Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-09
At Sea on a Rata Tale of Suffering.

PRovINCETOwN, Mass, October "a
The following is the statement of Leo
MES Pendleton, mate of the wrecked
brig Almira, of Isleboro, Me-: We
sailed from Portland, Me-, where we
had put in for a harbor, Sunday even
ing at shutdown, bound for New York.
About 9 O'Clock we discovered the YES
sci to be leaking, the water gaining SO
fast that at II O'Clock we ceased pump
ing. The only boat hanging at the
stern davits washed off, and we tried
to get her alongside, but the stem pull
ed out and we lost her in the darkness.
During the night the vessel commenced
to gradually break up, the port quarter
leaving first, followed by the stern, and
then, piece by piece, the wreck parted,
working it's way forward, the crew re-
naming OF the deckloadiof lumber. On
Monday we succeeded in getting the
molasses keg, in which was a quantity
of molasses. This was the only nour-
ishment we had, keeping it on top of
the house or cabin, to have it as much
out of water as possible; but on Tues
day morning the whole house fioated
off, taking with it the molasses, of
which we had only used about three
quarts, leaving us with nothing to sus-
tain life.
On Wednesday morning, at daylight,
what remained of the top of the vessel
parted from the rest of the hull, the
masts at the same time going by the
board, and leaving US on four pieces of
the main wales, between the main and
fore rigging. With difficulty we col
lected about 1000 feet of the deck load
of lumber, which we kept together as
best we could, and upon which the
whole of US were floating on the ocean.
The lumber kept continually washing
from US, and it was with the greatest
difficulty that we kept it from getting
away from us altogether. We saw YES
sells every day, but none noticed us or.
came near enough to see us. Wednes-
day was more moderate, and not so
much sea but the long time without
food or water, and ourselves being ex-
posed to the weather, especially our
feet, which were in the water all the time,
began to tell upon us. This night some
of III slept a little. On Thursday the
colored man Robert became crazy, and
in the night jumped overheard, but we
hauled him back again on to the raft.
In a short time, however, he jumped
overheard again, and was drowned.
On Friday, about 10 a. m, the colored
man, William, who had become deliri-
Gus, died. That morning two sparrows
alighted on the raft and were caught
by us, the Captain and cook eating one,
myself and the colored man the other.
Soon after the Captain became .deliri-
Gus, and died about midnight. On
Saturday morning we collected some
floating rockweed, and caught five very
small fish, which myself and the cook
divided equally, and we ate. This day
was moderate and foggy until about 1
O'Clock p. M, when the fog lifted and
we were seen by the schooner J. F.
Huntress, which took myself and the
cook on board. The bodies of the
Captain and man William we succeed
ed in keeping on the raft, and they
were buried at sea by Capt. Rose.
The cool says the mate became part
ly delirious about 9 O'Clock Saturday
morning. The mate is comfortable,
has badly swollen feet by long exposure
and wet, but has some use of his hands.
The cook is entirely helpless, both feet
and hands badly swollen, and is suffer-
ing considerably.-Boston Herald.