Connecticut western news., 1891-01-21
BURIED IN THE OCEAN.

Philadelphia Ledger.
 BURIED IN THE OCEAN.
 It was in my twenty-sixth year that my ship, the Osprey, owned by Fowler Brothers, was chartered to come to San Francisco for wheat. We arrived here safely, loaded wheat, and soon were out 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 southward of Valpa- raiso when I fell ill., It was kind of faintness that would suddenly and with out warning come upon me, so that often fell on the deck and lay there un- til some one could come to my assist ance This continued without my get ting much worse until we got down of the Magellan straits. in the latitude of Cape Pillar or whereabouts.
 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. I 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 became so excited that I jumped into the mixzen rigging, and was into the top in 8 uice. was about to pull the fellow away from his job when fit came on. A sudden mist clouded my eyes. My senses left me; I reeled and fell from the top to the deck. In my descent struck once or twice, which caused me to turn over, with the result that fell on my head.
 When I recovered consciousness I was lying in bunk in the hospital. Still there was thick mist before my eyes. I could indeed see everything so as to recognize where was, but somehow my eyes refused to move about, and could only stare straight up at the deck. l tried to turn in my bunk, but could not. To raise my arm, but I could not. To sit up, but my muscles failed me. At last the truth struggled into my dark ened mind. Iperceived at last that l was in perfectly cataleptic trance. The strange part of it was that my mind was almost as active as ever. I knew all that was going on about me, and l felt an overwhelming terror at my pos Gble 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.
 ''Ten Sails to come in and take bis measure. We must bury him to-1nor- row while the fine weather lasts" l heard the captain say, and presently the sailmaker came in and measured me for the last hammock should ever sleep in. I could not feel him, but 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 I 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 I was thinking in my dull way what fools they were for not looking into my shroud for the lost knife. AsI 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 look at my face. and then it was covered up forever. The burial service was read by the captain, there was little delay, and then the plank was tilted, and I shot into the bitter cold water off the Diego Ramirez. It must have been the shock that brought me to my senses, for as l 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 it's dread inertia, grasped what instantly knew to be knife Mechanically forced the blade and ripped my canvas shroud so that the shot fell, and began to rise to the sur face. In 8 few seconds, suppose, al though it seemed years, opened my eyes-for it is 8 curious fact that while l lay in state of coma they remained open, yet when my feelings returned with the shock closed them at once and saw once more the light of day, which had never expected to see again. l was an excellent swimmer, and had soon regained my breath, and cast from mo the canvas which impeded my move ments. Then looked around over the voters, and saw that my miraculous escape had been all for nothing. The ship, looking like great swan, was sev- eral miles away, getting smaller and maller even as looked.
 There arose from my lips frenled curse against God that had abandoned me thus, but almost immediately after ward, as if to rehuke me for my wicked pess, noticed 8 piece of wreckage float mg toward ne. Hope once more filled my breast, ard swam toward the piece of deckhouse, as it proved to be, and clambring on top threw myself on my 3 Aes cd ws1e s@ SSy w1eeehsasea .