Year: 1874

fNt lNs w Wy lAass ltst ~ VI


ytung companion aid mYaelf. wsl


siafiisg npoa three deals, lhs black


poss Of night made visibIs NJ times !
D Tho Iuried flashes of lightning an


The break n every wave over US


ladcn With one deep, dismal. holIov
sound N death knoIi with mockef


added 70 TIC warming Owing 10 N
binding effect Of the salt water ad


dc1 70 the wake'ulncss Of tho threr
preceding Days md nights. found i


impossible to keep AWAKE, and Offer


found myself struggling in the water


trying TO regain my position on the


plank from which | had been wasbo(


during my STATE OF stupof (ior | cal


not call II slcep.) Young Little cling


ing to me. At about . o'clock a. m


| passed the light on the ives, end u


Ship Island going East and out side


of the Island. | lad passed it going


West without seeing it, owing to the


fact suppose that in order to breathe


with ease or in fact, at all, I was com


pelled to shelter my head and face


with my arms, changing my position


from right to left to ease and rest


those portions Of my body which we're
constantly being chafed against the
plank. The wind had shifted some
time before to South west, and about
this time Col. McRae and the portion
Of the crew that were saved, drifted
upon the beach near the lighthouse. |
had it seems gone farther ont in the
gulf, owing 70 the superior bouyancy
of my raft having 3 while they had
single plank each; the cbb tide,
keeping me off shore, a short tine
before daylight we drifted into the
debris of the wreck, when the poor
boys arm was broken and my right
hand badly crushed by something, a
deal perhaps, striking us, as il came
over us or The curl Of a wave, he let
go his hold, caught with The other
hand, but owing to bis exhausted condl.
ton could not hold on. With a good
bye may God bless you;' he left
me. The whistling Of the winds and
angry roar OF waters his only re-
QUEEN. s


Ii was not until then, that the with
ering sense of my helpless, desperate,
condition came with its full intensity
upon me, not that had held any de-
fined or positive hope, but had not
been able to consider more than the
dim probability of being lost. AT
daylight, found myself at the east end
of Ship Island, and drifting rapidly
on to Dog Keys-passed through the
bIeakers there-and was once more
inside the Island, with strong proba-
bilites of being thrown ashore either
on Horn Island or the main laad
shortly after crossing the Keys, the
life boat passed on-botton up. At
about 10 or II o'clock the steamer
California passed me, within los, than
a quarter of mile, rolling heavily,
with not soul visible on deck
found l wos drifting, rapidly toward
Horn Island but owing to the strong
ebb tide making out. Could sec that
The chances for the main land were
gone, and the west end OF Horn
Island, but slim. However, by this
lime all apprehension Of beirg lost
nad ceased. and could think of other
things besides my condition home,
and its anxieties came in for its share
md, except that was suffering ter
ribly from the blistering heat Of the
un-being both hatless and shoeless;
both hip joints rubbed through; right
hand crushed, and terribly bruised
all over my body. l took things as
1uietly as circumstances would per.
nit, while taking quiet survey of
the condition, l found that | was
again nearing The breakers, and that
there was chance that | should reach
the end Of Horn Island, though, l
should pass close to II, which did,
going as I thought, and still think
about six mile an hour directly out to
sea, the sensation, you may imagine
was by no means a pleasing one, but
should any one have any doubts about
1t, let him make the same trip, under
as favorable auspices as he may select,
and l venture be will change his opin
ion, particularly If he has an escort or
body guard. of such companionsa as it !
was my good or bad fortune to have,
dancing attendance upon me. dil


When we'll out side the island say !
two niles drifting rapidly in Soutts