Year: 1877

What Befel n Delaware Man by Land and


Sea--Pcrils in Various Shapes.


There was lately lost at sea off Hat
teras, coasting vessel bound from New
York to port off Texas, the captain of
which, John Williams by name, had q
somewhat remarkable career. He was a
native OF Sussex county, DEL, and first
saw light about sixty years ago, near the
banks of Indian river. Following the
example of the male population of that
region from time immemorial, he early in
life became fisherman and spent the
greater portion of his working hours in
his boat dredging for oysters or hauling
the seine for fish. Of Williams haps
and mishaps at this period Of his career
we have no record, but if they were
at all in proportion to what befel him
in subsequent years they were very
many.


When he was about twenty years old
he had grown tired of his quiet fishing
life and hired as hand on o schooner
trading with New York. He made sew
eral trips, and his first glimpse of the
outside world was obtained as the vessel
sailed up the East river among the forest
of masts. The only accident that hap
pened him while in the service of the In
dian river skipper was his being knocked
over one day in New York harbor, but
rope being thrown him he was speedily
on deck again. His first extended voyage
was to the West Indies, and ono day
while in the tropics he, with two COM
panions, went in to bathe. A school of
sharks happened in the neighborhood,
and one of Williams companions was
eaten, while our hero himself lost part
of his foot. His escape from the jaws of
the fish was 80 narrow that he never ven
tured to bathe in that latitude again.
His next adventure was in South
America. While the vessel on which he
sailed was in port undergoing repairs
Williams, with two other companions,
got leave to make an excursion inland.
AS the three men were winding their
way slowly down a mountain slope, be-
striding the mules used in such coun-
tries, Williams, being some distance in
advance, was startled by the sudden
shying of his mule. At the same instant
he heard horrible kissing sound, and
on looking in the direction whence the
noise proceeded was terror-stricken to
behold q huge serpent in the act of
pouncing upon him. He instantly sprang
from the saddle and bounded up the
path. A moment later the poor mule
uttered an almost human cry Of fright as
the serpent sprang upon it ard bore it to
the earth. When Williams came in sight
of his companions they asked for nm ex-
planation of his strange conduct, declar-
ing that he looked as though he had seen
n ghost. He could only point down the
mountain where the serpent and the
mule, coiled together, were rolling in
the thicket below. The sailors lost no
time in departing from the dangerous
neighborhood, and made no more excur-
sions into the country.


On the home voyage the vessel en-
countered a terrible storm and went to
pieces. Williams and colored man
found themselves clinging to spar, half
dead. They both managed to bestride
it, and by constant watchfulness managed
to avoid being rolled under the waves by
their unsteady raft. After they had been
floating for twenty hours the colored
man complained that his strength was
fast leaving him, and feared that he
could not hold out much longer. Will
liams endeavored to cheer him by saying
that as they were in the track of south
ern bound vessels they must surely soon
be seen and picked up. But exhaustion,
thirst and hunger proved too much for the
mans endurance, and on the second day
after the shipwreck he suddenly fell
backward with sharp cry of despair and
disappeared under the sea. Williams
continued to float for another half day,
when he was seen by O passing ship and
rescued, more dead than alive. The ves-
sci proved to be an American bark for
the West Indies, thence to Spain, and
on reaching the former islands, Will
liams, finding no vessel ready to sail for
New York, and being offered berth by
the captain who rescued him, accepted.
AS the vessel lny in Spanish port a
party of the sailors went ashore on mis-
chief bent. While strolling along the
streets they heard strains of music, and,
entering a house, found dance in pro.
gress. "Half-seas over" and conse-
quently reckless, they entered into the
fandango with great zest. All went well
for time. and the inmates seemingly
enjoyed the vivacity of the intruders.
Presently Williams began paying very
marked attention to fair senorita, who
in turn seemed charmed with the Ameri-
can-too much so, indeed, for the peace
of mind of her jealous cavalier, who in a
rage drew an ugly looking knife from it's
sheath, and, making a lunge at Will
liams,. stabbed him in the side.' He
staggered, and would have fallen, had
he not been caught by his comrades,
who, after demolishing the furniture of
the place and wounding several of the
inmates. removed their injured compan-
ion on board ship. Williams wound was
found to be dangerous one, and it was
deemed advisable to sail without him.
He was accordingly placed in hospital
ashore, and the captain sailed home with
out him. In few months, however, he
recovered and shipped for New York, at
which port he arrived without accident,
after an absence of several years. Find
ing q vessel from Indian river about to
return, he embraced the opportunity of
visiting his early home. While there
he was offered the position of first mate
on ship engaged in the Southern trade,
and accepted the place. On the second
trip from New York, when off the caPes,
the schooner was wrecked in terrible
gale, and Williams, the only survivor OF
the ships crew, was found lashed to the
mainn.ast and taken off by passing
vessel after the storm had in measure
abated. 1t would naturally be supposed
that this narrow escape would deter the
mariner from further risk by sea, but
not so; there was fascination in the
tempestuous life which he could not re-
sist, and accordingly we find him sailing
again as soon rs he could find a berth.
He continued seafaring man for a num-
Der of years, and finally obtained COM
mand of schooner trading between
New York and Galveston, Texas. 1t was


L., lat