The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-09
ABaT7LE FOB LIFE.
Twelve Eours On the Keel of 8 Boat
ina Gale.

in a Gale.
A correspondent Of the News AMI
Courier writing from McClellanvi!.e,
relates the following thrilling tale Of
the sea:
The past week has been an e7ensfll
one in the history Of this little com.
munity and McClellsn7ille is proud of
being the home Of Capt Robert Hep.
burn Morrison. Capt Morrison, hav!:g
| business calling him to Georgetown l.st
geek, engaged another captain to isks
charge of his boat the steamer Spray,
that makes weekly trips to Charleston.
She left here at IL u. on Tuesday
with f,urteen passengers and some
freight reaching the city at 6. Is P. NJ. :.
Wednesday night, st II o'clock, SIC
left Boyce's wharf with heavy cargo,
and the following passengers: Mr..
Eugene Hugh, Mr. NJ. F. Skipper, Mr
Oven Murray and your correspondence,
cf this place; Miss Nally Au d Of Sam-
mergille, Mr. Swan, assistant ligat
house keep:r on Bulls Island, aud
several color; passengers. There wers
signs Of an equinoxisl gale as the Spray
crossed the harbor, and by the time
she reached. Bulls Islaod harbor tn,
gale VAS on. That made it impossible
to cross Bulls Bay, SO the large anchor
was csst overheard and the Spray wait 4
for the morning aod two other mora
ing5. Little did the psssengers dres ,
of the battle with the winds and waves
that was being fought ostfor them 90
that rough piece of water, and how ore
life was sacrificed I'D Gimost anothel
Cap. Morrison, after the steamer be:s
ing TWO dsy' overdu,, secured Philip
Williams to accompany him in SIN al.
sail boat to lcck her up, fearing shs.
had been blown up in the marsh. After
an early breakfast on Friday morning
he setsail. Rea,hing Bulls Bay BE
ss7 taat tas waves we're runnaiog hig.,
but thinking his bosteapabie Of mount
ing them dashed or. When. bird
Bank" was reached, the most dangerous
point in the bay, heavy SEA. Rnshipp-
ed the boom aud upset ths bost. BON
men p-csught on the keel, Caps Morrisoa
recovering one oar as the boat turnei
over. Wisn this be on the stern Of the boat
used isin trying to ges the boat to drift
on to Balls Island. Sesafser sea would
break over them, buF, as he said, L
would "close his mouth and held hs
breath, and send message to Him that
held not only him bus the very sea he
was bsttling with in His hsndl'
After struggling for soma hours he
noticed that Williams, Who had only TO
hold on was giving ONT, so he encourag-
I'd him ell be could and told him tha.
they would reach the island ssfel5.
Williams doubted it and told the Cap
tain to Whoop for Capt SVsndsen, the
keeper Of the light, if they should get
near enough. ALL this time he cou d :
see the mast Of tie Spray" riding ss
anchor. Williams, seeing that they
you'd not touch, but pass, ,hs point Of
the,island, and SO be eus on the broad
Atlantic, lost>all hope. Capt, Moiri.
son oraWled ferFsrd and caught him By
his right arm, With his left arm, and
thus held him on and still padded With
the oar to bsaoh the boat. Ga Philip
not replying to . question he looked AZ
hin and saw that he vas dead, so he re-
leased his hold and Williams went
down like a bag Of shot. y
Having a better chance now, ne sue.
oeeded in getting the boat near enough
TO desert her and he swan to the shore.
Being perfectly exhausted after
twslvs-hour battle, ne crawl d up on
sand bank and dug trench with his
hand, hurisd his nude bedy to secure
heat, and after some hours started on q,
seven mile walk to reach Mr.. Svend.
sen, the light house keeper, which
he suc,eeded in doing by a. NJ.
Saturday. he said that the keeper
and his wife did all for him
that his own father and moth.
sr could have done. As soon AZ
day. broke he to,tered round TO the back
besch with Mr.. Syeadsen to hail the
SPRAY" which they succeeded IN do
ing just as she Vas entering the bay.
The scenes that were enacted on the
steamer reaching her home port can
better be imagined than described.
Philip Williams was the best negro in
McClellsn7ille, and respected by all
respectable people: His mother is
heartbroken, as this is the second SON
lost in Ba!l's Bay. If his body should
be rscoN r!d it is to be hoped that it
will be forwarded to her if possible.