National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-26

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We have TO record one OF the mos
miraculous escapes from death at sea il
many forms that has ever been mad
public. The bark Dashing Wave, n sue
cessful China tea-clipper, is down a
missing in the papers. Captain Wander
word was the master OF the vessel, AM
from him we learn the following partic
ulars He left Foochoo, China, Jul,
20, for Sydney, Australia and on thu
the night Of August 81, the weather be
ing thick aud squalls coming down a
intervals. Captain Vandervord took il
the maintop-gallantsail at 10 pm, ant
went below to lie on sofa in the cabin
At l0i pm. he went on deck again, and
Just in time to see small island righI
ahead he shouted to the man ut tn,
wheel to put the helm down, and the
vessel had nearly come round when hel
Keel touched on the reef which surrounds
the island. Half an hour after taking
the bottom, the copper came over the
weather sides in shreds, and the fore.
mast sunk eighteen inches the main
mast was cut away, but the ship began
to break up fast The island proved to
he Wake Island, small and uninhabited,
surrounded by reef, renderi e it i'm
possible to land il there is any wind
blowing at all. Capt Vandervord says
it is ten miles ont Of the position given
in the chart. The crew took to the long
boat, and Capt. Vandervord secured n
chart and nautical Instruments, but,
strange to say, no compass was saved
case OF colonial wine, q bag and half
of bread and two buckets we're put into
the boat, but no water, and for thirty.
one days the thirteen men were in the
open boat without seeing land or ship
or receiving any assistance whatever.
They left the wreck at 10 the morning
after, and with sail made OF blankets
sewn together and fixed to an oar, began
their weary journey in search OF some
inhabited island. Their sufferings may
be imagined. For the first five days
they had not one drop of water, and the
Captain served out one bottle of Cawarra
daily among the thirteen. That saved
their lives. After that time they had
raj and caught water, but except at the
tin it was actually raining, half pint
of water each day only was served out
and handful of bread To the credit
of the men and their commander, there
was no insubordination, no attempt to
obtain more than their share of the
scanty provisions and precious water
silently, but resigned, they passed day
after day, the sun pouring down on their
heads Every day Capt.
Yandervord took the boats position by
means of the instruments, but when the
weather was dull they went in all direc-
lions for want IT compass, especially
On cloudy nights it was the Captains
intention to make for the Kingsmill
group, but the current was against them,
md then course was steered for Ascen-
sion Island, and had any of the party
been able to row they might have
reached it. but, weak as they were, all
they could do was to keep their boat -
fore the wind with their blanket sail.
After thirty days OF suffering their
mouths parched, their tongues swollen,
vet with grateful showers, scorched by
! tropical sun, they sighted Strong's
sland, the most eastern OF the Caroline
,roup. Here the castaways saw canoe
outside taking produce from one part OF
he island to another, and had they been
BILE to get some provisions, Capt Van
lervord would have kept on, and tried
o make one of the Marshall or Gilbert
roups adjacent. The boat refused to
rade with them, and they went inside
nd were received by the King with the (
tmost hospitality he took the Captain
nd mate to live with him, and assigned {
uarters to the men in the town. After i
ome days, Capt. Vandervord and part |
the crew took the boat and tried to a
each Kingsmill, and were fitted out '
ith sails, mast, provisions of every 1
ind, but met with a gale and had to l.
turn. Altogether, thirty-eight days t
ere spent on the island, when vessel
ltting in for provisions gave them an /
oportunity to qui' the island and re- v
I'm to their homes. i