The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-05-15
ALONE IN A FOG.
-Frightful Experience of b Fifteen
Year-Old Boy.


Having been brought up on tho rugged
coast Of Maine, l have, almost yearly,
sacrificed n few of tho longest summer
days to the Indulgence OF acoastramblc,
? theexeitemcnt OF climbing tho immcas-
urable crags, exploring the depths Of
the black covos, or proving my powers
OF swimming amid the waves OF some
sunny bay Frequently, also, have
borrowed the boat belonging to an ac-
@enaintance and solaccd myself with the
novelty OF nm aquatic expedition. or all
thirst for the latter enjoyment / was
at last completely cured by an occur
romeo wfffefrIam about to relate 49,
On a fine forenoon about the begin
ming Of August / put to sea, with the in
tention of fairly crossing the watery
horzon-of having the satisfaction Of
seeing the far-off hcadlands sink away
hehind tho waves. Tho day was hot
and calm, without breath OF wind to
fitl sail, but ! knew little Of the man
agement of such matters, had the case
been otherwise.
After had fairly left the shore dis
covered that the weather was by no
means favorable to observation. Gray
wrcaths of mist were creeping with sim
ister-likc motion among the low grounds
Of the interior country, and . slight
: haze was beginning to be visible far out
on the sea; but those dreary accompani-
ments Of a warm and moist morning
would, persuaded myself, entirely dis
appear as the day strengthened; SO on
and on pulled; but although the
land indeed became somewhat more in
distinct, seemed, after an hour or two
of severe labor, to be but very little
nearer my,Hpurpose than when l first
dipped my 0arsAin the brine. II could
still discern the white line Of foam along
the shore. Some one had told me that
two hoprs>xpYing would take me quite
over the horizon, and out OF sight Of the
highest hill. Either my informant was
mistaken. or / was even worse hand at
the cars than I.supposed.
My chagrin at this was by no means
abated on discovering that the mists
which boiled in the far-off hollows were
reinforced by squadron of dun clouds
that came trailing their long, ragged
skirts over the distant hills. Their
dense skirts at last stole across the sun,
the mists boiled up higher, and, drop
ping my oars, / stood up and looked
around. There were few signs of tenn
pest or foul weather, thought, yet the
safest course was to turn towards the
Shore, which I accordingly did; but
scarcely had wheeled my little bark
landward when light breeze swept
past, casting around me the vapor of the
ocean like thick snow shower In one
moment the land was invisible, and the
fog continued to roll up astern, and
closer and thicker, until naught was
discernible, except the waves that
tumbled around me.
Never, not even at the quenching OF
fire, had labored with such eager
perseverance as / now did. l was be-
yond measure terrified, and yet 1t
might have been thought there was lit
tie cause Of dread. Whatcould be more
simple than to row straight on to the
spot which had left in the morning?
At all events, | thought it would GER
tainly be impossible to miss the land,
wind would strengthen.
had hoped to reach the shore in a
much shorter space than had required
for rowing out, now that my energies
were fully awakened; but after half an
hour of underwriting toll, neither
land nor rock appeared; and now began,
with accnmulating horror of soul, to
think that, after all, might possibly
enough is steering a wrong course. The
dreadful idea gathered strength every
moment; yet what could do? To rest
on my oars and wait for Frightening
weather would have been intolerable; to
alter my course, worse than useless,
had no compass, nor the slightest notion
how far from the blessed land might
be; and, worst of all, the mist surround
ed me on all sides. No opening seemed
in view.
At FIVE r. m. there was still no sign OF
land Oh, what priceless JOY would 1t
have boon TO have heard the town-clock
strike; nay, even to have heard the
scream Of q bird telling that life was
=. near had provided for no contin-
gency, and was now necessarily hungry
and heartlcss. Visions of a lingering
death by famine began already to arise
on my disordered senses, and l thought
Of the folly which had tempted me, to
trust to the ocean on such day of clouds
and vapor as.this threatened to be at its
commencement. And still the thoughts
Of death struck hardest on my heart,
and rendered me weak and tremulous.
To perish alone on. the waste ofwaters;
to have grave among the rocks thou
sand fathoms down, the thought Is aw-
full and startling to the man OF strong
mind, but to the green feelings OF fifteen
it comes in a shape still more appalling;
i zshuddered as il ! had heard my own
death-song in the moan OF the waves. !
believe | might have been sailing at this
3vcry day spectral boatman among the
channels OF the South Sea Islands, had
not |, by great good fortune, caught
glimpse OF the western clouds
as they blushed in the farewell
CLEAN of the sinking sun, in
that d ,rectioh lay the land, and at
that time | was steering exactly con-
trary, and should not have enoticed the
glorious landmark had not the sudden
splendors thrown across the waters en-
forced my attention. whirlcd my boat
round, and once more with renewed
nope and courage, tugged on manfully,
but with increased attention,
The night fell speedily-a black, star
less night, accompanied by drizzling
rain. An hour passed heavily away,
and brought no rest for the lonely pill
=Rfnn OF the waters. hegan TO. dread
ne probability OF having again varied
= from my course; or what II, after all, the
clouds Of evening might have been