The New York herald., 1871-10-28
PflILs Of TIE LAKn
Wreck ~ the bark Excc!siSF-0nly 0ae
nryivor-Fifty- y-cight Hours
In the Water.
TProm the Butra,o CourIer. Oct. 2s.l


the lost bark Excelsior This persun ~ nov In the
CIV, and the following statement OF ms experience
was made by him yesterday 10 Captain 4. +. LOor.
The bark Exec sior was built Ia ButIaio in 1885, Dy
Ii. J. Niuians. she was 55z tons burden, new
and was owned a. hrs M by Dy Il T. Il s,0S s00'
24,5Oo bushels "a wncar consigned 10 Marsh ~
o.,....isr0. 0l lhis city. There were on coal &C.
cording to Lostiom, Inc iollowing:-CaptanS Samuel
Gtntz, Ere; First mite, John Cotter. Bufalo;
Second mate, heaiy stimson, Hurfnlo; Charles Los
from, Russian, ana Ave other seahaen ana COOK.
The Excelsior left milwaukee sunday nient Oc-
toner ;, ana ner subsequent adventures are thus
narrated By the sole survivor Of her crew.
through ihe Stats down TO False rresque Isle. On
Lake Huron, with u fair wind all the way. AT False
presque Isle we could not lay our course, u was
blowing iresh, aud we ran In and anchored tuesday
alt rnoOn, October 10. We laid ihere until Wednes
day noon, October II, when We got under way and
slOod Uut INTO the lake. Finding the sea neavy and
the wind ahead, We ran back aud anchored IN seven
iatnons Of water, hail way between Middle Island
anu Thunder bay light, as we supposed. Tue
weather was quite thick, SO thut we could not sac
the land. Ine second mate kept the lead going.
Alter we anchored a steam barge spoke Us, and
'.halI way between Thun ier Bay ignt nnd Middle
lsiand.n We lad ut anchor some time. cannot
give tie exact dales for the hardsbips 1 endured
afterwards prevent me from recolircting. The
weather cleared a lltLe SO we could see.
1ne Excelsior was formerly Dark square-rigged
forward, and was altered into Y loie ana alt
schooner Qhree mastsl during the winter ol Is.o
and 1874. We were beating about some time win
the wind ahead and u nea,y sea. purinR tnts time
tlie vessel leaked ilttle but not mucn; she leaked
mure unaer way than II ancnor.
AL aouut Twenty mlnuLes past four Sunday morn
inn. Octoner l5 Il Know the Tune, because the Cap
tain salo II was twenty minutes past iour. and
knew II VAS sunday, because aiWays as suiv,.
noted The day and knew when sunday camel the
wind was blowing heayy gale lroni the south anu
a heavy sea was running. We were IN Thunuer
Thunder ley tyht l shn.iid think au0ut nlieen
miles or We hjre up TO run DacK Ior shelter, ana
had SET sah as oliows:-Fore staysall, whoie lore-
sail one reef In nainsall; the nlzzen was lurieu.
We were staSaing III Thunder baJ, Win port
tacks on board, and Wnen we bore UP we
put the hem up an jibng over ran back, the
wind nj sea beinr n lf,e on the pert qnarter. IL
was ulowlng very hara, biy - rs We're runnlng anu
1t was very squally. This was d, % "',,a.es s
past 1our sunday morning. as bciole ~ ,. nov ~
beeu my wutcn Oh deck nom twelve ,r.n ms w
l0ur O'Clock lnat morning. II WAS my nee. mn, ~
Eawayd - renewed me at two O'Clock tnat sun.
DAY morning al the wheel ana steered tte vessel
until she was lost. All during Saturday night and
Sunday mOrniIg 1t was yery tad weather, Uion Ing
haru ana u li,ayy sea running, the vessel Working
aud laooring very much and lcakirg good deal
mere than previously. The pumps were constantly
tried. ali were very anxious ana the crew All sta. ed
on deck IRON twelve O'Clock wnen my watcn came
on deck uniil the vessel was wrecked, considering
her slIuall n as very critical. Captain and mate
were on deck all nigaJ Wnen we nore up at twenty
mlnules past iour A. Al. every tling Was IN hlace;
Ia. sails ana ri,,glng ana all hau stood well. We
were running back but u snort time; our decks
Iuli Of water trom Inc sea sweeping right over
Us; we attempted TO knock cur buwarks OF, but
haa lost axe AND Could not do II. our malnsail
blew away altogether out OF the bolt rope; IL was
old SAIL, ana LteW all away. lHiS iuaue worse
weather Tor us, lor we mad not san enon n 10 keep
her o. the way OF the sea. Our iolcsaIi was new
and good and STOOD vel. Shortly Afterwards our
lore Luruat naiiard5 parted, ieItng the iOresall
down tn run, leaving the peak standing straight
up In the air. his maze matters worse loc Us.
We nau iured squarCsal that furled 10 q stay on
the forward part mast anu set by Out nuuis to
d standing squaresaii yard aioit We hauied tle
head OF n OUT 10 Try ana make her go rs last as we
could 10 Keep her out the way OF Cne sea, put It
was not mucn use. Tue sea was running all over
ana INTO vessel III large bodies and sne Was
lp .x,ps... md ktrIu M
keep her waist iuil oI water ON tue star oard side
We were AZ The jumps all tne time, aao they would
suck wnen she rolled. IL soon became eyluent tnat
wnh the great weight oil water decks, and
having sail TO keep US away lrum tne SCAR ,lat
quarter, she must 20 Gown, although she steer
iig ana running along almost Del0re tue winu
Captain GinIz came TO US aG the pumps and said,
"uouu bye boys.n ana shook hands with ana
sad, I've are gong boys ~ 1 went aft win the
Captain 10 the boat "a. ana tue Secoia maze were
a. she wheel steering her. We tan, the captain aud
l. with eacn knile 10 cut the beat taUxe laiis. but
were 100 late, Tor an immense sea sWept over the
vessel DuryIng her peneain The wdves-crushlng
right down under tfe waves Dy the weight of the
wa,er upon her uecks. don't think her noid was
full OF water at ALL for II was Only minuie or two
previous tnat we mad sucked the water Out ut the
Jumps wIin rolling sucs. mad Just helped 70
suck ii out at the pumps myself; this was ao0ut
six o'crock III lne ning near as can Judge.
was drawn down un water some distance ny the
suction oil the vessel sInkIng. Wlen came 10 the
surface saw no one. / locked Tor something 10
ciug tv, 10 save myself saw piece VI the FOOL "
the caon not lar of. swan 10 IL ami got ON IT, 1t
was about fourteen leet long and sixteen ceG wide.
Ii broken on the ai,er part Oh the cabin. After
getting on capln roof looked around ana saw,
some distance on, and out 0i hail oI me, four VI
the crew clingng 10 wnat was apparently plank.
l saw them and they saw me, but they sJvn
disappeared rom me; ~, hnere rev were ,hlngs noatlns
lons.- lhe only thing could get hold oi was some
apples that hoited near me; got hold or them and
put them In my pockets. TIE piece of tae cabin
rooI Inat | was on was broken IN two, crosswise
about lne middle OF IT. the mlzzeninasI went
Though IL aua IL broke or right In middle oil the
rooI, one each side vi the hoe. projected past
ouwar,i ST in tnat hole on the caDin root hold
ing on 10 the PROJECTING broKenon plank on eacn
OF me, with my arms resting Oh " and my legs
ana leet Ganglug down III the water, the rooi was
Ieateoiy from my seat there y the sea. was
pretty Warmly clotheu wnn wonllen clothes and
STOCKINGS ana thick Doots. and over all my clothes
had an oil coat and ol pants ana a soutiwestei on
my head; 10 THIS, probably, owe my II g. as u re-
tanned the reat OF my body around me. Tor the oil
clothes were air-ugnI lne sea would run all over
nv irail support making IL very di6cnlt Tor me 10
hold my place. and was washed oil repeatedly.
All day sunday and sunday night Tho wiId 0iew
fierce gae, aud heavy sea was running. II re-
qurs the Of ali senses aud strength TO carry
me through tnat awful long nisa,. Monday morn, ,
away ana rne sea ran down. Sometime duriDy the
day 1t became smooth enough, go that ! maiiaxed
winch MAS great relief tC me, although my feet
were terrpy swolen. found piece ol BOARD and
WIND. though i did not Know which way i was
going, but thought mlist be moving some where.
tore up piece OF the canvas eovsr.n. of The caoin
roo and puL my Doafu against ~ and set my back
against tnat, ard II mace very good san and
heIpcd along sonie All day Monday was coating
along VI this way. was pretty tired and well used
up, as previously described, without iood. except
the lew agpes ! pickei ny ana which mad
eaten Sunday. NY system began TO give way.
mad stood upright on my Ieet ever since
got upyn them monday morning, ana never |
sat down afterwards until taken OH Ailer dark |
MONDAY nlght | saw iignt. whlcn Afterwards |
proved TO be south hampton light on the Canada 1
SIDE OF Lake fiuroa, and tine mouth of Sageeu 1
River wnere IL cuters Lake Huron. During Alvn- |
day nlgnt my mind began 10 wander and ueRan 10 |
lose my senses and CONSEQUENCES. j was aware of !
II myself, aud. by q great enort once III while, |
could arouse myself 1 seemed 10 be In q |
sort or dreamy stupor, but all that 0n9 |
Monday neiI, my second night on 10y fran |
support stood upon ms feet and waited and |
watched TOR Ine coming oi The next morning. dii |
MOI suner from sense OF hunger, although the |
want O loOd ana my long exposure In the water |
had MADE me weak; but suiieret good deal from |
cold. 1 could see the Hgat all night at South |