The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-11-24
4 THRILLING .IDFFN TURF on IKE
ERIF.

\ 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
(NIr Maurice Langan) was washed over
board at one o'clock i'm the morning
duringa frightful gale, how he was
bravely 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 pors 1-r ogs-
and were humanity cared Tor by Mr.
Sanders, of that place. Following is the
mates narrative of the adventure:
4 came on deck AZ 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 tor anchorage,
so he could run IN under Rondeau point
and come to anchor, rs it was blowing
gale of wind down against US and a
heavy sea running. ! went forward and
ranged the chains and got all ready TO
. let 90, 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-coyer, q
wooden box about three and half OF
four feet square. and about eight OF
nine inches deep. He hailed me at the
same time, asking me if had hold OF the
box. / answered back. 'Yes, ! have.
Hold on to il, says ne, J viii pick you
up got it under my chest and il
supported me pretty well, and ] could
keep my head toward the sea by swim
ming with my legs Just enough to do so
Otherwise | would have been swept of
by the heavy seas, for some Of them die
sweep over me, nearly strangling me anl
taxing my strength The box and the
words of cheer my brother, the captain
gave, sustained me with the hope anC
inspired me with the feeling that | would
be saved. The sky was clouded ant
overcast, it was raining hard, the air wa
cold, and it was as awful and cherries
night as well could be. The sea washe,
over me like a continuous waterfall.
kept as quiet A. / possibly could. resery
ing my energies, ard was as eelf-posses
sed as one could be under such circun
stances. 1t could not have been NOR
than half an hour before heard III
cheering voice OF my noble brother cal
ing Maurice ! could not see the boat
but I heard his hail. and ] answered
+. Here all right He answered agar
Hang on I will soon be with you. 500
the boat could he seen by me, my brother
the captain, standing up in the bow, tn
two Others pulling. lie hailed Is tina
YOU. Maurice " not seeing me.
answered, Yes; be careful not to hi
me with the boat. The captain 500
caught me from the how of the boat
+ calling the second mate TO aid him. The
soon landed ne inside the boat, an
saved me from an awful death w
could see the vessel's red light, and w
pulled for hours to try and catch hel
keeping cur boat head to sea, and shiI
ping good deal of water. We used tn
cap Of McGee to bail it out. soon ate
daylight, finding We could not catch tn
vessel, she being ont of sight, we pa
the boat before the wind for the beach
where he landed at port Talbot. Til
boat capsIzed in landing her on tn
beach, catching the second mate an
McGee under her The captain pulle
them out and they got ashore in safety
badly exhausted, but all grateful +
God for their deIiverance"
The shipwrecked mariners were take
to st. Thomas, and provided with pas
to Buffalo over the Canada Souther
: railway. Their boat, manned by fy
of the crew, reached Buffalo harbor j
safety.