An Agonising Moment at Sea.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2855, 9 April 1878, Page 2

An Agonising Moment at Sea.

Captain Bounceville's veiiel was loit in mid-Atlantic, and likewise bis wire and two little children. Captain Bounceville and seven seamen escaped with life, but with little. A small, rudelj constructed rafc was to be their home for eight days. They had neither provisions nor water. They had scarcely any clothing ; no one had a coat bat the captain. The coat was changing hands all the time, for the weather was very cold. Whenever a man became exhausted with cold, they pnt the coat on him and laid him down between two shipmates until the garment and their bodies had warmed life into him again. Among the sailors was a Portuguese who knew no English. He seemed to hare no thought of his own calamity, but was concerned only about the captain's bitter loss of his wife and children. By day he would look his dumb compassion in the captain's face, and by < night, in the darkness and the driving spray and rain, he would seek out the cap. tain and try to comfort him with caressing Eats on the shoulder, One day, when unger and thirst were making their sure inroads upon ' the men's strength and spirits, a floating barrel was seen at a distance. It seemed a great find, for doubtless it contained food of some sort. A brave fellow swam to it, and after long and exhausting exertion got it to the raft; It was eagerly opened. It was a barrel of magnesia ! On the fifth day an onion was spied. A sailor swam off and got it Although perishing with hunger, he brought it in its integrity and placed it into the captain's hands. The history of the tea teaches that among starving •hip-wrecked men selfishness is rare, and a wonder-compelling magnanimity the role. The opipn was equally divided into eight parts, apd palfß with, deep thaoksgiving. On the eighth day a distant ship was sighted. Attempts were made to hoist an oar with Captain Bounoeville's coat on it for a signal. There were many failures, for the men were sksletops no*, and strengthless. At last success was ■cbieved but the signal brought no help. Ihe ship faded out of sight and lelt despair behind her. By-and-bye another ship i

appeared, and passed so near that the castaways, every eye eloquent with gratitude, made ready to welcome the boat that would be sent to save them. But this ship also drove on, and left these men staring their unutterable surprise and dismay into each other'a ashen faces. Late in the day still another ship came up out cf the distance, but the men noted with a pang that ■ her course was one which would not bring her nearer. Their remnant of life wai nearly spent; their lips and tongues were swollen, parched, cracked with eight day*' thirst; their bodies starved; here waa their last chance gliding relentlessly from them; they would not be alive when the next sun arose. Since a day or two gone by, the men had lost their voices, but now Captain liounceville whispered 'Let us pray.' The Portuguese patted him oh the shoulder in sign of deep approval. AH knelt at the base of the oar that was waving the signal coat aloft, and bowed their beads. The tea waa toaaing; the sun rested, a red raylesa disc, on the sea line in the west When the men presently raised their heads they, woold have roared a hallelujah if they had a voice; the ship's sails lay-wrinkled and fUppian against her masts; she was going abbot! Here was rescue at last, and in the v«ry, last instant of time that waa left llr" it. So, not rescue yet only the imminent prospect of it. The red disc sank under the sea, and darkness blotted out the ship. By*aadibyV came a pleasant sound—oars mevinf in a boat's rollocks. Nearer it came' and nearer within 30 steps, but nothing visible. Then a deep voice, ' Hollo P The castaways could not answer; their swollen tongues refused voice. The boat skirted round and round the rift, started away—the agony of it!—returned, rested the oars close at hand, listening, no doubt. The deep voice again, 'Hollo' Where are ye shipmates P' Captain Bounceville whispered to bis men, saying "Whisper your best boys, now—all at once; ' So they sent out an eight-fold whisper in hoarse concert, "Here." There was life in it if it succeeded; death if it failed. After that aopreme moment Captain Bounceville was conscious of nothing until he came to himself on board the saving ship. Every word of this story is true.—Belgravia.