The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-12-23
A Story OF the Sea.
srFFEniNGs oF sHTpRECKED SAILORS
SIN DAYS ON \ RAFT.

SIN DAYS on RAFT.
The mate OF the wrecked brig Almira
Of Islehorough. Maine. furnishes the
Boston papers with the following az
count Of the terrible hardships endured
hy the crew Of that vessel Sailed from
Portland. Maine. where we had put in
for II Earbor, Sunday. evening mt sun
down. bound for New York. loaded
with deals and pickcts. the crew con
sisting of Tolman pendlcton. captain,
of scarborough. Maine: Lyonics Pen
dleton. mate. also of Isleborough; Ho-
bart Dodds, cook. eighteen years of age,
Peterborough: William, colored sea-
man. and Robert. colored seaman,
both shipped mt Bangor. About eight
o'clock the same evening, the wind be
ing heavy from the northwest. all tho
sails excepting the mainsail and the fore
staysail were blown away. With the
latter the vessel was kept on her course.
About . o'clock discovered the vessel
to be leaking, water coming in SO fast
that at u o'clock we ceased pumping.
About that timc an unknown schooner
passed close under her lee, within hail
ing distance. and we did all we could
to attract her attention. but she passed
on without noticing us. The only boat
hanging at the stern davits washed off,
and we tried TO get her alongside, but
the stern pulled off, and We lost her in
the darkness. During the night the
vessel commenced to break mp, the port
quarter leaving first, followed 10y the
stern. and then. piece by piece. the
Il
the crew remaining ON the deck load Of
lumber. Monday we succeeded in get
ting the molasses key, in which was Il
quantity of molasses. This was the
only rourishment we had. keeping it ON
top Of the house or cabin, to have it ont
Of the water as much as possible; but
Tuesday morning the whole house float
Cd OF. taking with it the moasses, of
which We had only uscd three quarts,
leaving us with nothing to sustain life
Wednesday morning ut daylight what
remained of the top OF the vessel parted
from the rest of the hull. the masts al
the same time going by the board, and
leaving us on four pieces OF tho main
wales, between the main and fore rig
sing. With difficulty we succeeded in
collecting about 1000 feet of the deck
load, which we kept together as best We
could. and upon which the whole Of lis
were floating on the ocean The lum-
Der kept continually washing from us,
and il was with the greatest difficulty
That we kept it from getting away from
rs altogether. Saw vessels every day.
but none noticed us or came near
enough to see us. Wednesday was more
moderate and not so much sea, bu. the
long time without food or water, and
ourselves being exposed to the weather,
especially our feet, which were in the
water all the time, began to tell npon
us. This night some Of us slept lit
tie Thursday night the colored man,
Robert. became crazy, and in the night
jumped overheard, but we succeeded in
hauling him back again on to the raft.
In Il short time, however, he jumped
overheard again and was drowned. Fri
day forenoon, about ten o'clock, the
colorcl man. William, who bad become
dclirious, died. That morning two
sparrows aiighted on the raft and were
caught by us. the captain and the cook
eating one, myself and the colored man
the other. Soon after the Captain be-
came leIirious, and died about mid
night. Saturday morning we collected
some rock weed and caught five very
small fish, which myself and the cook
divided equally. and ate. This day
was moderate and fogev until about
one O'Clock =. Il, then the fog lifted.
and we were seen by tie schooner j. 7.
Huntress, Captain Rose. of Gloucester,
who took myself and the cook or board.