The sun., 1900-08-12
TOLD ny AN OLD PILOT.
What Made Him Hold His Course when He
Was Bound for Nowhere In Particular?

From the Nep Orleans Times Democrat
Men in our line Of business have plenty Of
queer experiences, said veteran bar pilot,
but think the strangest that ever fell TO my
lot happened In 1903, right after the great hur-
rcane that swept down the south coast and
drowned 80 many poor fisher folks on the little
islands. The storm blew itself away on a
Sunday" the pilot went on. "and next Sunday
morning, having nothing In particular TO do. l
decided to take our steamer. which was handy
little twelye-knot craft, and go for two hours
run out into the Gulf from South Point to SEQ
what | could see. The water was still fun OF
driftwOod and wreckage from the fishermen s
cabins but we noticed nothing In particular
until we had been out about an hour Then
one OF the men on the boat sighted big red
can buoy over TO the ou'west. 1t was a Gov
ernment mark that had drifted away from 1t
moorn9s and he suggested that we go and see
where it belonged. Ordinarily ! would have
said all right. but something don't know
what or why-made me refuse. No. said l.,
we won't change our course. Keep her head
straight for an hour more. and maybe we'll
see something better than runaway red cans
Il had no idea that my words would come
true. but in half an hour we came in sight OF a
little raft dead ahead Of us and as we got nearer
we made out what seemed 20 be child on top
OF IL. We ran to withinsa couple Of hundred
feet before we stopped, and then we saw that
the s cvbs evfnS Ss SSbd de Sr of soT Of 'he
thereabouts, and he was sitting down with hls
head hanging forward on. his breast and his
arms stretched out clutching the planks, He
looked for all the world as II he were dead. but
he was only asleep and when rang the bell
he Strengthened up all Of a sudden and glared
at the ship Ike person in dream. All ne
a small boat and pulled over to him he sat so.
staring and saying not word, chad strength
enough to climb in, but when We reached the
ship he tainted.
The poor boy had been on that floating floor
for cs a1s and thS Ssye s0u ConnSsd
cane had caught him alone In their cabin IL
tore the raHshacke hut to pieces and he found
himself adn't on the floor, which had hung
together: How he lived through the storm
Is one OF those mysteries that can never be ex-
planned but he was carried far on the coast
and next morning was out OF sight Of land
in the open open gull Then followed t, solid week.
kind. l have been q seafaring man all my
life and have known OF many wonderful escapes
from death on the deep. waters. but never Of
to lie down on, the raft to keep from falling
of. an d when he grew weak the crawfsh bit
him until he was n mass OF wounds
We learned aftorward, when he was was strong strong
enough TO talk As soon ~ we got him aboard
we headed for South Point eighteen miles
away, for, rs bad luck would have 1t, there was
Fortunately. however. we hailed the fruter
Breakwater and got little brandy and can
OF condensed milk and II was marvellous how
n few spoonfuls OF nourishment revived the
lad Al quarantine turned him over TO the
doctor, and In week he was practically we'll
Then an uncle came after him and ! have never
heard from him since.
Il have often wondered. said the old pilot
In conclusion where the strange impulse came
from that made me insist upon holding our
aside, as the men on board desired the cast
away would undoubtedly have been lost. 1t
was not within the limit Of possibility that he
could have lasted another day"