The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-05
IN THE PITILEss TIDE
Eric Svens0n Stared Death i'm the
Face for seven Hours.

Seven hours clinging for life TO the
keel of an overturned boat, expecting
TO be swept from his frail support by
the angry waves every moment. it was
no wonder that Eric Svenson, a South
San Francisco fisherman. said: Thank
God for his mercy" when he was res
cued from his perilous position about
4 O'Clock yesterday morning. He was
brought safely back TO town by Joseph
Garcia. crab-fisherman. Svenson's
boat was upset about o'clock Friday
night while he was setting his nets out
in the bay. near Shag rock, and he was
almost drowned before he could free
himself of his heavy rubber boots and
secure hold on the keel of the boat.
The tide was running strong and
Svenson at once realized that his
chance of being picked up was very
slim, as there were very few people out
only hope was that he might be dis
covered by some of the vessels at an
Choir in the bay.
There was a nasty sea on. and the
stiff breeze soon chilled Svenson
through and through. but in spite of
the cold he chung with desperate en-
ergy TO his frail support A dozen
times during the night he was almost
torn off the boats bottom by the
heavy waves that beat over him, but
with almost superhuman strength he
hung on and prayed for deliverance.
The phantom of the little cottage,
with his young wife and two babes
waiting for his return, was constantly
before his eyes and SvensOn says that
the thoughts of what would become of
them if he failed to get back was mad
dening and seemed to infuSe new
strength into his stiff tired fingers that
chung TO the rugged keel. Svenson did
not expend his strength in useless
shouting for aid when he knew it was
unlikely any one would hear him, but
when, as sometimes happened during
the night, his boat drifted near some
vessel at anchor in the bay, ne shouted
long and loud for help: but no answer
ing cry came back 70 the wretched man
over the dark. foam-fecked waters.
As the boat drifted down past Goat
island SvenSOn made desperate efforts
10 paddle near enough TO the rocks so
that he could swim ashore. but with
nothing but his feet for paddles his eff
forts only succeeded in moving the
heavy boat few feet, and as the is
land faded away in the darkness he
gave up TO the hopeless task in despair.
AS the craft was carried farther and
farther down the bay the hope of res
cue diminished. When near Alcatraz
Syenson shouted, almost screamed for
help, hoping he would be heard by
some of the sentries on the island, but
no help came.
He still chung with what little
strength he had left TO the bottom of
the boat and wondered how much long
eF he had to live, for he knew that
once the boat drifted out past the
heads the heavy swells would soon tear
him from his last hold on life.
Svenson says he saw the lights Of
several vessels after he drifted past AL
catraz. but he did not go near them and
he was too much exhausted TO shout.
He seemed in a trance as the whirl-
ing tide swept him out past the Golden
Gate and toward the ocean and death,
and as the lights Of San Francisco
faded away in the distance he sank
into insensibility. When he again
opened his eyes he found himself being
dragged into another boat and then be-
gan 10 realize that he was saved.
Garcia made an effort to tow the up
turned boat back to port, but was una
Garcia was on his way in from Pilot
boat cove when he caught sight Of the
boat, and on going nearer found Sven
son lying as If dead across her bottom.
The sturdy fisherman realized that if
the man was to be saved he had TO
work quick, as the limp form of the
exhausted castaway was in imminent
danger OF being washed overheard.
Garcia soon had the man safe in his
own boat. 4 big drink of brandy soon
put new life into the poor fellow and
he was landed at Harbor View at Z
o'clock yesterday morning not much
the worse for his experience. The lost
boat and fishing tackle was valued at
1925, but Svenson had not a regretful
thought of that as he jumped on a car
and started for his home.-San Fran
cisco Examiner