Year: 1860

these huge wlves with comparative ease by
keeping myself nearly in a horizontal position
That if let my feet drop they would be thrown
forward Of me, and throwing me upon my back
and under the plank, which occurred on two
occasions when came near drowning, and only
recovered my position of my breast to tie plank
by the most terrible exertion.


During the early part of my solitary trip l
was sea-sick. and became very much exhausted
from vomiting and retching. Occasionally
fonnd a most irresistible tendency to go to sleep.
as had slept but little the two nights preced.
ing. The pain in my shoulders and ne tx, now
became almost intoerabe for the reason was
not able for hours to make any material change
in my position also felt very faint from ex
ertion and hunger, and towards noon was fortu-
nate enough to find two OF three pieces of dried
apples and one large fresh apple, which l got
hold Of after a ten minutes struggle. NV
hands turned purple and became cramped 80
| that had almost lost the use of nv fingers,
mad sustained myself upon the plank by hang
| ing my arms over it. and resting upon my chest.
| About an hour before reaching the shore l
was surrounded by great deal of debris from
! the ship, and amongst tn rest discovered an
old ship plank, about 16 or ls feet long. with
| severa! long spikes in it, and one or two NOR.
| tees. felt that could not hold to nv old
plank much longer, and that the other had ap-
peared Providentially, and could hang my
| arms through the holes or around the spikes
a few minutes swimming brought me along
| side of it, completely exhausted, and I seized
hold of it, and experienced great relief from
the change.


As approached nearer and discovered the
precipitous nature of the bank, which should
think to be forty feet high, and almost perpen-
dIcular, | could see no possible foundation for
any hope of escape, as the wave es broke clear
to the foot of the precipice. l reserved my
strength as much as possible for the terrible
| struggle that knew was inevitable Shortly
| after entering the breakers, and when within
few rods OF the shore, a sea capsized the plank,
throwing me under it upon my back, with nv
right arm locked as in vice between two
spikes. leaving me with no earthly means of
righting myself, or power to keep my head
above water. In few moments time was
nearly suffocated, but struggled with all the
po er possessed to free myself, and attempt.
ed with death struggle to break my arm, in
hopes thereby it would relieve me from the hor-
rble position was in. Fortunately, however,
the next sea changed our relative positions so
as to enable me to release myself. The hor-
rors Of the struggle for life against the terrible
force of the surf, during the few moments that
followed, cannot describe. l observed that
was in a current parallel with the shore, with
greater rapidity than ] w"- towards it. l saw
several men who had let themselves down the
bank, standing at the edge of the surf, prepared
for my rescue. The first time struck ground l
struck square on my feet but was Immediately
ca ried back by a returning wave. The next
breaker threw me forward heels over head
against the bank, when began to suffocate, and
Just then some man seized hold of me, and was
dragged back short distance with me. soon
felt three or four muscular hands about me, and
felt that was saved. A rope was immediately
tied around me Under nv arms, and was hauled
up the precipice and made to dis. orge a consid-
cradle quantity of surplus water, and then ta.
ken to the nearest house and kindly cared for ;,