The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-12-07
4 THRILLING ADVEETURE ON LIKE
ERIE.

A telegram to the daily papers a few
days ago gave a brief account Of thrill
ling adventure on lake Erie-how the
mate of the schooner Chandler J. Wells
(Mr. Maurice Langan) was washed over
board at one o'clock in the morning,
duringa frightful gale, how he was
braveIy rescued by the captain and two
of the crew in an open boat, and how,
after several hours battling with the
waves, they landed safely in port Talbot,
and were humanely cared for by Mr..
Sanders, of that place. Following is the
mates narrative of the adventure:
II came on deck at twelve midnight.
The vessel was heading up. We were
then about twelve or fifteen miles be-
low Rondeau, Canada side of lake Erie.
Capt Langan ordered me to get the
anchor and chains ready for anchorage,
so he could run IN under Rondeau point
and come to anchor, as it was blowing a
gale of wind down against US and a
heavy sea running. went forward and
ranged the chains and got all ready to
let go, when a sea struck me, carrying
me clean overheard, outside the fore
rigging on the lee side. One of the
sailors, VIM. MCGEE, who was at work
helping close by, was knocked down on
the deck. The vessel was going about
ten miles an hour, passing ne rapidly.
When under the lee quarter my brother,
the captain, threw me the wheel-cOver,
wooden box about three and half or
four feet square, and about eight or
nine inches deep. He hailed me at the
same time, asking me if had hold of the
box. I answered back: eyes, l have
Hold on to it, says he, 4 will pick You
up got it under my chest and it
supported me pretty well, and could
keep my head toward the sea by swim
ming with my legs just enough to do so.
Otherwise I would have been swept of
by the heavy seas, for some Of them did
sweep over me, nearly strangling me and
taxing my strength. The box and the
words of cheer my brother, the captain,
gave, sustained me with the hope and
inspired me with the feeling that I would
be saved. The sky was cIouded and
overcast, it was raining hard, the air was
cold, and it was as awful and cherries a
night as we'll could be. The sea washed
over me like a continuous waterfall. l
kept as quiet is Ipossibly could, reserv-
ing my energies, and was as selfpOsSe3-
sed as one could be under such circum
stances. 1t could not have been more
than half an hour before I heard the
cheering voice of my noble brother call
ing Maurice I could not see the boat,
but ! heard his hail, and I answered,
Here all right He answered again,
Hang on; will soon be with you. Soon
the boat could be seen by me, my brother
the captain, standing up in the bow, the
two others pulling. He hailed, Is that
you, Maurice?' not seeing me. l
answered, Yes; be careful not to hit
ME with the boat The captain soon
caught me from the how of the boat,
calling the second mate to aid him. They
soon landed me inside the boat, and
saved me from an awful death. We
could see the vessels red light, and we
pulled for hours to try and catch her,
keeping our boats head to sea, and ship
ping a good deal of water, We used the
cap of MCGEE to bail it out. Soon after
daylight, finding we could not catch the
vessel, she being out Of sight, we put
the boat before the wind for the beach,
where he landed at port Talbot. The
boat capslzed in landing her ON the
beach, catching the second mate and
McCee under her. The captain pulled
them cut and they got ashore in safety,
badly exhausted, but all grateful to
God for their dehverance."
The shipwrecked mariners were taken
to St. Thomas, and provided with pass
to Buffalo over the Canada Southern
railway. Their boat, manned by five
of the crew, reached Buffalo harbOr il
safety.
BOGGS AND THE HORNETS.
Old man Boggs wished to make some