The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-03
A THRILLING STORY OF TIE SEA.

8 deg. 56 min. north, longitude 60 deg.
8 min. east, we deserted a sail III the
horizon. Capt. Hardie at first thought
it must be an Arabian dhoU, but on
close examination with his telescope he
recognized it as a lug sail, commonly
used in English boats. AS we We're 5iO
miles from Socrota, the nearest land, we
knew that a ships boat in that position
must be in distress. The course OF the
steamer was at once changed. AS we
came nearer. we could see a man waving
a pair of pantaloons, and two or three
others rowing very feebly. In half an
hour the boat was alongside. IL proved
TO be a pinnace, about twenty feet long,
with one side badly stove. There were
five men in it dreadfully emaciated, and
nearly as black rs Arabs. A rope was
tied to life-buoy and thrown to them.
They seized and held on to it as for
life. AS two of the poor fellows had
not strength enough to climb the lad
der, some of our sailors went down
and lifted them tenderly on board.
Their boat was quickly hoisted on
deck, and we were again on our way.
In half an hour, by the providence of
God, our good ship had done what would
far outweigh the profits of an entire
voyage.
No sooner were they all on board,
than the Oldest of the five knelt down in
| their midst and offered a most touching
prayer of thanksgiving for their great
deliverance. Little did l think at the
time that | had ever prayed with him
| before. But | learned that he was one
of several with whom ] had frequent
religious services on the ship Gardner
Colby" at Rio Janeiro, in 1868. Mat
tresses, pillows and blankets were quick
ly spread on the main hatch under the
awning. Cold water and beef tea were
sparingly administered, under the doc
tors directions, with happy results.
They had been tossing about in that
open, leaky boat, exposed to storms and
the fearful heat of the tropics, for thir
ty-two days. They had to start with
food aud water for ten days. 1t was
made to last twenty. During the twelve
days that followed they had caught two
birds, four small fying-fsh and few
barnacles from the bottom of the boat
They drank only sea-water, not drop
of rain falling. OF course they were
frightfnlly reduced; their eyes were
bloodshot and staring, their teeth
prominent and of peculiar Wilderness.
One appeared to be an old man of 80 or
90. Eleven years ago / knew him TO
be lad of Il. The lips of tie two
boys were covered with bites which
they themselves had made to moisten
their mouths with the blood, and, more
horrible still, the two older seamen had
bitten each others bodies in their de-
lirious struggles. Had it not been for
the constant necessity of bailing out
the boat, Mr.. Webster, the officer in
charge, thinks he would have been I'M
able to keep them from killing each
other.
For generosity and kindness to the I'M
fortunate, commend me to these rough
sons of the ocean. \ few days careful
attendance from the doctor and volun-
teer nurses brought them all around,
though it was feared, at first, that one
or two would not rally. From Mr.. Web
ster and the others we learned the fol-
lowing facts
The ship "Arracan, built and for
twelve years owned in the United States.
was sold few months ago to house in
Greenock. She sailed from Shields
with coal for Bombay, Sept II, 1873.
Capt. Leslie was in command, with n
crew of nineteen all told Saturday
afternoon, Feb. Il, smoke was discov-
cred coming from The fore-hatch every
effort was made to save the ship, but
she blew up Monday afternoon, in lati-
tude 3 deg. and 80 min. north, longitude
66 east. They kept their boats towing
astern of the ship till Wednesday morn
ing, at 3 o'clock, when the flames en-
veloped the whole vessel. Then the
Captain cut away the boats from the
ship and shaped their course for Cochin,
700 miles against the wind, TO the north
east. The Captain and eight men had
the lopgbolt; Mr.. Ferguson, chief
mate, and four men, the gig; Mr.. Web
ster, second mate, with two men and
two boys, the pinnace. They all kept
together until Friday night, when they
lost sight of the Captains boat The
second mate had IA seXtant, but no chart
or compass, so that it was very neces-
sary for him to keep with the mate
boat. The next Monday night, however,
the pinnace was stove 10y heavy sea,
so that they were obliged to throw over
board many things to tighten her after
this she would not go to windward, aud
they soon lost sight of the mate. They
mended the boats side as well as they
could, but she continued to leak badly.
Mr.. Webster kept the boat as close as
he could to the wind, and hoped, how
vainly he did not know, to make the
Maldives.
March 9, he wrote, "Di 7ided the
last morsel of bread between us. All
in good health except the boy, and
thankful to God for His mercies" Two
days after Davis, one OF the older sail
ors, proposed casting lots. The mate
refused to have anything to d. with it,
and told them, "a always afterward,
that there should be no man eating in
that boat while he lived. t,he same
afternoon, while the mate W rs asleep,
the four cast lots, and the short lot fell
to the younger boy, Billy Ho ner. He
went apart to say his prayers, but alter
preparing his knife to kill HIM, Davis
woke the mate and told him What they
were going TO DO. Mr.. Webster pre-
vented him, and threw overbo nd all the
knives but his own and the oller Boys.
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