Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-23

aAOtiS VI CIV III "llOh VIC wa
not more than 10 feet long, an ordi
nary ships boat, heavy and slow. GU
trunks were packed midships, m,
nurse took one child and / held baby
while the captain managed rudder AM
sails. We sailed the first night unit
10 o'clock. The next morning i
blew a gale, but we still pushed or
until the danger became SO great tina
the captain was obliged to take in sal
and get near shore. Then getting into
the water he hauled the boat NOR,
than twenty miles up the river, some
times with the water above his waist
until late in the evening when we
reached the shelter OF house.
The next morning the wind having
lulled little, we sailed all day. Nigh
came, but with it not d sign of life
The dwellings along the coast wer,
from twenty TO forty miles apart, ant
to us everything was new and strange
AS q denier resort we decided to camr
out in the woods. Fire was built
supper cooked, the blankets spread on
the ground, and, we laid .ourselve.
down to rest. Awaking about mid
night, | saw the captain sitting by the
fire with his own gun on his knee.
mercy on me" | cried, what's the
mattcr?" .-..
"Oh, nothing much, only watching
Tor bears" | listened and could hear
them distinctly growing through the
forests, for we were in the widest OF
the wilds OF Florida We started
again at daylight, and when we
reached the end of our journey
in the southern states we had
travelled 400 miles in an open boat.
But the end was not yet Before us
now. spreading out as far as the eye
could reach, was the never slumber-
ing sea. The wind blew hurricane,
every hour seeming to increase its
force and fury. The huge waves tossed
our little bark about like cookie
shell, now breaking over us in great
sheets OF spray and now topping
above our heads as if to bury us from
sight forever. The servant and myself,
both drenched to the skin, baled indus
triOusly with one hand, while we held
the children with the other, aud for
fifteen hours we rode the storm.
We must have travelled fast for Just
at nightfall, as we rose on the crest oil
tremendous wave, the captain sud,
denly exclaimed. II see land" In.
voluntarily calculated, "Thank God. -
Not so fast, not 50 fast" was his re.
ply, flor now it is matter of life and
death. The breakers are just ahead.
If we succeed in finding an opening De-
tween the islands we are safe, if no,
VIC shall be dashed to pieces on the
rocks. Hold fast TO the children and
the boat ..............
A moment more and we were in the
breakers, which, racing after each
other, curled and broke with "a voice
Of thunder, while the shivered waves
foamed and boiled in the vortex below.
Now, hold for dear life," cried the
captain, rs he braced himself to hold
the boats head to the inlet The
veins in his neck and face stood out
like great cords from the efforts he
was making not only to manage the
boat, but to control his feelings in this
dreadful emergency.
just at that moment a huge wave
dashed over the boat, tearing my little
XIII YIN lllC VI IllO UuTSc anu
washing her overheard amid the wild
screams of the faithful Chloe and 10Y
frantic efforts to save her. Out upon
the angry pillows she floated, her gold.
en- hair cleaning in the moonlight and
we pOwerless to save her. for one
seconds relaxation of her fathers hold
on the helm would have been fatal to
I'll OF us.
For Gods sake hold tight to the
baby and brace yourself against the
boat" he cried, and the big tears
streamed down his anguished face as
he watched the little body so dear to
US both floating further and further
out to sea. While his boat was being
dashed by these breakers an attempt
to swim would have been certain death.
Again he bent TO the helm and turned
his eyes toward the land.
The little craft. rising to the crest
Of a waterv precipice, trembled for a
minute, then swept down the steep,
followed by a wave on each quarter,
which, as we rose again, broke and
poured its volume from stem to stern.
For moment | thought we were lost.
and clasplng my half drowned baby
to my bosom | uttered heartfelt
prayer to the Great Ruler Of the winds
and waves. Again we were caught
and borne on, and again. until finally
/ closed my eyes, all hope gone, when
with mighty plunge we shot forward
on the bosom OF the last breaker and
subsidized into the clear, smooth water
OF the pass.
Thank God! At last we were safe.
we four, but the other little one drift
ing. just ahead OF us, lying in a
small bay, was fleet of sailing vessels,
one OF which. seeing the peril from
which he had just emerged, sent a
boat promptly to our assistance, with
Cramped with cold and fatigue | was
unable to walk, but the men kindly
helped me to the cabin and to all the
rude comforts which they possessed,
and we were thus enabled to obtain
the rest and refreshment which we all
so much needed. That night the body
OF my darling was washed ashore,
where it was buried by her father,
who with few rude seamen perform.
ed the last sad rites.
The next morning we resumed our
journey, and on the oath we reached
one OF the Bahama Islands. We found
the people kind, but curious. Not ten
among the women had ever been on
the mainland, and not more than one
or two had heard a steam whistle OF
seen a locomotive.
We reached Nassau in just three
weeks from the time we left Florida,
and learned that the Fanny had re-
ceived valuable cargo, and under her
first officer returned to Charleston, sc
Not to be halked in his purpose at this
stage OF the pursuit, the captain al
once took passage on the steamer
Nashville for that city. Arriving off
the port the captain deemed it i'm
prudent 10 enter, when my husband
obtained one OF the quarter boats, and
in this, accompanied by four or five
other passengers, we struck out boldly
for the shore.
We had NOT nroceaded far yhan a