The Portland daily press., 1863-07-03
A Long Voyage.

The arrival of the ship Richard Busted,
commanded by Capt. Richard Mitchell of this
city, at Sydney, n. S. W., is at length report
ed. The ship sailed from Manila on the 10th
September, bound to Sydney, with LAP bags
sugar, 80 bales bags, and reached her port of
destination on the Sd April, after voyage of
almost seven months. She started from Man
lila short-handed, and sailing between the mon
soons fell in with light airs and Gains; but the
chief cause of her prolonged passage was an
attack of -scurvy which SO reduced the
strength of the crew that very little sail could
be set. She finally put in to Hobart Town in
distress on the 18th March, after a voyage of
17S days, during the latter part of which the
captain and officers had been compelled to
work the ship alone, and to live almost solely
on salt meat. The following account of the
voyage was furnished to a Hobart Town jour
nal by Capt. Mitchell:
We sailed IRON Manila on the 10th Septem-
Der, 1862, and came through Mindore Sea,
Brazilian Straits, Bandy Sea, and the Straits of
Timor, and had light airs and Gains all the
time. We got as far west in the Indian Ocean
as 95 deg. east longitude, before we could
make any progress to the southwark. We
then had the wind between S.S.W. and S.S.E.
About this time the scurvy made its appear
ance on one man who shipped at Manila We
were then about 120 days out, and then the
carpenter discovered that the main yard was
quite rotten under the chatting copper. We
managed to send it down and fix a spare one.
This was done when only three men were laid
up. At last one after another gave up, and
we found ourselves without single sailor.
Some time after, one man feeling little bet
ter, came upon deck and continued to work
till our arrival at Hobart Town. We encoun-
tered several heavy gales, aud were obliged
number of times to heave the ship to- During
one of these gales the salt water got into our
fresh water tank, aud the consequence was We
have had only as allowance two quarts OF
bracksh water to each man. On Thursday
night last was in Storm Bay. The weather be-
ing thick and cloudy, and not being certain
which was the entrance, we ran the ship down
to D'Entrecasteaux Channel, knowing that
there was light there. Ga Friday night in
coming up the Channel, we fired several guns,
and showed several lights and flashes in hopes
of getting assistance, but more came. Was
oecalmed all night within two ships length of
he rocks, and in the morning fisherman
anne and asked me If was acquainted with
The Channel and said we were in a bad chan
ne and no pilot could be obtained there.
The fisherman said he was no pilot, but could
hew us the way up, which ne uid ana we
ound him very useful We were in Sandy
Bay before pilot boarded us, and he took the
Wheel.
When the Busted was boarded at Hobart
Gown, the whole ships crew was so exhausted
to require help from on shore TO bring her
o her moorings. That afternoon all the sea-
len-ten in number were removed to the
Government Hospital. Five were at the point
# death. The joints of some of the poor fell
)ws coald not be bent by main force. They
eceived the utmost care, and were in fair
ray to recover when the paper from which
'e learn these facts was printed The officers
( the ship were completely restored by the
nvigorating air, the fruits and vegetables,
hey found at Hobart Town.