Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-02-26
DRIVEN TO CANNIBALISM.
Wrecked Seamen Twenty three Days in an
Open Boat-Drawing Lots.
ECrnr,a tI,o Erio dnf I,,Ii, 1

tavia regarding the sufferings of some Of
the survivors from the British ship EuX
inc, bound from Shields to Alden, which
caught fire and was abandoned in the
South Atlantic. On the 18th of June last
the iron ship Euxine sailed from Shields
with cargo Of coal and crew of thirty
two men and excellent provisions. Every
, thing went well until the I'd of August, on
Which date storm tossed the vessel about
so violently that the cargo was shifted to
the starboard side, one man was washed
overheard, and considerable damage done
to the sails and rigging. All endeavors to
right her were fruitless, and after large
quantities of the coal had been thrown
overheard, traces of fire were discovered
A though every hatch and opening was
closed as tightly as possible, the flames
made such Roadway that on the 9Th of the
same month the captain decided on aban-
doning his ship. They left in three boats,
the captain and thirteen men in the long
boat, and the first mate and eight others in
the second, and the second mate and seven
seamen in the third.
1t was known that st. Helena was $50
miles distant. and it was determined to
make for the island. During the first
night the boat commanded by the second
mate lost sight of the others, and at dawn
was alone upon the wide ocean. The little
vessel was upon the life boat principle,
about thirty feet long, and her sides being
protected with a bulWark of sail cloth.
She had ten alright cases, two masts, be-
sides q foreboom, and carried set of sails
and necessary cordage. The provisions
cheese, twelve tins of meat, and two small
casks of drinking water.
By the ninth day the mate came to the
conclusion that he had been steering too
far to the westward, but as the wind and
sea did not admit Of any change being
made, it was decided to go on as hereto
fore, in the hope Of meeting with vessel
or reaching the coast of South America.
The rations were diminished to half bis
cult and a glass of water once day, and
thus the 24th of August approached with
no sign of rescue or land. On this date
stiff breeze sprung up as darkness drew on,
and at midnight, while man named De
jaeger was at the helm and the rest were
asleep, the boat capsized and it's occupants
suddenly found themselves struggling for
their lives. How the accident occurred is
not known, but it is surmised that DE ia
ger placed his charge against the wind. as
it is certain he had already threatened to |
''knock a hole in the craft to put an end |
to the misery of ALL" ANY way, he ''put
an end" to himself and another, named |
Reynolds, both sinking Notwithstanding
help rendered them by their fortunate
comrades, who had found safety on the
upturned keel. In the morning the boat /
was righted, but all the food was gone. /
In order to prevent capsizing in future, the
masts were cut down and only the small
sail set, so that the boat might be steered
right before the wind. Hunger and thirst
characterized the day-a Sunday-and
twenty-four hours later it was agreed that
lots should be cast to see which of the
number should be sacrificed for the benefit
of the remainder.
Early on the same day one Muller, after
large quantities of salt water, de-
clared that he offered his body as food for
the others, and entreated them to kill him.
g After time''-we quote from the affida-
Wit Of James Archer, second mate-ssMa-
nus Schurt proposed that they should cas-,
lots who should fall as a sacrifice for keep
ing the others alive. To this we all con.
sented. Having no other means to make
a lottery, we hit upon using small sticks oil
different sizes, deciding that the one who
drew the smallest should be the victim.
After having made the sticks ready, 1 held
them in my hand while the. others drew
On comparing them together I found that
the italian, Francis Shufus, held the small.
est stick. Having also agreed that the
lottery should be thrice repeated, and that
when it should then prove that either two
or three of us had drawn the shortest
stick, these should cast lots among them
selves, SO that the victim might be singled
out, we found that the same man had for a
second time picked out the same obiect.n
Francis Shufus, when his turn came for
the third drawing, hesitated to Join. and {
would not draw, upon which the man |
Sandstrom proposed he would do it for him.
This he did. and the shortest stick was
found in Sandstrom's hand. Shufus bore
it With the greatest calmness, and showed
the utmost resignation. He was left alone :,
for some two hours, while he now and
then eagerly looked around the horizon to
see whether sail could be perceived OF
any help would come. We stood upon the
thwarts, Shufus prepared himself to meet
his fate by praying or speaking in Italian.
lie gave us no parting message to be sent
TO his friends, most probably as he knew
no more English than to say Eyes" and
mo-" His bearing was that of a mai.
whose mind was made up Seeing we
we're past help, and fearing that our hun
ger and thirst had grown beyond endur-
moe, we saw ourselves driven to sacrifice
ohufus.
He laid down, but before that August
Muller had told him that he would take l
lis place and die for him. This Shufus
'efused, and, laying himself down in the
POTION of the boat, gave himself up to bt
led. Then one man held an empty tin.
10 as to catch the blood. Muller, on say.
ng that now some one must die for the
9TH ers, passed the knife around the mans
throat He did not struggle or scream. .
The blood was drank by us all. Muller !;
then cut out his liver and heart. These :,
we cut into small pieces, and ate them
Them mixed with blood and salt water
At the last moments of Shufus / was al
The helm, The head and feet were thrown
away Inc trunk and limbs were put into &
we had opened.
We continued Il on our way. 1t might L