The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-08-25
Dreadful Suffering of IA Shipwrecked



, foundered in the Indian Ocean. The
statements of the survivors show that
the poor creatures underwent the
most horrible suffering, several of
the unhappy crew, who were drifting
about for fifteen days, dying from eX.
haustion and tho want of food.
The Van Cappellan, Captain Swell,
left Calcutta in the carly part of Feb
ruary, for Hull. and the voyage pro-
cecdcd as usual, nothing particular
occurring, until the morning of the
10th of March, when the vessel was in
lat. about 6 s., long. 5S T.. At $3.50
A. NJ, all sail being set, the ship on
the port tack, heavy equall struck
her, keeling her over on her starboard
beam ends. All the endeavors of the
crew failed to right her, and the ship
being noticed to be settling down, the
boats were cut adrift, and spare spars
prepared to make raft in readiness
for leaving the ship. At IA. M. the
ship disappeared, taking down with
her Captain Sewell and Mr.. l.. Price,
chief officer; Sohn Stone, the cook;
John Herman, seaman; ii. Funck, A.
b.; and George Allen, apprentice;
leaving 16 hands clinging to the bot
tom of small boat, spars, hencoop,
&c. Robert Hamilton, the carpen-
ter, thus describes what followed
"With great eXertion we managed TO
get the boat turned over. We baled
her out and picked up the survivors,
who were elinging to spars, DC. We
succeeded in picking up three pump
kins, small pig, and four ducks. -
Seeing ship we pulled after her, but
the breeze springing up we lost sight
of her, leaving us TO our fate To
each man was then served out IL
inch of pumpkin, q piece of raw pork,
and q piece of duck. On the 18th,
sighted n ship with painted ports;
ipulled for her; but the breeze incrcas-
ing we were unable to get TO her.
The sun was very hot, and we had
but little or no clothing TO protect
our bodies, having cast them off to
save our lives. We suffered much
for want of wate", and the pork, beng
spoiled, we could not eat IL. There
were q number of sharks alongside
and we tried to get one, but were
unsuccessful. On the 18th, cloudy,
with light breeze; sun very hot
Served out to each man same quaint
2 ty of pumpkin. Tried to entice a
shark into running bow-line with a
D., piece Of spoiled pork, but was unsuc-
b, cesst'ul. 10Th, cloudy, but no rain.
c Thinking the water was frcshcr below
! the surface lashcd an oar over the
a stern of the boat and went down and
drank freely, but without finding any
4, relief. 20th, cloudy, with Il light
e breeze. We bathed frequently to
e keep ourselves cool. Thinking ON
v own urine was frcsher than the salt
j. water, took to drinking it. DIST,
cloudy, Caught n shark, and drank
its b!ood, which relieved our thirst q
@ little, and partooll Ola small piece OF
S the shark with our daily allowance
OF pumpkin. VIM. Allen, A. c.; Geo
Liberty, A. b; Joseph Pash and
Hugh Howard, steward; persisted in
washing the meat Of the shark; but
= they became delrious, and died in
the evening. %, cloudy, with light
n breeze. Employed ourselves in cut
8 ting gutter in the shafts and gun,
vale of the boat TO catch fresh water
4 should 1t rain. ODD, cloudy, with .
), few drops Of rain. oath, clear sun
4 very hot-no sail in sight. Batllin.
v frequently TO keep ourselves cool
but the salt water was making on
n skin very sore. 25th, dark ant
q cloudy weather. Hawkins died.
q Caught about n bucket full of fresl
water OFF the shaft OF the boat; drink
@ ing sparingly. 20, light breeze and
n hot sultry weather; served out one
!. and half inch of pumpkin, Thi:
: being the last morscl of food in the
boat, and no water left, things begal
to look very dismal Thos. Price
second officer died. 9th, cloudy
Bathing frequently and drinking ou
. own urine. Hugh Coonar, boatswain
" Hugh Price, A. B.; and Smith, acting
second officer died. Drank th'
Il blood Of Coonar and Smith, and ca
;. q piece of the body 2Sth, cloudy
}, eating sparingly of human flesh. A
y sundown sighted n sail, but nigh
. coming on lost sight Of her. pulled
!; with all our strength all night in the
!, direction of the ship. Goth, light all
and cloudy. l \. NJ. Andrew Driver
J died. Drank his blood and cut ;
: piece Of his flesh of in case we los
+ the ship sighted the previous night
y At daylight we saw the vessel coming
= right for us, and at 1880 A. NJ. came
= alongside her, which proved TO bt
the ship Naturalist, from Calcutta 70
!, London; and the following men, nj
u that remained Of the sixteen who frs
. took to the boats, were taken ol
board:-Robert Hamilton, the car
y penter; A. Cooper, Charles Fade, AL
" fred Ralph, and Antonia Nicholas
g but the latter 80 weak that he shortly
expired"
Had tho poor creatures been on
II twelve hours longer they wonlC
g doubtless have all perished. Mr.
o James Muir, the chief officer, was OF
n deck when the bos,, which was mere
speclS on the water, was first seen
e and, having reported the circum