The Shasta courier., 1866-07-28
le Late Captain Thomas L. Cazneau'
Remarkable Life and Hardships


Thomas L. Cazneau. aged ninety seven,
died in this city on Saturday last. and was
buried on Sunday. from st. Marv's Cathe
dral. Captain Cazneau was one OF the most
remarkable men on the Pacific coast both for
his age, position in life, and the extraordlna-
ry sufferines which he had undergone on a
wreck while engaged in his profession TO-,
lowing the sea. In 1872, he was wrecked
in lumber vessel belonging to then well
known firm, T. X. Jones 4 Co., name not
now recolected. while on a voyage between
Boston and the West India Islands, a nur
ricane carving away all the masts of his ves
sci close to the deck. and causing her to fill
with water. Being loaded with lumber, she
floated decks to. and the entire crew-some
Is in number-found precarous refuge on
her deck, which was often swept by the
waves. Being in the Gulf stream. the wreck
hoated to and fro for many days, sometimes
edging out of it into counter current. and
then back again, until discovered l9l days
more than months-after date of ship
wreck At first the crew lived on some pro-
visions and water found in the vessel, and
later from fish caught alongside. and for
time on rain water caught from showers
the latter failing. Capt. Cazneau twisted
gun barrel into worm, and by the aid of
tea. kettle, distilled fresh water for use of
those on board. During the long time the
crew were on the wreck. they frequently saw
vessels passing them in the distance; but
the wreck was too low in the water to attract
attertion. At these times, when the signals
of distress were not answered, one or more of
the sufferers would drop down on the vessels
deck and die. the last thread of life apparent
ly scvering from loss of hope. When they
were finally rescued, the vessel which found
them first saw something on the water which
attracted their notice. They ran for it, and
were about to pass on believing the wreck
unnhabited, when Capt. Cazneau. one of
the last survivors, too faint to shout through
Il trumpet. took his shirt, and steadying him
self in the bulwarks, waved it slowly as
signal of distress; the vessel saw it, and run.
ming close to the wreck, took from it the
survvors-three in number-who had to be
lifted into and out of the boat, on account of
their extreme exhaustion. On reaching the
vessels deck, it was found that the power of
speech was gone from the survivors, and
their pitiful cmaciated condition, with bodies
full of worms and covered with sores, drew
tears from the rough sailors who rescued
them.
They had to be fed for hours with rum and
water, a few drops at a time being given
them until their sromachs became strong
enough to receive food Their arrival in
Boston produced profound scnsaton-they
having been long given up for dead, and it
was hardly believed possible that human
nature could survive through such long
continuance of famine and exposure. For
years thereafter the survivors. when on the
streets. were pointed out as objects of curios-
ty to boys and strangers. The case of ship.
wreck of Capt. Cazneau has never been
equaled, so far as known, by any other
The only one known that approaches it in
duration of suffering is that of the Japanese
whose junk was dismasted on the coast of
Japan and drifted across the entire breadth
of the North Pacific until the wreck strand
ed on the shores of Oregon.
Capt. Cazneau was born before the Decla-
ration Of Independence was written :;
witnessed many of the scenes of the wars of
the evolution. 1912 and Mexican war, be-
sides others in Europe lie had seen all
the Presidents of the United States, until
coming to California in 1850; had seen
Franklin, Washington, jefferson, Adams,
Madison, John Hancock. Alexander Ham
iton, and many other noted civilians, besides
Generals Green, Putnam and other dis
tingushed generals of their time. Within
the period Of his life, all the great events of
century had passed before him their re
suits being more decisive in Their influences
on mankind than will probably occur again
for centuries to come. In the period of his
life was embraced the rise and fall of Napo-
leon, the introduction of steam power for
conveyance on both sea and land, the inven-
tion of electric .elegraphs, of photography,
and of it's kindred arts, and the erection nf
the greatest republican government the
world ever saw, from the thin. weak and
scattered American colonies of Great Britain
When Massachusetts was n slave State,
Capt Cazneau was engaged in the slave
trade, having reputation for using great
kindness towards those who were in his
charge. During the long course of sea ser.
vice (nearly fifty years) Capt. Cazneau Wis
tied almost all the known ports of the world,
deriving therefrom a general knowledge of
people, their habits and current events than
was probably ever acquired by one man be-
fore, which made his s'.ciety both instructive
and interesting. lie was born in Boston in
1769 His parents were Huguenots, and
came from the south of France He mar
ried Catholic lady in one of the West In.
dia Islands (St. Croix), who converted him
| to Catholicism in which faith he died firm
kbeliever.-S. F. Tribune, July 18th