The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-11-18

A LONELY LIFE ON THE OCEAN
WAVE. ~ f4.4 +. 0l

OPEN BOAT. a
The New York Herald, of Friday, gives
the following details OF the eventful expert
ence OF Contanio Maximo, the sole survivor
OF the wrecked barque Toronto. The Herald
says: Information was received at the
Herald office late yesterday that the brig
Centsur, from Greytowu, Nicaragua, which
had Just arrived, picked up man In the
gulf 10 days ago. He was In an open boat
and said he was cast away 20 days
before from the bark Toronto, of Glss-
gov. Immediately it was determined to
inquire into the case, and the result was
confirmation of the report. The brig Cen
taur was found at Martins dock, near Full
ton ferry, Brooklyn. The castaway was on
board. He l. a swarthy Manila sailor, who
gives the name of Antonio Maxine, and Is
about twenty-four years old. He Is unable
to speak Spanish. his native tongue, with
any degree of correctness, and he knows
but a few words of English. But he had
told his pitiful story to the crew OF the Gen.
taur through the cook, who Is himself
Spauiard, in his own way, having about a
fortnight to convey all the particulars OF
the disaster which almost proved fatal TO
him, as 1t did to the rest of his ship
mates-thirteen in all. The second mate
of the Centaur first told the story OF
the discovery of Antonio. about fourteen
days after leaving Greytown," he said, "the
lookout on the Centaur saw what he ana
his Shi pmateS supposed TO be an aDanuOneI
boat. The time was 9 A. NJ. of "Wednesday,
October 20, and the Centsur was In latitude
Is degrees 20 minutes, and longitude 50 de-
grees % minutes. As the boat was APP
| preached there was noticed rolled up in the
stern what appeared to be bundle. Then
IL was decided to approach closer. AS the
Centaur neared the boat the bundle showed
feeble signs OF animation, and at last as
summed
THE OUTLINES OF A HUMAN BEING.
The brig put directly toward the boat,
passingit at first very close. All hands then
saw with horror haggard, Withholding
and skeleton-like man, contriving, by the
greatest exertion possible to him. to stand
erect. Then the ship tackled, bringing up
beside the boat, which was at once boarded
by william Reading, the first mate OF the
Centaur. The man in the boat was unable
to speak. A rope was tied about his body
and he was lifted on board of the Centaur.
| Capt. l.. q. Stanley, the master OF the brig,
picked up the wasted form In his arms and
conveyed IL 10 the cabin. There
a bed was made on benches, and condensed
milk and other light articles of food were
administered until the unfortunate mans
strength was partially restored. When
| picked up Antonio presented shocking
picture. His thighs, IL was said, were no
stouter than a mans wrist. His body was
| wasted and his head was swollen to a re-
markable degree. The flesh or his face was
raised 30 as TO leave but nero suggestion
| of n nose, and il nearly hid altogether his
sunken eyes. Scarcely any one then
thought he could survive, but these traces
of suffering have now totally disappeared,
and the rescued sailor looks like a man, and
sturdy one again. The boat in which he
was found was also secured, and is now on
board the Centaur. 1t Is an ordinary British
long boat, about twenty-five feet in length.
On its stern are most OF the letters contained
in the name OF the vessel to which it belonged
and the port to which she belonged-the
Toronto, of Glasgow. A day or more after
the rescue Antonio made some feeble efforts
to converse with his rescuers, but the voice
would seem almost TO choke him and to
die in his throat. When he did find power
to speak intelligibly, the first request he
made was for pipe and some tobacco.
The unmistakable evidence of his recovery
caused general laughter. 81 have heard p
said the mate OF the Centaur, shat an old
sailor when he RECEIVERS his voice after
escaping any danger that may threaten
him Is sure 10 ask for tobacco, but l did
not think that living skeleton would care
much for it when he came round
AS soon as poor Antonio could
move he discovered a desire to make
himself useful in the brig, and he told
THE WHOLE STORY OF HIS WRECK AND SUI
FERINGs,
though appearing greatly panied even at the
bare recollection of them. The story he
told on regaining speech and consciousness
first on board the ship and reiterated to a
Herald representative last evening is SUBJ
stantislly the following: The bark Toronto,
which had left Greenock about four months
previously, was lying at Navassa or Navazs
a small guano island off the coast of Hayti
about the end of September. She had taken
nearly halt a cargo of guano on board when
bad weather threatened, and at o'clock on
a Sunday morning, probably the Sd of Octo-
Der, considering IL unsafe to remain longer
near land, the captain ordered the bark to
sea. -Four hours afterward, Antonio SAYS
hurricane set in, during the watch oil
Smith, the second mate. After nightfall the
hurricane stiit increased In violence, the
msinmast of the vessel gave way and toppled
over. An hour later the foremost followed
the mizenmast alone remaining. Then Smith
seeing the fearful condition into which the
ship was put, and also observing that. she
was close TO the precipitous shore of another
island, rushed below and aroused the cap
tain. (Antonio says this skipper was adj
dicted to his cups.) When the captain
reached the deck he ordered all hands into
the long boat The bark was then evil
IDENTIFY breaking up. There were two other
boats on board, but all the crew went into
the same boat. They numbered fourteen
persons. Oh these ten were English, In.
Guiding the captain, the first and second
mate and the carpenter. There were two
Italians, one African and Antonio Maxine,
the Manila man, whose life only was saved.
The captain hurried them ali so rapidly
: into the boat that no effort was permitted
, to save anything or provide themselves
with any provisions. Nor would the pos
session of these things have been any ad
vantage to the rest of the mariners. The
sea was so violent when they abandoned
} their vessel that they entertained but q
slight hope of ever reaching land. They
had little time for reflection. Scarcely
we're they In the boat than IL was swamped
and
TOSSED ABOUT ON THE CREST OF THE WAVES
like straw. TIE sea in fierce agitation
boiled around them, tossing them out of the
boat and against each other until one by one
they dropped into the deep, leaving Anto.
alOna L..