Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-11-09

43 degrees north and longitude SO
degrees west, on the 22d of Octo-
Der, we saw a brig in the distance.
and at once las far as we were able)
bore down upon her, renewing our
signals of distress. The vessel
proved to be the Sophia Cook, of
Halifax, commanded by Captain
John Cook, and as soon as we APP
preached each other, Captain Cook
sent boat on board to inquire into
our condition. 1t was deplorable
enough. We were rapidly filling
and there was danger Of our going
down every minute. The men
were hungry. and exhausted, and al
most fainting from over-exertion.
l do not think that two Of them,
Charley and Robert Wills, could
have endured the fatigue twenty
four hours longer. Our own boats
were filed with water, and one Of
them was stove, so the boats of the
Sophia Cook took the crew off to
the latter ship. This took about
two hours. / remained with the
Maggie until the last-indeed, I'M
til she was in danger of going down
and then ] consented, at CAPTAIN
Cooks request, to 90 on board OF
his brig. | don't know anything
about the insurance on the Maggie,
but l am under the impression she
is not insured. OF course we sailed
away from the sinking ship, and !
have no doubt that now she is at
the bottom Of the ocean,"
STORY OF CAPTAIN COOK.
"On the 22d day of October, in
the latitude mentioned by Captain
Larkin, l sighted a brigantine with
ensign down, and of course knew
she was in distress. She was bear.
ing down on us, and we waited fol
her as well as we were able, but
the sea was running very high al
the time, and it was with much
difficulty that we launched boat,
, | could see that the vessel was wa
terlogged and rolling very badly
Ny mate boarded the ship and re-
ported to me that it was the Maggie
in ballast, for Prince Edward
) Island, and that she was sinking
The captain and l then had con
ference; he did not, of course, wisl
me to take charge until all hope O.
saving the ship was gone. l satisfied
myself, however, that there was NJ
chance of saving the vessel, and th,
crew was then taken off. This oc
cupied about two hours and VIA
attended with considerable danger
Captain Larkin was the last maj
to leave the Maggie. The water a
the time we left the brig was owe
the ballast, and as the night ensu
, ing was very stormy it is not at al
, likely the vessel kept afoat man,
hours after she was abandoned"
! A HERO OF THE SEA.
The exploits of Captain Johl
, Cook in saving shipwrecked mari
ners are matters of nautical histo
, ry, and for commander as young
| as he--his age is about forty-quit
] remarkable. In the State depart
ment there is a record that on th,
, first day of April, 1865, Captain
Cook rescued the crew of the bri!
@. G. Vanhorn in the Bay of Fund,
and landed them safely at st. John
N. B. These poor men had beer
twenty-four days in an open boat
and had suffered all imaginabl,
horrors from lack Of food and wa
ter and exposure to the storms thai
were then raging. In 1872, on thu
18th of December, Caption Cool
had the good fortune to rescue the
crew of the American schooner
Ravenswing, Of Stonington. Thi,
company consisted of seven mer
and they were taken to Demerar;
J by Captain Cook, whittier he wal
bound. For this act he was pre-
. sented by President Grant with an
, elegant gold watch, the inside of the
f case being inscribed with an ac
knowledgment of the service fo
which the gift was made. Th,
, rescue Of the captain and crew o
the brig Maggie, therefore, make
f the third in the list of vessels tina
, this brave officer has been fort1natC
enough to relieve in their hour O
dire peril.
CANADA BILL.