Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-07
Wreck of AN English BARK.


4 seaman of the bark Fills dOrsou
| which touched at Sable Island. off the
| Nova Scotia coast. Feb. IA. for water.
| brings painful story of the wreck OF
| the Lilly Parker, Captain Fletcher. Of
| Swansea, England, ON the 10th ult.. on
/ Sable Island. The watchmen On duty
at the Left Bar that night were ak
| tracted by the whining of a dog. and on
| attaching lantern to his neck were able
to follow him, and We're brought TO the
beach, where they found a woman and
her Child, little girl two years old.
| lying almost drowned. They removed
her TO the Sailors Hospital. about half
mile distant, where She Law insansible
for day or two. The child died the
following morning from the exposure.
When the mother became conscious she
asked where she was. Her appearance
was refined and handsome. On being
told by Surgeon Awkward that she had
been saved from some wreck. and was
then in the hands Of those who would
take care Of her, she earnestly expressed
her gratitude. Memory returning she
suddenly asked, "Where is Robert?
Where is Captain Fletcher" Nobody
could tell. The Surgeon could only re
spond that as nothing had yet been
learned Of the wreck, Capt Fletcher
might be safe. The poor lady wept
bitterly for some moments, and again
suddenly turning toward the surgeon,
asked for her child. Its death was not
announced to her then. but the follow
ing night found the lady so far recover
ed a. to be able to narrate the incidents
of her untOward fate, and hear the har-
rowing news that her husband, Captain
Fletcher, had not been heard Of. and
that her child had died. Her story is
substantially as follows:
On the Sd Of January the bark Lilly
Parker left Swansea, England, bound 10
Halifax, Nova Scotia, with merchandise
and salt. After being out five days, the
fOre-top-mast and fore-top-g allantmast
were carried away in aseyere gale, which
lasted over fOrtV-eight hours. Jury
masts were promptly supplied, and the
Lilly Parker proceeded on her voyage IA
vored by good winds for about ten days
after which she again experienced foul
weather, in which a large quantity Of
canvas and Observation-Disclosures were lost
After being thirty days at sea, she en-
countcred a violent hurricane and ], >.
nearly all of her foremost, and the miz-
zenmast was literally split in two by a
breach i'm the bulwarks. and forced the
ship on her beam ends. Thus disabled
the bark continued until the 18TH inst,
when it was found that she had drifted
over 500 miles out Of her course. and lay
in the latitude of Sable Island. Late on
the night Of the 18th inst. a strong
northeast wind sprang up. and the sea
rose to a fearful height. The wind in
creased, and the ship lost her ruddeg
The ship was tossed about like a log,
until She drifted ON a leo shore, striking
heavily upon the submarine ledge which
stretches beyond the most northern part
Of the island. The bark filled rapidly
as her bows had been stove in. The
storm still ragged 50 wildly. it was use
less to suggest any plan Of rescue.
Further than this Mrs. Fletcher's be-
wildered memory could not lead her.
All that She could say definitely was that
that the bark suddenly broke in two.
and those on board were either thrown
into the sea. or had time To seize some
portion of the wreck before the vessel
fell asundcr All WAS confusion and
dismav. Some shTieked for ropes. some
for boats. and the captain cried ont
wildly for Bella lis wife. AIrs. r.
remembers little after tle parting Of tie
ship. until she was conscious Of being
dragged ashore by somebody as she
thought. She held her babe firmly
clasped to her during that awful ordeal
1t was her faithful EeN EUuBdlanl dog
that saved them, and the noble animal
was worn out. when his whines attract
ed the attention Of the watchman.
Mrs Fletcher states that her husband,
Captain Fletcher, was native If Liver