The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-24
The Isess tF tlas asfsse 1900
ahr1lianE Story OF saaalanxry and-


e.''ns'.A y 81 Sc, , ss sses'op Advertiser
The main facts IN the White Rover s,isaa.
ter have been already publfsh but nm,
investigating the affair have found some
additional particulars that I doubt not viii
be interesting TO yourreaders, and serve to
draw the attention OF the benevolent TO the
claims OF the heroes who rfsked their lives.
and the owners who lost their vessel In the
cause OF humanity. Sunday, the 10Th of
january, the weather was bitter cold. with
a gale from the northwest, and the tenn.
perature below zero.
On that morning at o'clock two fisher
men put out from Star Island at the Shoals
In their boat, to set their fishing travis.
An hour afterward the wind had Increased
and the cold Intensified so much as to excite
the fears of the more experienced Islanders
for the safety Of the two men. Stalwart
men were sheltering themselves behind the
jutting rocks from the chilling blast, gazing
seward at the little boat in which the two
men were struggling hard to get back to
the island. It soon became apparent that
their efforts were fruitless, and, unalded,
they would most certainly ebe swept away
to leeward, TO certain death.
John Huntress, O bold and hardy fisher
man, volunteered to take his boat and the
boy who was in his employ, and go to the
rescue. Taking two more volunteers with
them, they put forth into the seething
waves, and rowed steutly out for some
three miles to the fishing boat, and putting
the two extra men with oars on board the
first boat, it was able, with great labor and
difficulty, to reach the island ut about IL
O'Clock. But where were John Huntress
and his boy: They were now in the same
helpless condition us the rescued ones were
! before he went for them, and the island
watchers soon saw that the poor fellows
| were powerless before the increasing force
Of the wind and waves.
| At about O'Clock P. M. it was clear that
they must perish unless help was sent to-
them. It was then that Ephraim Henry
Downs, skipper of the White Rover, which
lay OF anchor in the roads, called for vol
unteer crew to 60 and save them. Five
bold mariners joined Captain Downs. They
rowed off TO the schooner, up with The an
chors, and set the jib and mainsail, and,
running on the wind, they quickly over
hauled the boat. They found her one mass
of ice. The men had ceased to row, and
were trying to bail out the water to keep
| the boat atloat until help should come-en-
crusted themselves with thick coat of ice,
| and badly frost-bitten, they were taken on
board, their boat made fast to the White
Rover, which squared away for the island.
When within half q mile of her moorings
sudden sweep Of the gale upon her icy
sails tore the jib to ribbons and split the
mainsail, leaving the vessel at the mercy Of
the waves. They dropped their anchors,
but they would not hold. They then slip
ped the cables, and raising as much of the
lce-bound foresail as they could, put her on
the wind, pointing to the main land, to
reach which was their last hope. They
drilted to leeward about one mile to every
| two of Roadway; the mists Of the ocean,
arising from the intense cold, closed around
them, shutting out all sight of land; and
thus, with Skipper Downs at the helm,
night closed upon the little craft as she
plunged onward toward the coast. At
about O'Clock the boat belonging to John
Huntress, which followed in their wake,
parted her tastenings, and was swept away.
| Suddenly, at about 8 o'clock, the mist
cleared a little, and the friendly glow of
Ipswich light was seen upon their starboard
bow.
They then perceived that they were rum
ming directly for Ipswich beach, and in
few minutes the schooner struck upon the
sand.b bar outside the beach. There were
two dories on the deck. One of these was
Immediately launched, into which the eight
| men intended to embark for the shore !; but
Nuel I'VE vi lueLl Iau SOG III, SuuQtIl
Iurch Of the sea broke the painter which
held her, and they were parted from the
schooner and made their best way to the
| beach. There was another dory left for
the remaining three men, but only one
| small oar, scarcely longer than a pad
die. On this depended the lives of
the three men. They got into the
dory, and one Of the number, with
stout arms and stouter heart, sculled for
the beach; but his strength was puny be-
fore the force of the gale, which sWe pt
them down to leeward for three miles,
where, the beach curying seward, they
were able to touch ground, One Of the
three men wero so benumbed with cold that
the others were obliged to beat--him to
awake him from his state Of insensibility.
At last they got life enough into: h{mto en-.
able him to stand, and then, pushing him
before them, they trudged for three miles
in The teeth of the freezing gale, and finally
all reached the hospltable shelter of the
light-keeper, who received them kindly,
built up a rousing fire, provided them with
cordials, good supper, and dry clothes,
and administered to their poor frost-bitten
bodies,
such is the true narrative of the heroism
and suffering Of these gallant men. The
White Rover was swept that night to de-
struction, leaving no wreck behind. The
owners had no insurance. She was worth,
with all her stores, from $4,000 to $4,000.
The boat Of John Huntress cost him 800
few weeks before, There has been
universal sympathy here for these men,
and the contributions have been liberal,
but there is yet room for indemnity and re-
ward. .'...---.--.