Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-11-30
A Dreadful Story of Shipwreck, Star.
yatiOn and Death.

On Thursday, October 10, at o'clock
in the morning, a sail was discovered by
the wheelman on the steamer Moses Tay-
lor. The vessel lay directly in the steam
er's track, and appeared to be disabled,
having but one mast standing, and only
her lower tOpsail set, running before a
fresh southeast wind On approaching
her it appeared to be a brig, water-logged,
with her mainmast carried away, appar-
emily deserted, no persons appearing in
sight on board A sail spread over the
forecastle, and tent rugged in the fore
top crosstree, showed that the crew had
occupied these places for some time. At
every lurch the sea made clear breach
over the vessel from stem to stern To all
appearance it was wreck which had long
been water-logged, and her crew taken off
by some passing vessel Her stern was
broken away, the bulwarks on both sides
gone, and her sails flying from the fore
mast in rags
On reaching the wreck the steamer
stopped, and Captain Rennet sent off a
boat to ascertain whether any persons
were on board, and, if none, whether any
record could be found respecting her. The
sea being quite rough, the brig lurched
heavily, and the boat approached her with
some difficulty She was boarded, how
ever, by the third officer from the steamer,
who Immediately went aloft into the fore
top, and, finding no one, went into the
forecastle, where they discovered weak,
emaciated man, who exclaimed as he saw
them, Great God Almighty am 1
saved ?" He was lifted into the boat and
taken to the steamer, the only article
brought with him being a small canvas
bag, containing nautical almanac, and a
vial lnclosing a sheet of paper, with the
date of the wreck and the names of the
crew and passengers.
It proved to be the American brig Shele-
hof, BIB tons register, of San Francisco
bound to Callao, with cargo of lumber
The survivor was Captain Luder Hopken,
the last OF twelve persons on board at the
time of the disaster. All others, crew
and passengers, had died from privation.
The Captain, who had been man of 235
pounds, was found an emaciated skeleton
when discovered in the forecastle of his
wrecked ship, weighing less than 12O
pounds The sufferings he endured for
over three months cannot be told; he lit
orally subsisted on his own fat as he had
nothing to eat. His providential rescue
came at the last moment, for it is believed
1t was his intention to end his sufferings
the same day by taking vitriol and ink.
The brig was caught in a cyclone on the
night of July 8, the same date as the solar
eclipse. Soon after midnight, when the
cyclone was at its height, she was thrown
on her beam-ends, and found to be rapid.
lly filling, and in order to prevent a total
loss of the vessel and her company, hel
main-mast was cut away, and she righted
No time was allowed to save any provi
slons OF clothing from the cabin, and the
crew were obliged to retreat to the foretor
to prevent being washed overheard, al
every wave made clean breach over her
The mate, Mr.. johnson, died first, si1
days after the disaster Two half-barrel,
OF salmon, a half-barrel of tongues and
box OF China starch were fished up out o.
the hold, but the drinking water was al
found to be brackish. The salmon
tongues, starch, and few fish caught
with hook from time to time, and occa