The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-31
The Narrowing Tale of a Casta-
way Who Fights
SHARKS ABOUT BAIT
Sole Survivor of a Household Party
Wrecked Off Florida Coast Arrived
at New York, and Tells of Sol.
itary Vigil In Mid.Ocean
Without Food.
Without Food.

Declaring himself to ba the sole
survivor OF a party OF thirty-ss7en,
who were blown into the sea from a
houseboat in the recent cyclone of
the Florida coast. John Russsll, OF
Key West who was picked up by the
Morgan line steamship E. Paso and
carried to New York after being In
the water thirty-six hours, told q re-
marksble story Wednesday Of the cat
astrophe, the hardshirs he endured
while struggling for life on the raft,
and his subsequent rescue.
My belief in prayer is more firmly
established now than ever bsfore, "
Russell said. For thirty, six long
hours prayed for dsliverance as I had
never prayed before,
AT 5 O'Clock on tho morning OF
October 1S, while the houseboat E fie
was moored 100 yaros from shore, cff
Matacombi Key, FIJI, the Cyclone
struck US, shstteril & the barge. Eight
of the men were thrown into the ssa
before our very eyes.
Mine OF us ciuc g to q piece OF the
flooring. The remaining twenty clut
ohed CespsrStely at tits Of driftwood
as long as they could rsmain above
the water. saw them al drown, one
after another, until daylight came.
Shortly after day break the ptscs
of, flooring tipped over, throwing all
nine CT US INTO the sss. I reached .
small piece Of wrecksge, and IN climb
ing aboard my binds, face and chest
were badly torn by protruding nails
A man named Mcbride, who lived IN
New York, csms floating by on q door,
to which was attached piece OF rope
The dool collided with the largest
part OF the flooring, throwing Mcbride
into the water. l heard him shout as
he went under, 1t has almost killed
me-
with the rope attached to the
door I lsshed the door and my raft
together ard tied myself In tho cen.
tire Of the raft.
by this time 1t was light and I
looked around, but not . sign It life
was visible. Then the horror OF the
situation dawned upon mo fully. .EI.
hausted and weakened from loss OF
blood I lay upon the boards to sleep,
but MY ears buzz ID and my heac
throbbed until I thought was going
mad.
'All through the day the wind con
tinue6 to blow, but when darkness
came it subsided considerably. Abous
the middle Of the night I felt some.
thing humping against the side [ the
raft. Thinking It might be man !
reached out my hand and telt the
head OF q shark. Presently I felt the
humping en- the other side Of the raft,
then at both ends. ALI at once I was
surrounded by at least q dozen sharks
which were trying to GET at me.
IT ripped loose q board tnat had
two nails in the end Of it and ali
night long 1 fought the sharks With
the beard as weapon. When day
light came the sharks VANISHED.
''As tine day passsd on sighted
six steamers, but they did net $50 L..
frantic signals for AID. TIE raft was
constantly getting weaker and l hao
to use the rope With which had at
tached myself to the two pieces OF
wreckate.
II sighted the FL Paso coming TO-
ward me at p. m. I was 80 nearly
exhausted when taken aboard that ]
could hardly stand"
The raft was sighted by Emmett
Bagnell, mess boy On the Ell P2so,
who was scrubing the deck. Russell
remained en- board the Ell Paso last
night and will probably be sent back
to Florida Wednesday.