Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-24

Romance cfthe Sea.
a PLUCSY AND PRErTYuTTLE WOMAN EIGHT
EgN DAYS INA SMALL BOAT AVID TEMPEST,
sNow AND ROCKY Is.Es.
San Francisco Chronicle
On the steamer Mikado, which arrived in
this port on Saturday last, came Captain
Groves. his wife and two children-one a
habe-who have had most remarkable
escape from the neyer-satisiied Jaws of old
ocean. All that human being could suffers,
endure and live, fell to their unfortunate
lot TIE captain and bis wife are 10th com
panuyely young, and look sufficiently care
worn to have borne the burdens Of many
more years than have Vet rolled over their
heads. The lady Is small, delicately formed
plueky, or courageous, and full OF animation
when detailing the thrilling adventures
through which she and her husband have
passed on April %, they left Antwerp for
Callao in the ship Albert Gallatin They
had prosperous VOYAGE for three months
Bat August =, of Cape Horn, 81 degrees
south, and - degrees west, heavy sea
struck the ship and carried away the rudder
about 10 p. m. Then for fourteen days every
effort was made to replace it, but the wealth
er continued severe and the rough waves
tossed the rudderless ship 10 and fro like
cork. And all this time, as the heavy seas
rolled over the vessel, every soul on board
was continually drenched 50 that not one
OF them wore dry garment for two weeks.
At length, August Is, the oYerwashed ship
WAS found to be within two mies of the
lldefonso islands. and drifting on the rocks
/ Immediately all on board the unmanageable
vessel were compelled hastily to abandon her,
which they did in two liie-boats At about
a IN. The captain, his wife, two children
ana tiye seamen took one boat and the re
mainler Of the crew the other and the lat
ter have not been heard from since. After
all were in the small boat the captain brave
little wife rushed on T. the ship and snatch
ell the .hrOnometers and charts and brought
them away safely. The lte boat soon I'LL
ell with water and was well nigh -wamped
beside the ship. The boat got away with
sixty pounds OF bread, but this was saturated
with salt water when she filed They
brought away no fresh water. and for two
| days were without drop while driven about
by the boisterous waves and seeking a land
ing place August th they got On shore
uainei there it thundered and lghtened
and showed, and was 80 cold that they were
little better of than on the ocean The
rocky i-.r was barren, uninhabitod and
desolate August 9th they left this island
hoping to make Staten Land, some hundreds
Of miles distant, but near the straits Of
Lcmaire, through which vessels often pass
They were out but single day. however,
when the sea became too heavy Tor them to
proceed and drove them back into Sc0urhe.d
bay, On Herschel island But the sea WIS
80 rough they could not land, and had to
stay in the boat all night Everything was
wet and they had To hail constantly 10 keep
the boat from going down with them That
night was very cold, and the canvas over
their heads irozr sti1 They could not lie
{ down nor sleep. and had 10 sit an q STOPPING
/ position, which Mrs Groyes did with her
/ babe on her lap, while the snow on the
awning pressed it down SO low and hard
upon her head that her attitude was any
thing but comfortable Next day they
navigatel around this island and landed on
/ Nollaston Island. While on these black
barren AMI rocky Islands they often found
It difficult 10 get fire. and suffered intoler
/ ably from the cold Here they found 4 lit
! tie wild celery. which they mixed with their
salt sea-soaked bread and some preserved
meats, which they had served IN small
quantities The daily allowance OF each
one was bul = couple OF ounces of this coarse
/ fare. which was warmed altogether, and
each one took a spoonful There were nine
souls Of them in all. They remained IN
this distressing condition until the following
/ Tuesday, when they again started tor Staten
land, with a light wind from the south
west. 1t midnight they were hecamed an
| hour or two, after which the wind fresheled
from the northward. Next day it blew q
/ gale from the north northwest, and in the
evening the tempest became 50 fierce they
were Obliged to make raft OF their oars
and lash the boat 10 them and let her drag,
while they were kept constantly bailng.
They again lost all the fresh water on board,
the boat filled and DESTROYED all their pro
visions and Mrs Groves looked up to her
husband and said, sadly, IL guess we are
gone this time That night they drilted
back about forty miles from the land they
were approaching Next day was more
moderate Some Of the men fell asleep on
their oars and lost three OF them. Bat in
the heavy seas. whenever wave came, they
were obliged to pull for life. After week
OF such yoyaging, the CAPTAINS wife one day
saw ship. They pulled for her, but were
not observed The day following. about ,
p. m. they saw an island about twenty five
miles oh At 3. p. IN. they sighted II YES
sci and made for her. She proved to be the
ship SYren, from Boston 10 Honolulu The
ship-wrecked wanderers had now been atloai
or on frozen Islands for eighteen day, 10 all
of which time they had never had a change
Of garments, having lost everything wher
they abandoned the ship. When they were
taken on board the men were almost blind
All were nearly starved, and one sailor wa
out OF his mind. They had to be raised OF
board the ship, and not one OF them coulc
stand or walk, their knees being almost stii
} and their strength being nearly exhausted
Yet dnring all those eighteen days OF dread
fu suffering Mrs. Groves had managed t
nurse her babe and preserve both its life AM
her own Capt Newell, of the Syren, wa
extremely kind 10 the sufferers and they sa,
words can neither portray his goodness no
EXPIRE lhoir gratitude When they reach
ed Houo.llu, some Of the GOOD people ther
cared l1r the sufferers, aud the Mikad
brought them 10 our city. The captain au
his wife appear to be very nice people, an
: ii would seem as If some OF our worthy cit
, zens coald not bestow wiser charity tba
to aid these helDless ones in this, their tim
: + OF need.