The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-08-16
MS DESPERATE SWIM FoR LlFE.
"A milo and a Half Ia Water That Was
B Only Four Feet Deep. IN" II a

A Mile and a Half ia water That wa
Only Four Feet Deep.
1t was the second mate of one of the
great lake propellers that spoke as
as they were passing Pointe Aux Bar
ques, and his words were to this eff
feet: "That is queer coast over there,
and don't you forget it,. The inter-
locutor, a Detroit Fate Press man,
promised that he would not forget it,
providing the. sailor man would tell
him why the coast was queer. ~ $ M
"Well," said the sailor man, but
without hitching his2trousers or shift
ing his quid or performing any of the
nautical gymnastics attributed to his
kind in the story books, ut wasn't ex-
actly queer, perhaps, but it is a coast
shall remember the longest day I
live. 1t was about six years ago that l
was sailing on a lumber schooner, and
just when we were about where we
are now the captain discovered that
our yawl was adrift. We had been
towing it, and somehow the painter
had parted or slipped, aud theye the
boat was, nearly mile away, drifting
ashore as fast as the water would car
ry it. There was not soul to he seen,
and if there had been it would not
have been an easy matter to get him
to bring It's our yawl, and the captain
did not know what to do. Finally, as
saw the old man was good deal
worked uD over it, volunteered to
swim ashore and bring the yawl, if he
would run in as close as he could and
anchor until came aboard. The cap
tain accepted my proposal very glad
ly, and as the water was warm ]
thought would have frst-rate swim.
little thinking what was in store for
me. So i stripped and lowered my
self into'the water.
For quarter of an hour it was mere
fun, but soon found l had bit of
more then I could chaw. The shore
was farther off than had figured, and
l could see few ominous looking
clouds, which indicated that the wind
was rising, which might make it hard
for me to get back to the schooner aft
or got the boat. kept on, however,
getting more and more exhausted ev-
cry moment. I tried every way l
knew to rest my tired legs and arms.
First turned on my back and swan
in that position for awhile. Then l
tried swimming on my side; then dog
fashion, and then floating. But all
the time I was getting more and more
worn out. tried to signal to the
schooner, but my voice was so weak I
could not make the m hear, and they
did not understand, as afterward
learned, my frantic motions. Besides,
they could not have helped me, be-
cause they had no boat.
II had swan about q mile and was
still mile from the shore. Mechan-
ically kept I'D my motions as we'll I
could. but knew l was doomed. The
water began to sing in my ears and
my thoughts went back over my past
life, rs have heard drowning mems
always do. l thought of my poor wife
and children and wondered how they
would get the news. wondered
whether my body would be found and
get Christian burial or be carried out
into the lake and find a last resting
place there. It did not worry me
ceased to care for myself-but hoped
somehow, for the sake of my family,
that somebody would have my body
carried home. Ispeculated also as to
the captains getting his boat, and felt
quite sorry when I thought he might
never see it again.
II don't know how long it took me-
to think of all this. Probably it was
not more than a minute, but it SEEM
ed to he ages, and all the time was
feebly moving my arms and feet and
just keeping my head above water.
Meanwhile l had got perhaps within
half mile of the shore. made up
my mind-or rather it made itself up
that this was just as good place to
be drowned in as any other, and aban-
doning motion sank to the bottom.
In fact struck it with both hands and
feet about as soon as 1 had fairly
stopped moving. kept my feet on it
and STRENGTHENING up found that thss
suppose ought to have fallen on my
knees in thankfulness, but instead of
that waded ashore the maddest man
on the coast. I got the yawl and
sculled it back to the schooner, which
was waiting at anchor for. me, and as
I went back l had the curiosity to
take soupdings and found that had
been exhausting myself swimming for
more than a mile where the water was
not more than four feet deep" g.
"Was the captain glad to get you
back?" the sailor man was asked.
"Blast the captain!" was the re-
spouse. Gail he said was, You con-
founded fool, didn't you know that
there was mile and half of shoal
water all along that coast?"
SLEEPING IN BUSINESS HOURS.