The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-10-10
BURIED IN THE OCEAN,

side of the Golden Gate heading for
home. Everything went smoothly, and
nothing occurred to forewarn me of the
terrible adventure the future had in
store for me.
We were to the southwark of Valpa-
raise when I fell ILL., 1t was kind of
faintness that would suddenly and with
out warning come upon me, so that
often fell on the deck and lay there I'M
til some one could come to my assist
ance. This continued without my get
ting much worse until we got down off
. the Magellan straits, in the latitude of
Cape Pillar or thereabouts.
One day, a gloomy, forbidding day,
such as the mariner often meets with
down there, had the afternoon watch,
and was experimenting one Of my men
who was fixing ratline in the weather
mizzen topmast rigging. The fellow
was very clumsy, to say the least of it.
1 got annoyed watching his awkward
ness; more annoyed, in fact, than was
warranted, think, now that look back.
But was growing more and more
irritable every day, which was probably
owing to my fainting spells. Suddenly
1 became so excited that jumped into
the mizzen rigging, and was into the top
in trice. was about to pull the fellow
away from his job when fit came on.
A sudden mist clouded my eyes. My
senses left me; reeled and fell from the
top to the deck. In my descent I struck
once or twice, which caused me to turn
over, with the result that l fell on my
head.
When recovered consciousness was
lying in bunk in the hospital. Still
there was thick mist before my eyes.
could indeedAGe everything so as to
recognize VIII was, but somehow my
eyes refused to EDve about, and could
only stare straight up at the deck. l
tried to turn. in my bunk, but I could
not. To raise myArm, but could not.
To sit up, butS1y muscles failed me.
At last the truth struggled into my dark
eneds mind. Iperceived at last that 1
was<in a perfectly cataleptic trance.
The strange part of it was that my mind
was almost as active as ever. knew
sa1 that was going on about me, and
felt an overwhelming terror at my pos
sible fate.
It was soon made known to me. The
captain entered my room. could hear
indistinctly, as if it were afar off, his
footstep ON the deck. Then the steward
also came in. / heard them consulting
together, and both came to the conclu-
sion that was dead, that my neck was
broken by the fall.
'Tell Sails to come in and take his
measure. We must bury him to-mor-
row while the fine weather LASTS"
heard the captain say, and presently the
sailmaker came in and measured me for
the last hammock l should ever sleep in.
I could not feel him, but 1 knew by his
motions what he was doing. will not
describe how they laid me out on the
cabin table and left me there, while
Sails, close by, made my shroud. Stitch,
stitch, stitch went his needle, seeming
to enter into my brain every time in
stead of the thick canvas. lean distinct
ly remember that while lay there the
steward tried to close my eyelids, but,
thank God, they flew up every time and
left me the poor consolation of seeing
the preparations for my doom.
At last all was finished. The canvas
was spread on the deck and was laid
in it. Then the sailmaker began to
stitch me up. He had stitched up all
but my face when I heard him say he
had lost his knife. A rigid search was
made everywhere, but it could not be
found, so Sails returned to work, and all
that time was thinking in my dull way
what fools they were for not looking into
my shroud for the lost knife. AS after
ward learned, it was next day at noon
that was carried on deck and laid on a
plank preparatory to being shot over
board. The men one by one took a look
at my face. and then it was covered up
forever. The burial service was read by
the captain, there was a little delay, and
then the plank was tilted, and shot
into the bitter cold water off the Diego
Ramirez 1t must have been the shock
that brought me to my senses, for as I
sank down, dragged lower by the shot
at my feet, felt my feeling and action
return.
At the same moment my right hand,
released from its dread inertia, grasped
what l instantly knew to be knife.
Mechanically I forced the blade and
ripped my canvas shroud so that the
shot fell, and began to rise to the sur
face. In a few seconds, suppose, al
though it seemed years, I opened my
eyes-for it is curious fact that while
1 lay in state of coma they remained
open, yet when my feelings returned
with the shock 1 closed them at once
and saw once more the light of day,
which had never expected to see again.
I was an excellent swimmer, and had
soon regained my breath, and cast from
me the canvas which impeded my move
ments. Then looked around over the
waters, and saw that my miraculous
escape had been all for nothing. The
ship, looking like great swan, was sew
eral miles away, getting smaller and
smaller even as 1 looked.
There arose from my lips frenzied
curse against God that had abandoned
me thus, but almost Immediately after
ward, as if to rebuke me for my wicked
ness, / noticed piece of wreckage float
ing toward me. Hope once more filled
my breast, and swan toward the piece
Of deckhouse, as it proved to be, and
clambering on top. threw myself on my
face and wept for very wretchedness.
Alone on the wide ocean, a piece OF
wood the only thing between me and
death, dazed and weak from my last ter
rible experience, what else could do
but weep? Soon began to feel an in
tense hunger. By the lowest calcula-
ton 7 must have been comatose for three
days, 80 for that time had had no nour-
ishment.
The thick mist that suddenly came