, 1872-10-26
THE LOSS OF THE GOLDEN HIND.

THE LOSS OF THE GOLDEN HIND.
Thrilling Statement by Captain u. f.
Robbins.
From the Bostors Journal, Oct. %.
Captain B. +. Robbins commander Of the ILL
fated ship Golden Hind, Of Boston, which was
wrecked on Mid Bay Rocks on the Gath of June
last, arrived in this city on Tuesday, direct from
South America. Captain Robbins has kindly
furnished us with the data for the following mar
ratiye:
The Golden Hind sailed from New York with
assorted cargo on tho 14th Of February last,
bound for San Francisco. She wss in fine trim,
staunch and tight, and with q ships company
numbering twenty y-one, officers and men. The
voyage was barren Of incident until the neigh
borhood Of Cape Horn WAS reached, on the 10Th
Of May. From this date until l5tl Of June fol-
lowing, they experienced frequent heavy gales,
and shipped heavy seas.
On that day, after hevin:. been driven to the
eastward of tile Cape lee times By q success
sion Of terrific gales, all Incident occurred to
which all the subsequent disasters and suffer-
ings were due. The ruddar was carried away.
Tie Captain had temporary rudder construct
ed, and, after much difficulty, shipped, but it
which again came on. 4 continuance Of heavy
northwest gales, accompanied by heavy south
west sea, in spite of all the exertions Of Captain
Robbins, drove the ship On to Midday Rocks.
This occurred on the 2zth Of June. Finding his
vessel drifting upon the rocks, Captain Robbins
got out his anchors, but these failed to hold
her, and soon she was among the breakers and
fast going to pieces.
No alternative was left but abandonment,
which was effected very hurriedly, and with much
difficulty at abou. p m. in three boats, con
tanning seven men each, in charge respectively
OF the Captain and first and second mates. The
gale was still strong when tho three boats crews
set out for Charles Island, sterile reef some 10
miles distant. The Captain arrived at the island
near midnight, and managed to lay under the
lea of it until morning, when, being joined by
the first mates boat, they made temporary
landing. The second mates boat failed to aps
the inference is that it was swamped BY the gale.
Each boat, when it left the wreck, had about ton
days' provisions on board but most OF the bread
was spoiled during the passage from. the scene
OF the wreck to Charles Island, owing to the
constant shipping OF salt water.
It should be remarked here that the weather
was extremely cold as we'll as boisterous, and
that, being without sails, the boats we're neces-
sarily propelled by oars. After sojourn OF
three days on Charles Island, desolate,. rocky
with unabated fury all that time, the two bouts
started eastward bound for Sandy Point, Strait
OF Magellan, the nearest settlement. The sea
was still running high; but the prospect Of
starvation left no alternative.
On the night following the departure from
Charles Island, tho Captains boat capsized, by
which untoward accident the ships Instruments
and nenrly all the provisions and clothing were
lost. The boat was rghted and bailed out, and
the voyage continued without either charts Of
instruments with which to guide them On their
pathless way.
But progress was made slowly eastward, the
crews working at the oars during the day and
landing upon the rocky reefs, which lined their
fpI,t IF f1,aEa iG1arf3a contain
ed stunted growth of trees, out OF which the
weary, starving mariners wore enabled to build
fires otherwise they must have persisted from
cold. As days passed their progress grew slow-
men, who could keep at the oars only for ehort
period at a time. Then, again, heavy gales
would act in, keeping them for days at one
point. Soon their limited stock Of provisions
gave out, after which for many days their only
means of sustenanco consisted of a species OF
muscle shell fish, which Was found attached to
the rocks, unnutritious, unpalatahle, and lnBuf-
fcient in quantity or quality to sustain life Tor
any considerable length OF time: It also caused
caused constipation Of the bowels. Rather than
eat such food tho Captain went eight days al
most without sustenance Of any kind. Finally,
the two boats reached an island some sixty miles
distant from Sandy Point, where further prog
ress WAS rendered impossible in consequence Of
the weakened state Of the crew and tho high
winds that prevailed constantly.
Here on the 29th OF July, Edward White, one
Of the mates boat crew, succumbed to the terri
BILE ordeal and died. Next day, Charles Rem
burg and Daniel Jackson, two OF the Captain 3
crew, also died from starvation and exposure.
At about this time the shellfsh diet could not
be had for three successive days, the wind pre-
venting the ebbing of the tide sufficient to pro-
cure them. Tho next to die WAS alBo OF the
Captains crew, William Owen, the ships car
tain's boat, passed away. The Captain and the
remainder of the crew we're now in the last ez-
| tremity. Help must soon come. or it would
come too late. Al And where could they, look for
human aid? There waB only one chance in
twenty that some friendly vessel might, in pass
ing, discover them in time. This was their
| only hopes faint one at best. Fortunately
this one chance in twenty was given them, and nd
forty-eight days from the time of shipwreck, the
survivors thereof were taken off tho island,
whore ley the stiffened, emaciated bodies Of i've
of their number, by the sealing schooner Eagle,
Of Port Stanley, falkland Islands, and conveyed
| board tie Eagle, the Captain Of which proved to
be a Rhode Island Yankee, and where they re-
ceived every attent On possible, most OF the men
we're so weak they had to be lifted over the res
sells side. A day or two more Of exposure would
have e:1ded ali their lives, and mono would have
been left to tell the tale. At Sandy Point, which
place they reached on the 12th OF August, they
were received by the Governor, Don Oscar Viel,
| who kindly provided them with board. shelter,
and clothing, of which latter they stood in great
/ need. On the 18th, the United States Bteame!
| Ossipee, Commander Joseph N. Miller, bound
for Rio Janeiro, arrived, and took them all or
| board. They were shown every attention by the
Commander and officers Of the 0ssipee Ar
irving at Rio on the 18th Of September, the sur
| yiv;ng crew of the Golden Hind, with one ex-
| ception, shipped on board the 0ssipee, while
| Captain Robbins was given passage home on the
steamer South America, Captain Tinklspaugh
| arriving in New York on Monday. The Captain
Ea hisY1aat farTna of 11rNiaa nf thB Of