The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-24
SAVED BY A MIRACLE
RESCUE OF A SAILOR BY A NAIL
IN PIECE OF WRECKAGE.

| Ahc LSITlbAS fOF A-4Ac W a 4sAstS
After the Vessel Had Gone to Pieces
on the Rocks-BuEinE the Mountainous
Waves and Fighting the Undertow.
Rather less than twenty years ago there
lived in Oregon City coterie of young
men who were distinguished for their ex-
cellence in athletic sports, in which they
took pleasure and pride. The acknowl-
edged 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 swimming and boating and was never
so happy as when in or on the water.
Upon the arrival of the time when it be-
came necessary for him to choose an occu-
patton, true to his first love he elected to
follow the sea, and accordingly shipped be-
| fore the mast on a merchant 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
! procuring him promotion he rose step by
+ step until he became first officer
/ The clipper ship Elizabeth sailed through
/ the Golden Gate, and her register bore the
name of w. c. Barclay, first mate. Omit
/ ting the events of the voyage. the ships re-
/ turn and her subsequent loss on the Ten
nessee rocks, 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
removed his boots in partial preparation
n
aster.
Almost before he had time to think or
the future or TO appreciate the perils of the
situation huge wave swept all into the
wild waste of waters below aud Barclay
sank under the pillows. Upon reaching
the surface again he struck out from the
doomed vessel with ali the power and skill
of his boyhood days.
A PLUCKY FIGHT.
Throughout his terrible battle with the
waves which followed the intrepid sailor
continued cool and wary, and his first
thought was, as he relates his awful exper-
fence, to avoid the dangerous network of
rigging IN the vicinity of the doomed yes
sell
Accordingly he swan about forty yards
TO the northward, when he seized float
ing plank and headed for the shore, which |
could be plainly seen about 200 yards away |
from the struggling seaman fighting for |
his life with the angry waters. In another |
moment a solid green wall Of water tow |
cred over him, crushed him and drove him /
down into the depths, where the undertow
dragged him still further down and held |
him. By sheer muscular effort he fought |
his way slowly To the surface, where a
floating spar struck him sharply on the
forehead.
With breath of air his canton re-
turned, and removing his vezt be held that
garment in one hand a. a shield for his
face and head. Not many seconds had
passed when another giant wave. pitiless
in its dark green robe. again drove him to
ward the bottom, and the undercurrent |
seized him in tight embrace as before.
With another struggle he emerged from
beneath the waves, only to be dashed again
below.
After every ascension afr. Barclay with
little difficulty laid hold Of pieces Of float
ing wood and endeavored 20 rid himself Of
his involuntary salt draughts and 70 re-
gain his breath These respits.s were mo
and ere he could swim more than
a few yards monster billoY would send
him downward again.
% Lt idDDEtl bus HEUlDIEsr EfEk4EE. |
gasping. struggling, fighting against what
seemed to be his fate. He dare not dive
beneath the breakers for fear Of striking
sorne floating wreckage. His fight was not
alone with his arm. bat also with his brain.
against the combined forces Of sea and
storm, and il seemed impossible for him to
conquer in the unequal combat As he
aesred the shore his danger was increased
instead OF diminished His enemies foand |
1ther allies ia tie towering rocks, and IA
he treacberous bosTiders beneath the
waves
SAVED BIT sAu-
lie turned about and approached ID.
'oczs feet foremost he was dashed sgairs.
hera, ard one foot was cut and bruised by
he sharp stone, and then be was carried
,ack, but not f&y, when gigantic breaker
irove him down and be was xhsrIed afuous
y powerful whirlpool he seemed 20 h~
many fathoras down TIE Waters we're
ark aud dresdfaL A feeling Of fore,ess-
Iess came over hin, ard for the fr-. tine
e felt THAI MS hour had ooros- 4 feeling
( unuttera5le horror came over hin He
eli poEe-sexs To oos;iaue the struggle for
e aad he abznGo1sd himself 20 his .as~
hen occurred q miracle. II some sorta-
.oDs manner = fo1tipg timber lad teen
as- iD.o the same waters.
Ii tkIs t4raOsr Ma q nA4l. aud As tie mar,
I'd timber were whirsed sdsot.. tie nail |
s1gbt the soft fesh IL tie mar. = arg, ara
. tia ouo1aEs wood roe 70 tie surface /.
ragged upward th=s slrsos. srbasas.Ad
aste OF tie E.izzbesa. lie zas fort3ust.
, seize hold Of a portion II the wrecked
1i2 ~eaze3 nei~eea ;so rocks and s.rux- 4
ed 20 ssc.d bang cEzxr under lie srrer.- q
So piled upon tie shore- Ills lezs lad q
eooTss beazn.bed aud seemed Temporarily N
ara yzed. bot By an almost snp~rhunaas
Tort be managed u drag hirnssg 10 On
e slippery rocks
IL wa SOW and iabovso1s work, and NJ
&rcIay wes twenty minutes craving half
) MANY feets h2t BE- finally reach.si s2os r
bore TIE wares where, half dead slsh
I'D, exposure add exssas.lon- be eo2ld
a. AID regain has strrnztA. TIE waves
ID so<siDg tassbers had ;0ra lbs clothing
no shre1s. and tee Wind WAS bitterly
Id he forced hins<f 60 resume his
z-a-El sGcys< 20 move forward Horn