Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-01-06
The Skeleton of the Wreck.

4HOSo "hO iOiIoW tne occupation OF a mar
iner,-says the Boston Journal-are exposed
to many perils, among which are shipwreck
and starvation. II is a terrible thing TO be
destitute of food, and TO pass day after day
IN an open boat, or on shattered wreck or
a raft, far from human assistance, gradually
losing strength, and suffering all the cravings
Of hunger and thirst, ill death comes at last,
and puts an end TO agonies, which canno,
even be conceived. II is said that a man
possessed of good constitution, mny live
for seven days without any sustenance what
ever; his frame will wnste and wther, as
the gnawings of hunger increase aud u
morsel oi bread or drop of winter will then
be more valuable to him than all the precious
gems in the world. If lie falls asleep, he
forthwith dreams Of rills Of clear sparkling
water, Of gushing springs, Of delicious fruits
and tempting yiands--and suddenly awak-
ems in few moments 10 full sense of the
horrors and helplessness of his condition.
One Of the most touching descriptions Of
shiPwreck, connected with starvation, was
published a number of years ago in an
American periodical, and gives vivid pic
ture of the horrors which surround poor
wretch in that sad condition:
MANY years ago, when the brave Com
modOre Truxton, in the United States Frig.
ale Constellation, was returning from his IA
nous cruise in Tie West Indies, the look OFT
at the masthead, one morning ere the sun
arose above the horizon deserted at the dis.
tance of three or four miles, an object, which
looked like the wreck Of vessel. The
course of the frigate was altered, aud in half
an hour the Commodore had ascerlained
that Ihe object was indeed the wreck Of a
merchant vessel. Her masts were broken
off about fifteen feet from deck, and the hull
was full Of water. They saw no living thing
on board-but there was camboose house
on deck, which had apparently been recent
" patched with old canvas or taupaulin, as
if to afford shelter 10 some remnant of her
crew. Aud although it blew a strong gale
il the time, the humane Commodore deter
mined TO send off boat with instructions 10
board the wreck, and ascertain whether
there were indeed any human being still sur
viving, whom the help Of his fellow men
might save from the grasp ofdealh.
The boat proceeded towards The drifting
wreck, and while the men were rowing, and
struggling with the difficulty ofgetting along
side, while a heavy sea was running. and
shouting oil The time as loud as they could,
an object which resenlbled in appearance
bundle Of old clothes, was seen TO roll out OF
the camboose-house, apparently against the
lee side of the vessel. With boat>hook,
they cenlrived to seize il, and haul it into
the boat-when il proved to be the body Of
human being, bent head and knees togeIh-
er. and so wasted as scarcely 10 be seen in
the ample garments, which flied him when
he enjoyed health aud strength. He seemed
pgmy in The clothes Of giant. He looked
pale and ghostly indeed-but although he
was unable TO speak, lie still breaIhed.
The boats crew FASTENED back to the
Constellation with this miserable remnant Of
humanity poor starving wretch was
reduced to such -diminuive size, thai a lad
fifteen years old was able to lift him from
the boat. When placed on deck he showed,
to the astonishment Of all, signs of returning
life and consciousness. He tried 10 move
then opened his parched and blackened lips,
and Strove 10 speak. After two or three at
tempis, lie succeeded in utiering in a faint,
hollow and sepuchral tone, 'Ihe,e as another
man -
Commodore Truxton Immediately ordered
the boat TO shove off again for the wreck, and
after several abortive attempts the crew sue.
ceeded in boarding tile wreck. In he cam
boose-house they found TWO other human
bodies, wasted like the one they had taken
on board the frgate, 10 the very bones, but
without spark Of life remaining. Unfor.
runate men, they had suffered everything
which it is possible for men TO suffer, and
had died the dreadful death Of starvation.
The boats crew, after completing their
melancholy survey, returned on board, where
they found the attentions Of the ships COM
pany engrossed by efforts 10 preserve the life
of the roor fellow, who. OIL being brought on
board, seemed 10 have just life enough re-
manning 10 remind his preservers thai there
was still another man., companion, TO be
saved.
Ii is needless TO say that no possible efforts
were spared to restore to health this geEer-
Gus sufferer, who seemed living skeleton.
Food was administered TO him with caution,
and under the direction of the surgeon, who
exerted all his skill 10 save his life. The
undertaking seemed hopeless one but,
strange as it may seem, was finally crowned
with success. In few days, the skeleton
began 10 resemble human being. The
poor fellow was able TO stand, and even to
walk-afterwards rapidly gained strength
and his bones soon became covered with
flesh. Before the lrigaie arrived in port,
the crew were astonshed 10 find in the fee.
bic, wasted, corpselike being, whom they had
rescued from dreadful situation, a stout
man nearly six feet in height. He was no
longer the skeleton of the wrecks
Ii appeared that the vessel from which this
man was thus providentialy saved, was
Dutch brig, bound from Curacao for Am
sierdam. /; had been capsized in furious
hurricane the masls broke of, and it right
ed full of water. The officers and crew,
with the exception of three seamen, were
drowned. The survivors, for the first few
days managed 10 obtain little provision as
il hoated out of the hatchways. But these
resources soon failed them, and the only
water they could get 10 quench their fever
ish thirst, was the rain as il descended in
slight showers from the clouds. Thirty-two
days had these poor wretches' dragged out
miserable existence on the wreck growing
weaker and weaker every day and it was
only day or two before the Constellation
fell in with the wreck, that Two of these mis-
erabe men, overcome by their suffering,
died dreadful dealh."
Fruits of Kindness.