The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-04-20

used 10 diving from great heights. j
think that as fell and turned head
foremost my arms from instinct went
over my head and struck the water
in the divers attitude. The first /
knew / was still going dowE, with the
roar Of the sea IN my ears like the
falling OF waters at the foot Of great
dam. / knew / was not hurt and /
knew / would come up again, but IT
seemed az II | were TO plummet the
depth OF the ocean and had struck the
deepest spot in the whole North At
lantic. My head felt as if big wheel
were inside, going around with great
speed, with the spokes lengthening
and showing out the rim each time il
went around. ! remember the precise
instant Of time when | stopped going
down and instintively began 10 fight
my way mp.
81 suppose it was only few sec
onds, but il seemed hours. With my
hands pulling at the water as if climb
ing rope over hand and my feet
pumping mp and down as if treading a
steep stairway, slowly rose. All the
wants Of my life were compressed into
the one intense desire TO get once
again n breath Of air into my lungs.
"As came to the surface and drew
the sweetest breath OF my life turned
over on my back, and, letting my legs
hang well down, hoated easily with
my nostrils just out of water and en-
! ioyed two or three minutes Of the most
graceful rcpose il had ever been my
lot to get. The buzzing IN my head
gradually died away, and as ! got my
thoughts together began to think of
rescue. almost laughed aloud as the
foolishness of expecting 1t came home
TO me. Nevertheless could not bear
the idea of giving up. When / took
my headlong plunge from the yard
arm was clad in the heavy garb that
all deep water sailors wear. | had on
two thick shirts, heavy peajacket
closely buttoned and, worse than all,
heavy boots. / felt that the clothing
sooner or later would drag me down
and / determined to get rid OF it. j
had often performed the feat Of taking
off my clothes in the water, but the
boots made the problem. Padding
with one hand | tore my pealacket
open with the other, ripping the but
tons and gradually wriggled one shoul-
der clear. As ] was fumbling to get
the other arm clear, my hand came in
contact with the knife. | never went
without and it gave me fresh courage.
That coat stuck on my left shoulder,
but few vigorous slashes with the
knife made it part company with me.
| | sank some little distance in the
operation. but held my breath and
soon came to the top again none the
worse. The shirts were disposed of
easier, and then tackled the boots
! | hacked away Mt them successfully,
doubling myself up in a sitting posi-
ton. IL was pretty hard work, for
every time | made slash, down |
would go. | would draw up ray left
foot, for example, paddle vigorously
with my left hand, take O long breath,
make a slash with the knife in my right
hand and start bottomwards. Fin
ally, however, | managed to kick the
last vestige of the last boot of and
rested on the surface with certain
satisfaction of having done something,
naked as the day | came into the
world.
II knew that there was scarcely
chance in a thousand that an attempt
had beer made to launch n boat, and
knew that If life-preserver or any
thing else had been thrown overheard
IL would be n miracle If II reached me.
1t would have to come to me, for
could not reach il in the blackness of
the night. Nevertheless | expert
enced an overpowering desire TO look.
Gazing straight up in the sky | saw
that the scurrying clouds gave signs
Of the breaking up of the storm. Here
and there a little tightening Of the
gloom overhead showed the moon s
rays trying 10 break through. Rails
ing myself breast high on the top of a
sea I took one swift whirling look all
about. Dense blackness everywhere
on the face of the oceau-but lust as
| sank back again the moon, break
ing through rift, lighted up silvery
) path before me, and at the end OF II
for an instant was sue saw the
glistening sails of the Conqueror --
/ then blackness again. IL may have
, been a mirage, but TO me IL was ter
ribly real. fell back into the trough
with u more sickening feeling of des.
, olation than had yet experienced.
felt that l had looked upon the last
sign Of human life that ! would ever
| see But IL is hard for n strong mat
/ TO die.
3 81 suppose a more hopeless situa'
( tion can hardly be conceived than TIA,
: one in which ] was in, yet | hav,
= thought much more about 1t since
than I did then. In the middle o
. the Atlantic Ocean, at night, naked
e alone, with no hope OF rescue, Will
!. not even aspliuter to cling 10. keeping
, from death only 10y constant effort
i yet there was something that woul,
n not let me 60. IL was scarcely an ef
}. fort for me to keep aaoat at first
= was in hrst-rate physical condition
: and / had frequently stayed IN th,
j. water for two or three nours at tim
4 for the mere sport OF the thing.
e lay on nv back, with my hea,
e deep. my mouth closed, only my nos
II trlls above, conserved the strengtI
). in my legs by let;i.. g them hang deep
e kept my arms outsiretched, prs.'