The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-14
Three Small Boys Adrift ON Lake st.
Glatr-t wO Days and Three Nights
without TldiugS. -..
From the u etroit Free Press,

[rrom the Detroit Free Press, Aug. sth.1
From gentleman named John Bistrom,
who came down from the neighborhood of
Belle river, Ontario, to Windsor, yesterday,
our reporter learned that considerable eX-
element existed in the locality mentioned
over the disappearance OF three boys, two
of them coored, who have been missing
since Friday afternoon last.
1t seems that on Friday a negro family
named Clandy, living several miles further
I'D the lake, came down to the river on 4
visit to friends, bringing with them son
about i years old. As the visit wasito be q
short one, The boat was left as the party
landed, ready to sail again when wanted.
About 4 O'Clock the boy was seen near the
boat, in company with son Of the Hicks
family, where the visit was being made,
and white boy named Frank Council,
or Cromwell. At O'Clock hoy came
to HickS's House and informed tue
people that the three lads mentioned
were away with the boat, and almost
out of sight and such proved TO be the
case. When the men had gathered on the
shore the boat was fully three miles dis
tant, and scarce anything but the sail could
be seen. The wind was blowing directly
off shore, and it seems that the lads had
put the skitf before the breeze and stood
across The lake. The boy lett behind stated
that the youthful sailors had made several
efforts to regain the shore, but were not
skilled enough in handling the boat, aud
she fell off before the wind again every
time they sought to $50 about" When
out Il long distance they shouted to the lad
to s' 60 UP and tell father" but from fright
and fear he delayed going until the boat
was almost out of sight.
Clandy, Hicks, and others, Immediately
set about pursuing the drifting boys. There
was only one sail-boat at the river that
evening, and that numbering craft ana M a a
slow sailer. However, three men got into
this and made off. A small, light skiff, be.
longing to Hicks, was speedily fitted for 2
mast, q sheet was taken for sail, and
Clandy and Hicks followed after. Before
they had progressed mile the boys were
nearly out Of sight, and were at length en-
tirely lost sight of in the gathering dark
ness. Two or three times before the boat
disappeared from view she was seen to huff
up into the wind. showing that the lads
were trying to check their progress at least !;
but the freshening breeze was too much Tor
their seamanship, and the boat each Time
fell off on her course again, running at
least third faster than the pursuing boats.
At 10 O'Clock the wind went down to an
occasional puff, and the crew OF the larger
boat got out the oars and rowed back to
the town. Clandy and Hicks took down
their useless sail and pulled ahead with the
oars, shouting together once in awhile,
but getting no answer from the boys. In
pulling out, the men became beWldered,
and at midnight landed about mile above
the river. Agreeing that nothing more
could be done, they returned to the town,
and waited for daylight to make another
start. AT sunrise on Saturday the WING
blew down the lake, making it difficult
to beat up, as only the larger boat was pro,
vided with centre-boafd. Clandy and
Hicks again resorted to the oars, and were
out searching until dark without discover
Ing trace of the large boat. A chance OF
the wind enabled the lar ger telt to or ,ss
the lake to the American shore, ana she
then ran down as far as Peach Island, but
s1e returned to the river shortly before
daybreak Sunday morning without encour-
aging tidings. The men had hailed several
Vessels, and from q scoW bound down
from the st. Clair river secured just
q faint hope. The men stated that on
Saturday, while 1unning within four
or i've miles of thu American shore, and
Well up the lake, they had observed
three persons sailing small boat, but the
craft was too far away to enable them to say
whether the occupants were men or boys.
Acting on this clue the two boats left the
river again Sunday, going up and across
the lake, and they had not returned at
O'Clock yesterday morning, when Dir. Bas-
from started for Windsor, and no sail was
visible on the lake. 1t is his opinion that
the boys are safe, az, if they had kept their
boat before the wind, allowing for the calm
Friday night and the adverse wind the next
day, they could not have tailed in striking
the American shore up or down. The oIIy
fear Is that they may have become confused
and excited, and thus brought about d sad
calamity, although the little sea on tie lake
would not endanger their safety If they kept
the boat before the wind. II