English literally, and was
Il in possession of a hundred and for.
lie ty thousand dollars in gold when |
i landed.
le | advertised If there were any
n survivors of The wreck, but recelv'
ing not a single response cOnclud'
Y! ed they must have all perished.
And now comes the most inter
y esting part (to me) of my homely
is narrative. AS soon | had sufficient
r time for breathing spell, and tC
10 replenish my shabby wardrobe
e visited Ryeburg to see JAG k Mar,
S Inns mother and sister. | found
le tkem everything he had panied
d. them and much more.
p Mrs. Marlin took to me with a
notherly affection from the start
y :, and was sure, from her modest
- - bushes and The evident pleasure
% in her ewes, that Susan loved me
u and that opinion was fully con
- firmed a few weeks later, when
"a proposed for her hand and was ac
!, cepted.
We have now been marrle'
10 eighteen years, have children, an'
ii. neither have had occasion TO re
of pent of our choice.