The New York herald., 1877-11-01
A STORY OF THE SEA.


WHAT BRAVE MEN SUFFERED IN A SINKING
sHIP-THR BRIoANTISE MAGGIE ABANDONED
oYY THE coAsr-THx HERO OF THE BRIO
SOPHIA COOK.
A reporter OF the HERALD yesterday succeeded In
finding Captain Larkin, the rescued commander OF
the Maggie from Portsmouth, England, since re-
ported abandoned at SEAL and received from him the
following account Of the disaster which overlook tho
good brigantne:-
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
"The brgantine ! commanded" said the captain,
''was, thought q stanch ship. She was built at
Portsmouth, England, just opposite to the Isle Of
Wight, and = del for a medium sized vessel.
l do not know what trade she was originally
intended Tor, but she was laid up about
fifteen months and offered for sale, and IL
is possible, yet do not know. that the
oagum had rotted out Of tho during this
idle time and thus lott the chance TO get the
better OF US There Is doubt that ship, like .
man, Is the worse Tor not being actively employed
Well we started in ballast for Charotetown, Prince
Edward Island, and alter being out a lev days
encountered terrific gales have been q seagoing
man for many years, she way blew or the
Of Ireland, and even when got rid OF the shore,
was something appalling We could not send man
aloit ana the decks we're washed with such furious
sweep that 1t was much mans lie
worth TO venture out OF hatchways. l have been
oil the coast OF Labrador where the cold
nor'westers sweep across the waters. and also
In the Mediterranean when the gales blew
from the east and wrinked the face OF the sea,
making it what We sailors call Chop but 1 have
never Seen such nasty weather as the Maggie exper
enced during our voyage. When about
eight days out in tho middle of the dog watch, when
from sheer fatigue had fallen asleep was startled
by OF the sailors, whom knew as Charley, call
ing:-Captainl Captaiu we've sprung u ieak!
sprang on deck sustaining myself by ropes and found
that the alarm was not false. The sea sweeping
over everything; the scuppers were choked and
the wafer was ming the cabins and galeys:
one OF tho skylights was broken anu there was
perfect delugc oi water pouring IN the opening.
gave my orders and soon the crew, SIX men, were
seemed 10 gam ON US All that night, the next day
aud the next, those faithful fellows toiled-I think
much TO save the ship as 10 save their lives. Some
times OF them would Rivo way from sheer fntRue,
and then companion would 70 aud get him u biscuit
stepped IN brandy, and by this means revive him SO
that he could 20 TO work again. Remember while
these brave fellows were working at the pumps
the storm raging, the pouring
abatement OF the wind. l never realized before
what iittlo raft ship was until found myself out
IN the rag ng sea on The brgantine Maggie. But It
was no use; the water was gaining U.S. and as each
day dawred and each night closed In upon us wo
time how long wo could hoat We hosted signals OF
distress about the time according to dead reckon
Ing, We were on the Banks of Newfoundland, but We
saw nothing but the dead waste OF sea-the cloudy,
misty expanse Of water on which we were rolling like
y log.
4 SHIP IN sioHT.
'But when wo were In latitude 43 deg. north and
longitude 53 deg. wes on the I'D OF October, We saw
brig in the distance, ana al once as far we were
able) bore down upon her. renewing our signals Of dis
tress. Ito vessel proved to be the Sophia Cook, of
Halifax commanded by Captain John Cook, and as
soon ms We approached eacn ohor Captain Cook sonta
boat on board to inquire into our condition. 1t was
danger OF our going down every minute. The
we're hungry and exhausted and almost fainting from
their overexcrton. do not think that two OF them,
hnr1n md huvn d,rn I'M
fatigue twenty -four hours longer Our own boats
were filed with water, and ono OF them was
the crew off to the latter ship. THIS
took about two hours. l remained with
the Maggie until tho lasi-indeed, until she was in
danger OF gong down--and then consented, at Cap
tam Cooks request, TO go on board OF his brig |
don't know anything about tho insurance on the Mag
ge but am under the impression she is not insured
Ot course we sailed away romthe sinking ship and
have doubt that now she is at the bottom OF the
ocean,"
STORY or CAPTAIN COOK
"On tho 22d day Of October, in the latitude men
onea Sy Snpaa n ssns0d w.h
she was bearing down on US, and We waited for her
US sv,e well as we wore able. but but the sea was
with much difficulty that launched a boat
could see that the vessel wateroaged aud roll
Ing vory badly. My mate boarded the ship and re-
ported to me that II the Maggie In ballast, TOR
Prince Edward Island, and that she was sinking.
The captain and then had coneronce; he dia not,
OF course wish mo to take charge until all hopo Of
saving the ship was gone. l satisfied myself, how
tnat tnere was cnance saving the weasel,
and tho thea taken OIL. This occupied
about two hours and was attended with considerable
danger. Captain Larkin the last leave tho
Maggie. the water at the time left the brig was
over the ballast, and the night ensuing was very
stormy II Is not at all likely the vessel kept aaoat
many hours after sho abanaoneo.n
The exploits OF Captain John Cook in saving ship
wrecked mariners are matters otnautca history aud
for COMMANDER cas- young as he-hls age Is about
forty quite remarkable. In the State Department
there record that the first day Of April 1855,
Captain Cook rescued the Of the brig Z. G. Van
horn n the Bay OF Fundy and landed them safely at
81. John, n. Is. These poor men lad been twenty
four days IN an opcn boat, and had suffered all
imaginable horrors from lack OF iood and water and
exposure to the storms that were then raging. In
1872, the 18th OF December, Captain Cook had tho
good fortune to rescue the crew OF the American
schooner Ravonswing OF Stonington. This company
consisted OF seven men and they were taken TO Dem
erara by Captain Cook whittier he was bound. For
tins act he presented by President Grant with an
elegant gold watch, tho inside OF the being
scrbed with an acknowledgment OF the service for
which the gift was made. Tho rescue OF the captain
and crew Of tho brig Maggie, therefore, makes tho
third in the list oil vessels this officer has
been fortunate enough TO relieve IN their hour Of