Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-02-12

igence from Batavia regarding the suffer
ings Of some Of the survivors from the
British ship Euxine, bound from Shields
10 Alden, which caught fire and was aban-
doned in the South Atlantic. Two boats,
containing the captain and a number Of the
crew. reached 81. Helena, but the third
boat, containing the second mate and sew
eral men, remained for three weeks in the
open sea. being ultimately sighted by a
Dutch ship, but not before one Of the sail
ors had been sacrificed to provide his suf-
fering companions with food.
During the first night the boat command
ed by the second mate lost sight Of the 9TH
ers, and at dawn was alone upon the wide
ocean. The little vessel was upon the life
boat principle about 80 feet long, her sides
being protected with a bulwdrk Of sail
cloth. She had 10 air tight cases, two
masts, besides a fore boom, and carried a
set Of sails and necessary cordage. The
provisions comprised two cases Of biscuits,
a ham, a cheese, IL tins Of meat, ard two
small casks Of drinking wNJer. By the
ninth day the mate came to the conclusion
that he had been steering too tar to the
westward, but as the wind and sea did not
admit Of any change being made, it was
decided to go on as heretofore, in the hope
Of meeting with vessel or reaching the
coast Of South America. The rations were
diminished to half biscuit and a glass of
water once a day, and thus the 24th Of Au-
gust approached with no signs Of rescue or
land. On this date a stiff breeze sprang up
as darkness drew on, and at midnight,
while a man named De Jager was at the
helm and the rest were asleep, the boat
capsized, and its occupants suddenly found
themselves struggling for their lives. How
the accident occurred is not known, but it
is surmised that De lager placed his charge
against the wind, as it is certain that he
had Threatened to knock a hole in the
craft to put an end TO the misery of ALL
Anyway he "put an end to himself and
another, named Reynolds, both sinking
Notwithstanding help rendered them by
their more fortunate mpanions, 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 cap
sizing in future, the masts we're cut down,
and only a small sail SET 50 that the boat
/ Hunger and thirst characterized the day
a Sunday-and tweuty-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 Miller, after drinking
large quantities of sail water declared that
he offered his body as food for the others,
and entreated them to kill him.
"A1er a time'-we quote from the affi-
davit Of James Archer, second mate-"Ma-
nus Sehutt proposed that they should cast
lots who should fall as sacrifice for keep
ing the others alive. To this we all con-
sented. Having no other means 10 make a
lottery, We hit upon using small sticks Of
different sizes, deciding that the one who
drew the smallest should be the victim.
Aiter having made the sticks ready, held
them in my hand while the others drew.
On comparing them together, found that
the Italian, Francis Shufus, held the small
est stick. Having also agreed that the lot
terry should be thrice repeated. and that
when it should prove that either two or
three OF Us had drawn The shortest stick,
these should cast lots among themselves 50
found that The same man had for a second
time picked out the same Object. Francis
Shufus, when his turn came for the third
drawing, hesitated 10 join and would not
draw, upon which the man Sandstrom pro-
posed be would do it for him. This ne did
and the shortest stick was found in Sand
stroms hand. Shufus bore it with great
calmness, and showed the utmost resigna-
tor. He was LETT alone for some two hours
while We now and then eagerly looked
round the horizon 10 see whether a sail
could be perceived, or any help would
come we stood u pon the thwarts. Shufus
prepared himself to meet his fate by pray
ing and speaking in Italian. He gave US
no parting message to send to his friends,
most probably as he hardly knew more
English than to say yes and no. His bear
ing was that OF a man whose mind was
made up. Seeing We were past help, and
that cur hunger and thirst had grown be-
yond further endurance, we saw ourselves
driven to sacrifice Shufus. He laid HIM
self down, but before that August Muller
had told him that he would take his place
and die for him. This Shufus refused, and
laying himself down in the bottom of the
boat, gave himself up to be tied then one
man held an empty tin, so as 10 catch in il
the blood. Muller, on saying that now
> some one must die for the others, passed
the knife round the mans throat. He did
not struggle nor scream. The blood was
drunk by US all. Muller then cut out hii
liver and heart. These we cut into small
4 | niaces and ate Them tnixad with tha blood
e and salt water. At the last moments o
a Shufus l was at the helm. The head anC
I feet of Shufus were thrown away; thu
e trunk and limbs were put into one of the
3 air-tight tins OF our boat which we haC
o opened. We continued on our way.
? might have been two o'clock in the after
h noon when the man Shufus died. SOM
?, three hours after a ship was seen, which
per1eiving the boat, made for u.s." Thi
vessel turned out to be the Java packe
bound for Amsterdam, and her command
er, Capt. Trappen, did all in his power L
. relieve the misery of the five unfortunat
= waiis-James Archer, August Muller, Vic
: tor Sandstrom, Manus Schutt, and Alexan
der Vermenlen, who had been twenty
.. three days at sea in AN open boat, AM
!. sailed fully two thousand miles.
S
!. Tears and LauRhter.