Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-01-16

catastrophe az once, wac so quickly
carried out of their reach that they
would give me up. I wondered how
Langston and Ralston would learn Of
my loss, and if they would suspect
Gambok Smell. I did not think the
latter probable. The fellow was actor
enough to be the first to break the
news of my accident" and to be al
the same time the most grief-strickep
person on board.
The Island of Formosa could not be
seen. I Judged from the direction in
which I lay from the ship, that For
mosa was on the other side Of her. ]
did not know north from south. but J
knew that when we had passed For.
mosa we had been south of it. This led
me to believe that I had been carried
south by the current. Later events
proved this, although I greatly mis-
calculated the distance, and was prob
ably mistaken in supposing the smoke
T saw to be from the ship had left. ]
foatedfor some little time on my back,
until I had fully recovered my breath
Then I scanned the horizon, for some
thing that promised hope of shelter,
but I saw nothing. IIthought o.
sharks, but, as none were in sight, ]
hoped to escape those dreaded mon
sters of the deep. So far as swim
ming any distance was concerned, ]
had no fear. 1 could without diff
Guilty remain on top and propel myself
whittier I wanted to 60. But my grea'
danger was exhaustion from hunger,
T did not know how long would b,
compelled to sustain myself in tn,
water, and if hunger made me it's vic
tim I knew T was lost.
The thing to do, then, was to make
the best speed while I could.
Istarted offwith a long, easy stroke.
The water of the China Sea is very
salt and gives great buoyancy to
floating body. Ny only work was tc
propel myself.
Without stopping I swan forward TO,
about an hour. I was rapid swimmer,
but the distance covered was but q
dot in the vast expanse of water. Then
T rested moment and raising my
head as high as I could 1 took an.
other survey of the horizon. To my
great JOY, I saw far away-in the
direction toward which I had been
going-what appeared to be land. ]
80
vegetation Of any kind. Probably
this was an island of rock. I had
heard that there were many such of
the Chinese coast. But whatever it
was, it afforded hope; and with re-
newed courage I swept the water
again with my vigorous strokes and
started toward the speck. The island
may have been two miles away or it
may have been five. Distance is al
most annihilated in the clear moon
light of this region. All that I know
of the distance is that I swan about
four hours before I got near enough
to tell what it really was.
I saw the barest rock, rearing its
bald head high above the water. Rock
nothing but rock. But even that
was something, and gathered myself
for final effort. Curling myself up
in a knot I succeeded in getting off
my shoes. Then my coat flung from
me. I would have liked to save the
coat, but T knew it would retard my
progress, and I had long distance
yet to swim. I was fighting for life,
so the coat went with the shoes.
I did not seek to increase my stroke.
[ wished, rather, to husband my
strength. It was well I did so. The
rock proved to be farther away than I
imagined. But, at last, I had the
great joy of being near enough to see
the greenish-white foam from the
waters that broke upon its base. ]
had met with no greater danger than
the water itself. I had no doubt that
these southern seas swarmed with
man-eating monsters, but the help OF
. Higher Power must have been with
me, for I saw not one.
I reached the rock.
My heart sank within me, for its
sides were as smooth and as per.
pendicular as the side of O house.
There was no handhold or foothold
The frowning stone rose high above
me, cold, inhospitable, pitiless.
started to swim around it.
The rock covered, I should Judge,
If reduced to figures, about four acres,
but it was like swimming around
continent to me-, so hopeless had ]
become. There was no other land ir
sight. My hope of life hung on this
'ock.
At last, having swum more thar
railway round, I found an opening
hat surprised me. A gateway war
ormed by two jutting crags. This
'pening led into an inclosure-s
miniature bay or inland sea, not more
han fifty feet in extent, or perhaps
in which the water was per
ectly calm, and would be so in any
FEATHER, for it was absolutely sheltered
rom the wind. I went through thu
ateway, which was about twelve feet
ride. Inside the Enclosure I found
n one side, what appeared to be
ough stepping.place in the rock
IN each side was an iron ring securely
The sight of anything that betokened
he presence of human being in
nat waste was something of shock,
Tut there was hope in those rings foI