Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-12-28
Loaf in Magellan. straIt..

Lost in MageIIan's Straits.
One might look all the world over without
finding a coast more bleak desolate and in
hospitable than that Of Terra del Fuego and
the southern part Of Patagonia. Owing to
certain meteorological causes, the cold is COM
paratvey greater in the southern than in the
northern latitud,s; icobtrgs are found ten
degrees nearer to the equator. In the Straits
of Magellan, which are about the same dis
tance from the equator as central England.
the cold in winter is so intense as to be almost
unbeanble. Here icebergs are found floating.
and glaciers larger in extent than any Swift
erland can boast of the land is entirely COW
cred with snow down to the very waters
edge, while bitter piercing winds rush down
the clefts i'll the mountains. carrying every
thing before them and even tearing up huge
trees in their passage. Not pleasant coast
this on which to be cast away: and yet such.
in 1861. was the fate of two unfortunate men
who formed part of the crew of her Majesty's
ship 'Chanticleer.' then on the Pacific sta
ton; and an account of whose sufferngs we
propose to lay before our readers.
One day carly in September sailing party
had been sent off with the hope of increasing
the ships stock Of provisions by the addition
of fresh fish, which is here very abundant.
The nets soon became SO heavy that extra
hands were required to haul them: and AS
there appeared even then little chance Of the
work being over before sunset. the fishing
party obtained permission to spend the night
ON shore. Tents were pitched, huge fires
were lighted, with the double object of afford
ing warmth and cooking some of the produce
Of their successful expedition; blankets were
distributed. grog was served out, ard altogeth-
er the party seemed prepared to defy the cold.
showing disposition to be Jolly in spite of
it that would have ginldaned the soul of the
immortal Mark TaQley. However after all
these Preparations 20 keep of the effects of
the biting frost, they were compelled about
nine o'clock in the evening to send of to the
ship for more blankets and provisions.
Two sailors. Henty and Riddles. volunteer
ed TO go on this errand in the ''dingy" "a
small two-oared boat. and having obtained
the desired things, they started to return; but
when about midway between the ship and the
shore. the wind began to rise. carrying the
boat to some extent ont of her course short
ly after which she struck on sand bank. and
in trying to get her of one of the oars was
lost. Soon they were drifted out into the
strong current. 1t was now dark as pitch ;
the wind continued to rise and although all
through the night they made every possible
effort to reach the shore. when morning dawn
ed to their alarm they found themselves miles
away from the ship. and powerless to contend
any longer with their one oar against the force
of both wind and tide. They were finally
driven on to the beach in bay opposite Port
Famine, spot not less dreary than its name
The sea was so rough. that here for n day
and Il night our two men were obliged to re-
main and when on the second day they yen-
tured to launch the boat. it was upset; near
ly all their things were lost. and they were
left to endure the intense cold without the
means of making fire, with no clothes but
Nl,s.a /
n while they walked about, trying not very
successfully, to keep up circulation; and by
and-by the feet of both began to swell and
grow so painful that it was no longer possible
to keep ON their shoes. Still. although suf-
ferirg both from hunger and cold (Henty' $
toes being frostbittenl, they kept up their
spirits in true British fashion. not for a min
ute doubling that sooner or later they would
be picked up: and true enough, on the fourth
day the "Chanticlrer' was seen in the dis
tance under weigh, and standing over towards
them. Taking the most prominent position
that could be found. they made signs and
tried in every possible way to attract atten-
tion, but in vain. If they had only possessed
soDe means of kindling n fire they might
| have succeeded; but although those on board
| We're Mt the moment on the lookout for their
| lost messmates, no one saw them; and the
| hope with which the two poor fellows had
| buoyed themselves up faded away as the ship
| changed her course, grew smaller and smaller,
and by-and-by, late in the afternoon. while
| they still watched, altogether disappeared.
Although now their only chance of rescue
was apparently gone. and the last scrap of
food was consumed, yet the brave fellows did
not despair. Their boat was very leaky; but
on the 9Th of September, having repaired her
| as far as possible, they took advantage of finer
| weather to endeavor to reach some spot where
there would be more probability of getting
rescued by a passing ship; but they had
scarcely got halfway across the straits before
| there was terrific snow-storm; it blew a
| gale the boat began to fill rapidly: and fl
| nally they were blown back again into the
bay, upset in the surf and nearly drowned,
being unable to swim through having lost the
use of their legs from sitting so long in the
water. However, they were thrown up by
| the waves high, though by no means dry, and
in this miserable plight and under pitiless
snow-storIn, they were forced to remain all
through the night. The next day they man.
aged TO erect something in the form of hut,
in which they might lie down and be TO some
extent protected from the weather, which was
so boisterous as to render it useless to attempt
to launch the boat. For some days, owing TO
exposure and want of food, they were both
very ill but still hoping for better weather.
They kept themselves alive by eating sea-
weed and such shellfsh as could be found,
until the 18th of September, when the wealth
er suddenly clearing, they again launched
their small boat; and this time, after a days
hard toll, succeeded in reaching the opposite
side of the straits, where they had left the
ship which il is needless to say was by this
time far away.
When first the men were missed, rockets
had been fired, and blue lights burned; and
on the following day the cutter was sent to
the westward, while the ''Chanticleer" coast
ed along the opposite side lookout men
We're constantly aloft; but nothing was to be
seen of the missing men. The next day the
ship had remained at Port Famine, and ex-
ploring parties We're sent in all directions. On
the third day they again weighed anchor, and
examined a fresh piece of coast but all to nc
purpose; and finally it was decided, with
much regret, to give up the search, for every
one concluded that the poor men must by
this time have persisted, even if they had sur
viyed the first nights cold, which no one OF
board thought possible. Both men were gen
orally popular and great grief was felt fol
their loss Immediately subscription wal
started by the whole ships company for the
widow of the one man and the mother of thu
other Strangely enough, when the sad new
reached England, the former, in spite of wha
seemed conclusive evidence, firmly refused L
believe the assurance of her husbands death
Whether the wifes intuition or the more logi
cal inferences of every one else proved cor
rect events will show