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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June, 1869, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia.
Vol. 111-.-No. 34.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
THE RAFT.
_
Na bright and beautiful day in
June, 186—, the good ship
Annie left the harbor of Liver
pool with a heavy
freight for New York.
She had a full crew,
but only two passen
gers—the little boy
who is seen standing
jn the foreground of
the picture, and his
father, who sits be
side him. Little
George’s mother had
died a short time be
fore, and his father
had bidden farewell
to his old home and
friends, and was now
going to the United
States to join some
friends who were al
ready settled there.
For several days
the weather was clear
and beautiful, and af
ter the little boy had
recovered from his
sea-sickness,he enjoy
ed life on the ocean
as only those can who
have lived all their
lives away from the
sea-shore.
One day, after they
had been out nearly a
week, the sun went
down behind dark
clouds, and the sailors
knew that there were
strong indications of
a storm. But the lit-
tle) boy knew nothing of this, and went
to bed at his usual hour. During the
night, however, he was awakened by a
terrific noise on deck. The sailors
were taking in sail, and not a moment
too soon, for a terrible sterm had burst
upon them.
All night long the good old ship was
driven before the wind, but she was a
staunch craft., and no fears were enter
tained for her safety, but when morning
came and brought no cessation of the
storm, the captain and crew began to be
afraid that she would not weather the
storm.
Towards night the weather grew more
calm, but now there was new cause for
alarm. The violence of the wind and
waves had been too much for the vessel,
and she was leaking badly. For a long
time the sailors tried to pump the water
out as fast as it came in, but after a
while the fearful truth became evident
MACON, GEORGIA, FEBRUARY 19, 1870
that it was gaining on them, and that
the vessel could not be kept afloat many
hours longer.
Then followed a most disgraceful
scene. All of the ship’s boats were im
mediately lowered by the men, and in
spite of the captain’s efforts, the sailors
rushed over the vessel’s side and into
the boats. There were two of them,
and with proper management all might
have been saved. But in the excite
ment, one of the boats was upset, and
all on board of it were engulphed in the
still angry ocean. The other was al
ready full and put off', leaving the cap-
Whole No. 138
tain, four sailors, and the two passen
gers still on board the ill-fated vessel.
The survivors, immediately set to
■work to construct a raft, for they knew
that the vessel could not long remain
afloat. Their raft was built of strong
timbers, securely tied together at the
four corners, and
covered with planks,
which were nailed
down, so as to make
them tight and strong.
They had barely time
to finish their raft, to
launch i t over the
ship’s side, to secure
a keg of water, and a
small quantity of pro
visions, to get aboard
and to leave the ves
sel before she went
down with a surge,
and the little party
were alone on the
broad Atlantic, with
nothing between them
and eternity save a
few planks.
It was dusk when
they quitted the ship,
but the broad, full
moon soon rose and
lighted up the still
angry ocean. The
water dashed over
their frail raft and
threatened to engulf
it; and several times
the men had to tight
en the cords that
bound the timbers to
gether ; but, thanks
to a kind Providence,
it safely rode out the
night, and the next
day they were all taken up by a passing
ship, which was on its way to New
'iork, and little George and his father
finally reached their friends in Texas.
It may be well to add that the people
who left the ship in the ship’s boat were
never heard of, and it is more than pro
bable that they were lost. Thus we see