The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-04-10
ALMOST A MIRACLE.
A Sailor Terrible Struggle With the AIer.
ciless Waves.

Rather less than twenty years aga
there lived in Oregon City coterie of
young men who were distinguished for
their excellence in athletic sports, in
which they took pleasure and pride.
The acknowledged leader of this band
of athletes was a tall, well-formed and
splendidly developed youth, the nobility
of whose physique had been enhanced
by every kind of manly exercise. He
was pre-eminent in the arts of swim
ming and boating and was never so
happy as when in or on the water.
Upon the arrival of the time when it
became necessary for him to choose an
occupation, true to his first love he
elected to follow the sea. and accord
ingly shipped before the mast on mer-
chant vessel. In this capacity the next
four years of his life were passed, and
at the end of the period he became
thoroughly convinced that sailors life
was no sinecure. He stuck to the ship,
however, and his natural ability pro-
curing him promotion he rose step by
step until he became first officer.
About year ago the clipper ship
Elizabeth sailed through the Golden
Gate, and her register bore the name of
| w. c. Barclay, first mate. Omitting
the events of the voyage, the ships re-
turn and her subsequent loss on the
| Tennessee rocks one Saturday night,
the thread of the narrative may be
gathered up on the forward part of the
deck after the ship was broken in twain,
when in the bow a little group of men
surrounded the first officer, who had re-
moved his boots in partial preparation
for the unknown developments of the
disaster.
Almost before he had time to think of
| the future or to appreciate the perils
of the situation, a huge wave swept all
into the wild waste of waters below,
and Barclay sank under the pillows.
| Upon reaching the surface again he
struck out from the doomed vessel with
all the power and skill of his boyhood
days Throughout his terrible battle
with the waves which followed, the in
trepid sailor continued cool and wary,
and his first thought was as he relates
his awful experience, to avoid the dan
gerous network of rigging in the vicinity
Of the doomed vessel.
Accordingly he swan about forty
yards to the northward. when he seized
a floating plank and headed for the
shore, which could be plainly seen APP
parantly 200 yards away from the strug
Cling seaman fighting for his life with
the angry water In another moment
solid green wall of water lowered
over him, crushed him and drove him
| down into the depths, where the under
tow dragged him still further down and
held him. BY sheer muscular feeling he
fought his way slowly to the surface,
where a floating spar struck him sharp
ly on the forehead.
With breath of air his caution re-
turned, and removing his vest he held
that garment in one hand as shield
for his face and head. Not many sec
onds had passed when another giant
wave, pitiless in its dark green robe
again drove him toward the bottom, and
The undercurrent seized him in tight
embrace as before. With another strug-
| gle he emerged from beneath the waves,
only to be dashed again below. After
every ascension Mr.. Barclay, with lit
lie difficulty, laid hold of pieces of float
ing wood and endeavored to rid himself
Of his involuntary salt draughts and to
regain his breath. These respites were
momentary, and ere he could swim
more than few yards monster billOw
would send him downward again.
So he labored on-swimming, sinking,
yasping, struggling, fighting against
what seemed to be his fate. He dare
aot dive beneath the breakers for fear
Of striking some floating wreckage.
His fight was not alone with his arm, but
also with his brain, against the COM
bined forces of sea and storm, and it
seemed impossible for him to conquer
in the unequal combat. AS he neared
the shore his danger was increased in
stead of diminished. His enemies found
other allies in the towering rocks, and
n the treacherous powders beneath
the waves.
He turned about and approached the
rocks feet foremost. He was dashed
against them and one foot was cut and
bruised by the sharp stone, and then he
was carried back, but not far, when a
gigantic breaker drove him down and
he was whirled about by powerful
whirlpool. He seemed to be many
fathoms down. The waters were dark
and dreadful A feeling of hopelessness
came over him, and for the first time he
felt that his hour had come. A feeling
of unutterable horror came over him.
He felt powerless to continue the strug-
gle for life and he abandoned himself
to his fate.
Then occurred miracle. In some
fortuitous manner floating tim Der had
been cast into the same waters. In this
timber was nail, and as the man and
timber were whirled about the nail
caught the soft flesh in the mans arm
and as the buoyant wood rose to the
surface it dragged upward the almost
exhausted mate of the Elizabeth. He
was fortunate to seize hold of portion
of the wrecked ship wedged between
two rocks, and struggled to avoid being
drawn under the wreckage piled upon
the shore. His legs had become be-
numbed, and seemed temporarily par
alyzed, but by an almost superhuman
effort he managed to drag himself up