Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1856-04-05
Loss OF the Slip Rutledge-Buto one Man
Saved.

WOOD, arrived al New \ Ork on SUNDAY
evening from Havre. On the 18th Feb
ruaty, in lat. 450 O3' N. long. 460 40
W.. she fell in with icebefgs, and tina
same night entered field Of ice which ex
tended to the northwest as far as the ey,
could resch. BY standing TO The son,heas
ihe Germania cleared this ice field in three
hours. lcebergs were seen as far soutE
as LAT. Az AZ NJ, long. 500 % w.
On the % b of February a ship boat wa:
seen ahead of the Germania. A boat wa:
Immediately sent from the latter to the
rescue, when sad spectacle presented IL
self. Ia the boat adrift were found one
living man and four dead bodies, one o
The latter being that of female. The
survivor, Thomas w. Nye, Of New Bed
ford, sal amid the dead, frozen in his hands
and feet, and himself nearly dead from
starvation. He and the dead by his side
were all thai remained above the waters
out of thirteen who nine days before had
left the wreck of the ship John Rulledge
Capt. Kelly, of New York. The story
of the John Rutlcdge, as given by Mr..
Nye, is rs follows:
The John RutIedge sailed from Liver,
poo! on The oh OF January. On tie 10Th
she entered field of ice. but cleared il.
Soon afterwards, however, on the same
day, she encountered an iceberg. which
stove ole IN her bow and damaged her
10 such an extent that a, six O'Clock i'll the
evening sic was complete wrerk and
evidently sinking. Nothing remained
but ie- those on board to abandon the
wreck as best they could. Five bosls
were lowe erred, four Of which took their
loads and left,
In the fifth boat, which was the one
found by the Germania, the mate of the
John Rulledge, Mr.. Atkinson, and sever
Ill Others were Just about entering, when
il broke sdrifl with the thirteen already III
II, leaving the mate and those with him 10
go down with the wreck. Those in the
boat now pulled 1t through the water and
ice as well as they were able, but soon
their compass was broken, and amid the
snowy and c udy weather which follow
ed hey knew not which way they went.
The party consisted of the boatswain,
Scotch sailor, five men, tour women,and
a lille girl. passengers. and myself. We
had only about gallon of wafer and six
or eight pounds of bread. The weather
was intensely cold. Mrs. Atkinson took |!
charge of the bread and wafer, and would
give but Iltle out. She and the boats
VAIN drank mos! of the water. Both were
soon exhausted, and then the bitter cold
began TO tell upon Us. 1t is my opinion
th8; j! We had been we'll supplied with
food and water most OF Us could have
wi,hstood the cold.
On the third day in the boat a male pas
senger died. He was very thinly dress
ed, lgh, coat being his only one. He
was followed the next day by woman,
whose husband survived her for day or
TWO. On the fifth day all those in the
boat with me began TO drink sea water.
warned Them against ii, but they persisted.
/ drank no sea water. When my mouth
became parched and dry ! rnsed i, out
with sea water, but swallowed none. Some
snow fell one day, which found great
relief. After the Others began 10 drink
lhe sea waller they died in quick success
sion. On The seventh day the last one
died, and left me the only living being in
the boat. The dead who first succumbeG
were thrown overheard bat The four last
were beyond my little remaining strength,
and for more than two days was forced
20 sill with ther distorted bodies before
me. and with bu, liWle hope that better
fate would I've mine. The las, who died
was passenger, an English lady, Of slight
form, The mother Of the little girl. Her
daughter preceded her few hours. |
cannot remember the order in which the
others died.
The boatswain, the nigh. before his
death. became delirious and furious. He
assaulted Mrs. Atkinson, bit her severely
on the arm, and scratched her. He threw
the bucket overheard, and attempted TO
throw the oars overheard also. He as
saulted me with the canteen and struck
me blow on the face. the marks Of which
! sill bear. lie died about noon, some
hours before which he became listless and
stupid. Nearly all The others became de-
lirious. Mrs. Atkinson called in The most
sconizing tones for wafer, stretching out
her hands to receive it. They all died
like the boats ain, and in many instances
the first notice had that another victim
had fallen was by his pitching over when
The boa, lurched heavily.
When all my companions were dead /
fixed an oar upright, with white woollen
shirt aud red silk handkerchief waving
from the top as signal. This was The
first permanen. signal that had been erect