Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-12-04
A ROMANCE OF THE SEA.


A Pluchy and Pretty Little woman
Eighteen bays in a tnlRDl Boat
Amid TtmpesIs, snow And Rocky
INtes
San Francisco Chronicle.l
On the steamer Mikado, which arrived
in this port on Sunday last, came Capt.
Groves and his wife and two children
one babe--who have had most re-
markable escape from the nevar-satis6ed
jaws OF old ocean. All that human
beings could suffer, endure and live fell
to their unfortunate lot. The captain
and his wife are comparatively young,
and look sufficiently careworn to have
borne the burdens of many more years
than have yet rolled over their heads.
The lady is small, delcaisly formed, and
yet plucky, or courageous, and full Of
animation when relating the thrilling
adventures through which she and her
husband have passed Ou April 10Th
they left Antwerp for Calloa in the ship
Albert Gallatin. They had PROSPEROUS
voyage for three months But August
I'd, off Cape Horn, flty.six degrees south
aud seventy-nine degrees west, heavy
sea struck the shi p and carri, away the
rudder at about 10 o'clock p m. Then
Tor fourteen days every effort was made
to replace it; but the weather continued
severe, aud the rongh winds aud waves
tossed the rudderless ship to and fro like
cork. And all this time, as the heavy
seas rolled over the vessel every soul on
board was continually drencbed, so that
not one Of them wore dry garment for
over two weeks.
AT length, August 10Th, the over.
washed ship was found to be within two
miles of the Idlefonso Islands aud drift.
ing on to the rocks. Immediately all on
board the unmanageable vessel we're
compelled hastily to abandon her, which
they did in two life-boats at about q. m
The captain, his wife, two children and
five seamen took one boat, and the latter
have not been heard from since. After
all we're in the small buat the captain 8
brave littlo wife rushed on to the ship
and snatched the chronometers and
charts and brought them away safely
The life-boat soon filed with water and
was well.nigh swamped beside the ship
The boat got away with sixty pounds Of
bread, but this was saturated with salt
water when she filled, They brought
away no fresh water, and for two days
we're without q drop while driven about
by the boisterous waves and seeking a
landing place. August 18th they got on
shore on Hermit Island, but the six days
they remained there it thundered, and
lightened, and showed, and was so cold
that they were little better off than on
the ocean. The rocky isle was barren,
uninhabited and desolate. August oath
they left this island hoping to make
Staten Land, some hundreds OF miles
distant, but near tbs Straits of Lemaire,
through which vessels often pass. They
were out but q single day, however,
when the sea became too heavy for
them to proceed, and drove them
back into Scour6eld Bay, on HerSchell
Island. But the sea was 80 rough they
could not land, aud had to stay in the
boat all night. Everything was wet and
they had to bail constantly TO keep the
boat from goingss down with them That
night was very cold, and the canvas over
their heads frozs stiff. They could not
lie down nor sleep, and had to sit in a
shopping position, which Mrs. Groves
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 at
titude was anything but comfortable.
Next day they navigated around this
island, and landed on Wollaston Island.
While on these black, barren aud rocky
islands, they eften found it difficult to get
a fire and suffered intoleFsbly from the
cold Here they found little wild eel
cry, 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 bat o couple Of ounces OF this
coarse fare, which was warmed altogether
and each one teok spoonful. There
we're nine souls of them all. They re-
mained in this distressing condition un.
til the following Tuesday, when they
again started for Staten Land with a
light wind from the southwest At mid.
night they we're becalmel an hour OF
two, after which the wind frsshened from
the northward. Next day it blew gale
from the north.northwest, and in the
evening the tempest became so fierce
they were obliged to make q raft Of their
oars and lash the boat to them and let
her drag, while they we're kept constantly
bailiug They again lost all the fresh
water on board, the boat filled aud de
stroyed all their provisions, and Mrs.
Groves looked up to her husband and
said sadly, | guess we arc gone thir
time" That night they dritted back
about forty miles from tho land they were
approaching. Next day was more mod
crate. Some Of the men fell asleep OIL
their oars, and lost three Of them. Bu
ia the heavy seas, whenevern wave CANT
they we're all obliged to pull for life
After veek of such voyaging the cap
tain's wife one day saw a ship, Thel
pulled for her. hat wora not ohherved