Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-22
WRECK OF THE GOLDEN HIND.
FOrty-Eight Days in Open Boats in
the Straits of Magellan-The Fam
iShed Crew Subsist for Ten Days on
Human Flesh.
From the New Orleans Times, 9th.

iShed Crew SubSlSt Tor Ten Days ON
Human Flesh.
From the New Orleans Times, 9th.l
One of the most extraordinary in
stances of human pTivatiOn on record,
and a calamity that has rarely bee EN-
equaled in the history of maritime
disaster, has been brought to light
through Mr.. John Saville, first officer
of the American ship Golden Hind,
who reached the city from Rio de Ja-
neirO on Tuesday.
The wreck of the ship Golden Hind
has already been recorded, but the
unparalleled sufferings of the portion
of her crew who yet survive, we be-
lieve has never get been made public.
In a long interview, yesterday, Mr..
Saville detailed all the frightful par
ticulars, and we give the fearful story
in his own words.
THE FIRST OFFICERS NARRATIVE.
The American ship Golden Hind,
Capt. Benjamin F. Robbins, left New
York on the 18th of February, on a
voyage to San Francisco. When in
the latitude of st. GATHERINGS we ex-
perienced a series of heavy westerly
gales, which continued for nearly a
month with great violence. On the
18th of June last, when on the west
side of Patagonia, and at tile Pacific
entrance TO the Straits of Magellan,
the pintles and gudgeons of the rud-
der gave way, and it flOated off. Three
days were consumed in constructing
a temporary one of spare spars. 1t
..hn br1f IN,
heavy gale this was also carried away,
and we drifted at the mercy of the
winds. On the second day after this
last disaster, the Golden Hind struck
between two rocks, one forward and
one aft, on the western coast of Pata
gonia. Three boats were hurriedly
prepared, the men put on extra suits
of clothes, laid in a small quantity of
provisions, and at seven o'clock that
evening lowered away. In the hurry
of departure nearly all of our nautical
instruments were left on board, and,
in fact, many articles absolutely neces-
sary. There were three boats lowered,
the first under the command of Capt
the second commanded by
myself, and the third in charge of Mr..
Webb, the second mate. Each con-
tanned seven men. Mr.. Webb assert
ing that he knew the situation better
than we did, parted company almost
Immediately, and it being then quite
dark, we lay under the lee of the land
until morning. The sea, at the time
we left the ship, was breaking over
her fore yard, and during the night
she beat TO pieces on the rocks.
SEARCH FOR THE MISSING BOAT.
The next morning the last vestige !
of the Golden Hind had disappeared,
and a search, which continued two |
days, was made for the other boat, but !
no trace of her could be seen. We
have long ere this concluded that she |
was swamped, and that her entire |
crew was drowned. Upon examina-
ton, it was found that we hau a small |
box and bag of hard bread, the latter |
soaked with sea water, about twenty |
cans of beef, and a little tea and coffee. |
An allowance of one cracker to each |
man, and one can of beef to fourteen,
was at first Issued, but this speedily !
decreased to half a cracker, and finally /
we did not taste beef more than once /
a week.
WITHOUT a COMPASS.
A few days after we left the wreck |
the Captains boat was swamped, and /
we lost our compass, the only instru-
ment we had, and quantity of the
provisions. An attempt was made to
reach Sandy Point, a Chilian convict
and the coaling station of |
the Pacific mail steamers, about two 1
thirds the way through the Straits of
but our course could only |
be determined by the sun and stars.
THE DREARY ASPECT.
1t was then mid winter, the mount
aims along the coast were covered with /
snow and ice, and the mercury must
have been several degrees below zero.
We pulled close to the land, working
all night in fair weather, and during
a heavy blow lInding and going into
camp.
There were plenty of scrub trees
along the coast, and as we were pro-
vided with two hatchets and good
supply of matches, fire was always
10 be procured. During these visits
we secured quite good supply of shell
fish rese milling the muscle, but We
found that this diet brought on con-
and the entire party became
lnWell.
ILLNESS.
For about twenty days tie men held
put admirably; but in the bitter cold
1 number were frost-bitten, and our
egs and feet were terribly swollen.
On going into camp We constructed
4 tent of the boats sail and a mizzen
royal sail with the oars. A fire was
Ouilt in the center, and the fourteen
men sat around it the night through.
We suffered terribly from loss of sleep,
Is no one dared to remain away from
he fire for fear of freezing TO death,
Ind the tent was too small to hold all
n reclining position.
AT the end of the twentieth day, the
general debility from insufficient food,
lnd the extreme pain in our limbs,
rendered the progress slow, and very
,ften we camped for several days at
ime. The allowance of bread had
)een reduced to a quarter of cracker
/ day, and very often the men did
for day or two to help out
he supply. Their conduct through 1
,ut the dreadful ordeal was most ccur-
Igeous. Every man rendered implicit
lDeule0ce, anu although lne IaNdSeS
# hunger rendered each almost an
.nimaI, the general welfare was never A.,
Ost sight Of.
Almost the entire month of July
vas spent in pulling in what we be-
ieved to be the direction of Sandy :
Point. The only human beings we {
net were an Indian and two squaws {
II a canoe. They treated US cordially, !
nd willingly exchanged a duck for a !
mall quantity of tobacco, but they 5
lad no her provisions. We had Sc
ured from the ship two rifles, and one !
f the crew shot duck; but the pow
Ter became wet, and our weapons
we're useless. A dead duck found +
mong the rocks was also secured and !
aten, but, with the exception of the i
hell fish, this was the only food we !
ecured.
HUNGER. 7
In the latter part of July the wealth '
r became fearfully tempestuous, and s