The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-09-07
A Story Of Suffering at Sea.

Six DAYS UPON THE OCEAN WITHOUT
FooD OR WATER.-On the 25th ofFebruary
last, the schooner s. r. Soper, Captain Sam
uel Soper, sailed from Provicetown, for a
cruise in the Atlantic Ocean, for whales
Nothing unusual happened until about the
last of July, when one morning school of
whales was discovered Three boats we're
Immediately lowered, each containing FIVE
men, and commanded by the Captain, first
and second mate. The second mate killed
the first whale and towed him to the ship
The other whales started of, pursued by The
Captail and first mate This was in longi-
tude about TIN latitude about 34. They
continued the pursuit, and finally the Captain
fastened and killed 40 barrel sperm whale.
by this time night began to set in, and no
vessel was TO be seen from the boats, in any
direction. This was rather startling AS they
had no provisions or water on board, but up
on consultation, they concluded to stick
b. the whale until morning in the hope that
with returning daylight they should be able
to find their vessel. When morning broke,
the sky was anxiously scanned, but no YES
sci was to be seen. All that day was spent
in cruising around after her, and ut night an
other consultation was held. They had
compasses, but n" time, and tho captain or
dercd, that during the night they should
each go in a certain direction, and meet in
morning. The mate, Mr.. Samuel Gem, of
Provincetown, states that he followed these
directions carefully, but when morning
dawned, the Captains boat was not to be
found. He spent portion of the next day
in searching for the captain, but finding his
efforts vain, and that his crew were Begin
ming to suffer drcadfully for food and water,
they being in an open whalc-boat, without
protection from the fierce rays of the sur
he concluded that it was best for him to
shape his course for the nearest land, which
he did by steering a n. n. w. course. They
had sail, but it was not of much u.c-
Their suilerings from this time cannot be de-
scribed. But once they saw vessel. She
was at some distance, and TIE sen was very
rough, so that the mate dcemcd it impossi-
bic with safety TO steer for her and so those
on board did not see the boat, they witness
cd her disappearance with the feeling that
their last hope VAS leaving them II now
began TO blow severely, and the mate was
obliged to rig II "drug' with his ores and
'"haling lines, with which he was enabled TO
lie TO without dJngcr. When the gale ceas.
ed he again put sail on the boat, but the
crew were almost at the last gasp of suffer
ing Their lips were black, and death seem
ei TO stare them in the face. For the last
twcnty-four hours, so great were the pnnes
ot thirst, that they began to drink the salt
water, which usually brings on dclrium and
death in n short time. At the end of the 81 h
day they made Cape Fear and went ashore.
reaching Beaufort, NC. Mr.. Gem and one
| of the crew, Cornelius Prince, of Boston,
worked their passage in vessel TO New
York, and reached this city on Sunday last,
and arc now at Provincetown.
What has been the fate of the captain and
the five men in his boat is unknown. They
may have discovered the vessel, or they NAV
have reached the shore. If they did moi,
they have probably all perishcd. There was
short rain, one day while they were on
board, but they had no means 10 catch it
The second mate and five men are on board
the vessel, and she is therefore probably
safe, and will probably arrive at some Allan
tic port in few days. The face of the mate
still bears the impress OF the terrible suffer.
ings ne hes undergone, in parched and black
ened lips, and sunken and deaih. ke features.
Boston Yrareller.