, 1872-11-19
: PERILS OF THE SEA.

The Loss of the Ship Crusader-A
Peri10us Voyage Around Cape Horn
Three Weeks In Il Sinking Ship ut
the Mercy Of the Storms-A Gallant
Rescue.
From the Neu PORK Sun.
a striking Illustration Of the perilB e1pe-
rienced by seamen, especially at this season Of
the year, is furnished By the Captain and crew Of
port BY the General Mcclellan. Tho
CRUSADER vas . British ship, hall
ing from Liverpool. After. having made
successful cruise, her Captain received
guano, and proceeded directly to Cork for
orders. Accordingly, early in July, the Crusader
sailed With full cargo, crew OF nineteen men,
Captain Charles Gilbert, his wife, and 9 baby
Pacific was pleasant until nearing the Cape,
when some heavy weather was experienced. At
first the ship behaved veil, but one evening,
when nearly two months out from CaIlao,
fen55fuyhsayfy 5sI gale struek her, strain
great part Of her rigging and sails. The
gale lasted all night, every minute increasing in
violence, until about midnight the bulwarks
were stove in end heavy seas washed the decks,
rendering it matter Of extreme danger for the
men to work the ship. Meanwhile the water
had found its way into the hold and ell hands
were called to bail it out. For several hours the
men thus stood in the water, waist high, every
luEch OF tho chip pouring in moro than they
could pour out.
At length the violence Of the gale abated, and
efforts we're made to repair damages. The sail
ors now began to look forward with some appre-
hension to rounding the Cape. the ehip being
The pumps were used daily, but at length be-
came choked and useless. As the Crusader en-
tered the Straits Of Magellan she encountered
another severe gale, and al on board expected
momentarily to go to Davy Jones' locker.
-Four days and nights the crew, to a man,
worked brayely against the overwhelming odds
Of q crippled ship, fearful gales, and
raging sea. They succeeded in riding out
Ocean in aioh disabled condition that the only
hope left those on board VAS the chance Of run
ming across some vessel that would pick them
up. The danger to which they were exposed
they had but slight hopes of seeing home and
friends again they did all that human strength
and ingenuity could accomplish. Tho bulwarks
we're al torn away, six feet Of water was in the
manageable as to be left to run before the wind
from whichever quarter it came. Every effort
Of Captain and crew was directed to keeping the
ship atoat in the hope "a remote one in that
Atltude) OF euccor.
For nearly three weeks the crew Of the Crusa-
der thus drifted and worked, the weather all the
time being tempestuous, and death constantly
staring them IN the face. At length it Tas de-
preparations were made for takingto the boats.
On the 8th Of December, when all WAS ready for
this last chance Of saving their lives, the crew
proceeded to get the boats out; but one after an
other they we're stove IN, and those on board
saw this, their only hope, snatched from them.
The condition Of these poor human beings was
pitiab1e in the extreme. Out on stormy ocean,
In q ship that could not float many hours, and
which might 70 down at any moment, and with
out the faintest means Of escape, the crew be-
came respondent and ceased all efforts to keep
the ship above water, awaiting with the calmness
Of despair the moment that ehou1d launch them
hoisted; but there was nothing on board with
which to fire signals, all the powder being vet
and useless.
On the morning Of the 9Th Of September, in
Lat: IS q s., Lon; 81 S. ", :sh9ortly 70 after
and all rushed frantical1y to the vessels side
intently watching the approach Of their delverer.
Captain Gilbert guided his sinking ship as best
he could toward the stranger, by whom ho was
at last sighted. The story Of their extreme
danger was briefly told by the signals:
~ am in q sinking condition"
"6hall We send boat?'
Those on board the Crusader now saw that the
ship which had SO opportunely come to their
relief was the General Mcclellan. OF New York,
from which, in spite Of heavy, rolling sea and
q stiff breeze, q lfeboat was lowered, and, pro-
pelled By lnsty arms was 5000 ao99 alongside: -
time, the Captain's wife and baby and the mate
were the first to be rescued Calamity did the
men OF the General Mcclellan pass to and fro
between the two ships until all hands were res
cued, the Captain being the last to leave. The
CRUSADER was 80 evidently settling down that he
had no time to save anything. Many Of the
seamen were disabled, and all we're completely
exhausted, but we're cared for with every atten-
ton and kindness by Captain Morrison and crew
Of the General Mcclellan. few days sufficed
to restore the sufferers four Of whom we're SUBJ
sequently transferred to the bark Lieutenant
Maury, bound for Queenstown. The others
we're brought to New York, arriving Lere on
T1,a1dou