The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-10-11
The Captain Of the Lost Van Name
Tells his Story.
New York World. |

Tells his Story.
New York world.l
CAPTAIN Hardy, of the schooner G. J.
Van Name, which was wrecked on the
way from New York to Baracoa, August
3, has Just returned to his home in New
Haven. He relates the story of won
derful experience. The particulars, as
narrated by Capt. Hardy, are as follows:
The Van Name was new vessel, built
near this city, and was laden with coal.
Her passengers were Matilda Assurus,
aged twelve; Freddy Assurus, aged nine,
and man, who were among the saved.
At midnight on August 2, when nine
days out and three hundred miles from
shore, the schooner began to feel the eff
fects of the gale. She was hove to under
short sail and all was made snug. In. the
morning all were on deck, except the
girl. The waves were heavy and
Ominous, the sky was black, the rain fell
rapidly and the wind shrieked. Antici-
pating no danger, the lashings of the boat
on deck were allowed to remain. At five
o'clock three large waves-large waves
roll by three-came towering upon the
vessel and swept over her with incon-
ceivable speed. By the time the second
had passed the schooner was keeled over
on her side and the water was rushing in
through the cabin windows. The stew
ard, Walter Gill, at the command of the
captain, went to get the girl out of the
cabin. The third wave preached COM
pletely over the doomed craft and the
steward was carried away and never seen
again, except for moment by the mate,
and all the crew were thrown into the
water.
In six minutes from the time the
first wave struck her the Van Name had
sunk. With her went down the girl and
everything on board except an old oar
and few pieces of scantling. The cap
tain had clung to the backstay, but when
taken under water loosened his hold and
came to the surface. The oar was within
his reach, but it would not support his
weight and as he could not swim he re-
signed himself to death, shouting fare
well to his mate, who was swimming
near. When he came up again he had
the good fortune, however, to grasp a
joist, and this held him up. The boy
passenger he saw supporting himself on
two pieces of lumber but the immense
waves swept over the boys head, suf-
locating him. The mate had two pieces
of timber and the sailors had each one
piece. After great toll the pieces were
collected, and when fastened together
with sailors clothes, which could be
poorlyspared, as the WATERWAYS cold, made
raft about three feet wide and twenty
four feet long. On this seven men were
foated, but to keep it ON the surface they
were compelled to remain on their hands
and knees.
No sail appeared all day Friday, and
Friday night the raft gave indications of
breaking up, the fastenings becoming
partially loosened. The idea of repair
ing this damage was precluded by the
presence of the huge sharks which made
their appearance few minutes after the
hastily-made raft had been constructed
and did not thereafter leave it. The raft
was so low in the water that the monsters
were on level with the men, but only
once was an attack made. On that Oc-
casion one of the sailors had barely time
to save his feet. All Friday and Friday
night it rained. The men spread hand
kerchiefs, and thus secured enough mois-
ture to assuage their thirst, but had moth
ing to eat. The position was very irksome,
but could not be changed for fear of the
sharks. The oar saved had been raised,
and to this shirt was attached to at
tract attention. Saturday morning, after
a most agonizing night, during which all
had nearly resigned hope, a steamer was
seena mile distant, the only one that had
been sighted, save one from the time OF
the departure from New York. Although
all the men shouted with the energy of
despair, they failed to attract attention.
The action of the owner of the shirt was
eloquent. He said nothing, but taking
the shirt from its place put it on and lay
carefully down again. Throughout all
this terrible time little had been said by
any one. Religious themes and the i'm
pending peril were alone mentioned.
After the steamer had passed later in the
day there came in sight a sailing vessel,
but efforts to attract her attention were
again unavailing. Of all the men on the
raft the Captain, who is about forty, was
alone over twenty years of age, but all
bore up wonderfully under the circum-
stances. In the afternoon, the schooner
Minnie Pippelier, sailing on the wind,
came as the long-wished for rescuer.
One man had been told to keep watch,
but in their feverish anxiety each in
sisted that his eyesight was the best.
There was danger of the schooner's pass
ing, as nothing could be of the raft ex-
cept the flag and the human heads.
Lungs were, however, never more Sc
verely taxed, and shouts were of good
effect, although at the last minute there
was danger of the raft breaking up. A
line was thrown to them, but in their
eagerness there was danger again, as
about all stood up and the raft sank
lower, with the expectant sharks danger
ously near and on the alert. However,
one by one the men got on board the
Pippelier, Captain Henry l.. Burton, and
were landed safely at Aspinwall. The
Captain, in summing up the terror of
the time spent in mid-ocean, said: " You
can have no idea of the feelings we had
when the steamer went away"