The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-02-26
fsan Fanciseo Chronicles

Gsan Fanciseo Chronicle.l
The Straits Times of the 18th of No
yember contains the affidavits, taken at
the British Consulate, Batavia, OF i've
men, the survivors of one boats crew or
the ship Euxine, which left Orth Shields
on the 18th Of June last with Goals for
Alden. When she was less than two
months out, after she had encountered
a heavy storm her cargo OF Goals was
found to be on fire, and, after several
DAYS of gallant but unsuccessful strug-
ole with the flames, the Captain, officers
and crew, in all thirty-one men, had to
confess themselves vanquished, to leave
fine ship and to take to their boats in
| the omen sea. The fate of two of the
boats is as yet unknown, but those IN
the third suffered almost incredible
| agonies. The second mate, James Ar
| cher. after detailing the sufferings of
their boats crew of seven men from Au-
gust 8, when they left the ship, says:
"On August 80 our thirst and hunger
were intense we commenced to drink
salt water August 80, Miller drinking
more than any Of the others. On the
| 31st of August, Miller got d~ellrlous; this
was probably brought about by his
drinking so much salt water. He de-
clared that he
OFFERED HIS BODY AS FOOD
for the others, and entreated them to
kill and devour him. We did not heed
him. After a time the man Manus
Schultz proposed that they should cast
lots who should fall rs a sacrifice for
keeping the others alive. To this we
all consented. Having no other means
to make a lottery, we hit upon using
small sticks of different sizes, deciding
that the one who drew the smallest
should be the victim. After having
made the sticks ready, | held them In
INV hand while the others drew. On
comparing them together we found that
the italian, Francis Shufus, held the
smallest stick. Having also agreed
that the lottery should be thrice repeat
ed, and that when it should then prove
that either two or three of us had drawn
the shortest stick, these should
CAST LOTS AMONG THEMSELVES,
so that the victim might be singled out.
we found that the same man had tor a
second time picked out the same object
Francis Shufus, when his turn came fol
the third drawing, hesitated to join and
would not draw, upon which the mai
Sandstrom proposed he would do it fol
him. This he did, and the shortest sticE
was found in Sandstrom's hand. Shu
fus bore it with great calmness, ant
showed the utmost resignation. He wal
left alone for some two hours, while we
now and then eagerly looked round thu
! horison to see whether q sail could b.
{ perceived or any help would come. W.
] stood UPON the thwarts. Shufus pre-
pared himself to meet his fate by pray
. ing and speaking in Italian. He CAV
= us no parting message to be sent to hl
|, friends, most probably as he hardly
Q knew more English than to say yes ant
no. His bearing was that OF a maj
whose mind was made up. Seeking
we were past help, and feeling that on
9 hunger and thirst had grown beyOn'
further endurance, we saw Ourselve
driven to sarifce Shufus. He laid him
: self down, but before that August Null
0 Ter had told him that he would take hi
: place and die for him. This Shufus re
a fused. and laying himself down in th
bottom of the boat gave himself up t
be tied; then one man held the empt
bouilli tin so as to catch in it the BLOOD
Muller, on saying that now some on
must die for the others, passed the knit
! around the mans throat. He did nc
struggle or scream.
. THE BLOOD WAS DRUNK BY US ALL.
e Muller then cut out his liver and hear
These we cut into small pieces, and al
them mixed with the blood and sa
water. At the last moments of Shufu
| was at the helm. The head and fee
were thrown away, the trunk and tn
It limbs were put into one of the air-tigl
: tins of our lifeboat, which we ha
|, opened. We continued on our way.
b might have been Q o'clock in the after
noon when the man Shufus died. Som
n three hours after a ship was seen, whicl
J. on perceiying the boat, made for u
j. On nearing the vessel we threw ava
the remains of the corpse. In u e.
% hausted state we were helped on boar
l. The vessel was the Java Packet, Cal
1t tain G. Trappen, master, of Amsterdam
= from that port to Batavia. This was c
the 31st ofAugust. We were well trea
5f ed, and on the ID Of November the vel
e sci arrived at Batavia roads.