Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-11-30

On the 2ZQ OF July last tne American
brig Shelehoff, 213 tons, was dispatched
by Messrs. Glidemeister, Muecke & Co.,
from San Francisco, bound to Callao with
cargo. Her crew and passengers num-
bered in all twelve. She had a rough
voyage down, and on the night of the Sd
of July was caught in cyclone. For
tunately the steamship Moses Taylor,
fell in and boarded the wreck Of the brig.
Found one man, the captain, alive on
the forecastle deck, in an exhausted con-
dition. All others, crew and passengers,
had died from starvation. The captain,
who had been a man of 235 pounds, was
found an emaciated skeleton, and when
discovered in the forecastle of his wreck
ed ship weighed less than 1870 pounds.
The sufferings he endured for over three
months cannot be told he literally sub
sisted on his own fat, as he had nothing
to cat. His presidential rescue came at
the last moment, for it is believed it was
his intention to end his suiferings the
same day by taking vitriol and ink.
From the HowaiiuW Gazette we CLEAN the
following particulars of the disaster;
On Thursday, October 10, at s A. NJ,
sail was discovered by the wheelman on
the steamer Moses Taylor. The vessel
lay directly in tho steamers track and
appeared to be disabled, having but one
mast standing, and only her lower top
sail set, running before fresh southeast
wind. On approaching her it proved to
be brig, apparently deserted, no per-
sons appearing in sight on board. A
sail spread ovef the forecastle and tent
rugged in the foretop crosstrees showed
that the crew had occupied these places
for some time. At every lurch the sea
made clean breach over the vessel from
stem to stern. To all appearance it WAS
q wreck which had long been water-logg-
ed, and her crew taken of by some pass
ing vessel. Her stern was broken away,
the bulwarks on both sides gone, and her
sails flying from the foremost in rags.
On reaching the wreck the steamer stopp-
ed, and Captain Bennett sent off boat
to ascertain whether any persons were
on board, and if mono, whether any re-
cord could be found respecting her.
The sea being quite rough, the brig
lurchcd heavily, and the boat approached
her with some difficulty. She was board
ed, however, by the third officer and a
seaman from the steamer, who immedi-
atcly went aloft into tue foretop, and
finding no one, went into the forecastle
where they discovered weak, emaciated
man, who exclaimed, as he saw them,
"Gtreat God Almighty, am L saved p"
He was lifted into the boat and taken to
the steamer, the only article brought
with him being small canvas bag con-
tanning wautical almanac, and vial en-
closing q sheet Of paper, with the date of
the wreck and the names of the crew and
passengers, 1t proved to be the Ameri-
can brig Shelehof, 243 tons register, of
San Francisco, bound to Callao with a
cargo of lumber. The survivor was Cap
tain Luder lIopken. The brig was caught
in cyclone on the night of July Sd the
same date Of the solar eclipse. Soon af-
ter midnight, when the cyclone was at
its height, she was thrown on her beam
ends and found to be rapidly filling, and
i'll order to prevent total loss of the YES
sci and her company, her maintopmast
was cut away, and she righted up. No
time was allowed to save any provisions
or clothing from the cabin, and the crew
were obliged to retreat to the foyetop to
prevent being washed overheard, as every
wave made n clean breach over her. The
mate Mr.. johnson, died first six days af-
ter the disaster Two half-barrels of sal
mon, half-barrel of tongues, and box
of China starch were fished up out Of the
hold, but the drinking water was all
found to be brackish. The salmon,
tongues, starch, and few fish caught
with hook from time to time, and &C.
casionally q little rain water caught in
sail, and always more or less brackish from
the salt spray, were all that the ships
company had to subsist on. Captain
Hoplens account of the suferings of his
men and passengers is a most heartrend-
ing one. After the death of the mate, on
the 9th Of Jul ", none occurred till Sep
tember 6, when they began to become
delirious and weak from hunger and
thirst, and several died Or jumped over
board in their delirium. Boils and dis
ease, induced by hunger and salt water
added to the intensity OF their sufierings.
Nine or ten days before the steamer res
cued him, Captain Hopken states that
bark ran down to the wreck, hove to for
a few minutes, and then squared away
without sending off boat or making any
effort to rescue theh of those on board,
of whom there were eight then living
The bark came SO near that persons
could be seen moving about on her deck.
Those on the brig were so weak as to he
unable to stand, but got on their knees
and waved pieces of slilcloth, hoping to
attract attention. Their feelings, as they
saw the bark square away when SO near
them, may be better imagined than de-
scribed. Their last hope being gone,
they lay down, and one after another
1ip1 M, lnunn1 OynrbOor1