Evening journal., 1890-02-20

A MAN CARRIED AWAY INTO THE
DARKNESS AND STORM.

The following incident in the life Of late |
admiral is told by Commander Enroll, r. ~,
in The Illustrated Naval and Military Maya
zine:
Although the vessel was steered from the |
bridge, there was a spare wheel abaft and |
raised grating for the helmsman 10 stand
upon l got on this and. steadying myself nv
the wheel with one hand, tried 10 peer through
the darkness astern but all was black as Jet,
darkness that almost might be felt
was standing there, surrounded by war
ring nature, yet full Of great sense Of in
ward calm and awe, when my sailoris ear
was startled by sound that was alike, vet
different from, the breaking waves. Before
had time TO consider what it might be
large black mass passed between me and the
red glow forward, and the next instant an
irresistible, unseen power lifted me of my
.us Sc md the steamer passed away from be-
meath my feet
With the tenacity OF drowning man
chung 70 the object which had torn me from
my hold and was now carrying me away
into the darkness. found myself suspended
above the boiling waters, expecting every
moment 10 beengulfed therein, and thought
despairingly Of my dear wife and daughter,
| who would never know the mystery Of my
perhaps people would shy / had committed
suicide, and the thought OF how much pain
this would cause those so dear to me startled
me from my dazed condition and reused me
TO malls an effort, struggle for dear life,
and / began 10 consider II my position were
altogether hopeless.
UEooMFoRTABLY POSTPONED.
soon realized that was clinging TO some
/ spar, which had struck mo full across the
| chest, and over which i had ingtincuvely
thrown my arms. My legs and feet were
hanging down into vacancy, but occasionally
they dipped In the crest Of a wave, conclud-
ed therefore, ! was hanging TO the extremity
Of some vessels bowsprit, evidently not
large vessel by the size Of the spar, and also
by the short distance / was suspended above
the sea. ] shouted as loud as / could, in hopes
some one would hear me, but without effect;
then felt about with my feet in the direc-
ton knew the bobstay would be; and pres
emily, to my great joy, | found IL. With
this aid j managed to climb into place of
tolerable security, where could sit upon the
bowsprit end and hold on by the jibstay.
dared not attempt 10 climb in towards
the bows Of the ship, as the spar was so wet
and slippery thnt should have been jerked
of in a moment by the violent pitching Of
the vessel, whereas knew that whore was
Twas safe enough, provided could hold out
against the cold and wet until assistance
came 20 me.
The vessel, whatever she was, had no lights
burning and was perfectly invisible in the
darkness. Evidently no one was on the look
out the helmsman having probably dashed
the wheel for a short time whilst he went be-
low to light his pipe, and none OF those on
board her knew how nearly they had been
in collision with the Boulogne packet They
had escaped her by mere hairs breadth;
the steamers stern must have fallen into the
| trough Of the sea at the very instant that
the vessels bowsprit passed over the taffrail,
and so neatly picked me of.
was IN very perilous position, clinging
as well as / could to the end Of that small
SPAR buried sometimes almost 70 my waist,
and nearly dragged from my hold by the
| water, as the vessel pitched into the heavy
sens i was also benumbed with cold, and
my half frozen fingers could hardly feti the
wet and slippery rope As soon as l had re-
covered my breath began TO shout again,
aud presently, TO my great satisfaction,
heard some one reply; then the glimmer OF a
lantern revealed a glimpse Of the vessels
bows and an astonished face gazing into the
night As continued to shout the owner Of
the face disappeared in search Of assistance,
and shortly tho whole crew clustered on the
forecastle gazing at me In wonder and
amazement "Helpl helpin yelled. "Yahi
yahln was shouted in reply, followed by
something IN a language with which ] was
unaequainted.
FORMS AND A TAiL.
Presently the little vessel fell of before the
wind as they put the helm up, and her motion
became comparatively easy and gentle; at
the same moment saw a sturdy fellow climb
out upon the bowsprit with a ropes end; il
was now easy enough 70 get along the spar
he soon reached the place where was sitting
and made the rope fast round my waist, and
with his assistance, in another minute found
myself safe upon the deck Of the little craft
3 Ny new friends turned out TO be Dutchmen
+ beating up channel for the Texel The,
treated me with every kindness and made mt
as comfortable as the limited resources o
= their little schooner admitted.
could not understand a word Of their Ian
guage or they Of mine; but by means O
signs and rough sketches i managed to ex
~ plain to them how It happened that they cam
:, to have me FOR passenger. / drew a sketc
+, Of myself clinging ON to the bowsprit, an
one OF them promptly added large pair Q
horns and a tail TO my figure, at which a
Y the others nodded and exclaimed: "Yal
- yahi" again holuinB up tneH hanus 10 e'
press anlazement, and giving me to undei
stand that when they first discovered me the
u hwi all taken me for the devil himself c
course, was most anxious TO communicai
with my wife aud Amy, who knew mus
by this time, be ia agonies OF distress and b
wilderment at my strange Disappearance
and explained 70 my hosts that l would pa
"A them handsomely to put me ashore in Il
- nearest English or French port. ! had CO.
~ siderable difficulty IN getting the stolid liz
~ landers 70 alter the course but at length the
~ consented.
A. However, owing to the thick weather al
~ other causes, two days elapsed before n
be worthy friends landed me at Deal I inini
diately went 20 my brothers house in 10
don. He welcomed me as one returned fro
the dead. he informed me that my wife al
K daughter were still at Boulogne, whence th
~ had photographed 10 him on the first shock
ese their discovery Of my loss. and that Amy HI
m since written TO tell him that they believed
NV must have fallen overheard unnoticed in 6
the dark and that they had no hope that shou
ms ever be heard OF again. Who can pictu
Wi my feelings as read my dear childs lette
In few moments telegram was on its w
to break the joyful news to them, and, GRO
ing by the next boat, found myself on 1
,ak following morning once more in the arms
lo those 50 dearly loved.
sis Rather Pertinent.
srs. Papa-If / have to spe-k to You again ]