The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-10-19
Capsixed at Sea-.


PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE WHALING.
BARK 4sARAH-sTATEnENT. OF ONE OF THE
SURVIVORS. Y
i NEW YORK, October 15.-The following
are the particulars oftthe capsizlng Of the
bark Sarah: The ;pilot-boat Isaac Webb on.
Tuesday morning last, when forty miles off
Black Island, passed close by floating.
wreck barely showing above the surface.
No signs OF life were visible, but the yawl
was got out and ,nnlled close to the bow OF
the vessel. By the light: OF the moon. it
could be seen that it was bark. lying COM
#pletely on her, beams end, with but smnll
portion OF her; port-side above water.
A man sprang from the yawf on to the
wreck and trod upon what he supposed to
he pile Of wreck-stnff and canvas, but, to
his astonishment and fright, the mass rose.
up witha cry of alarm. In the moonlight
re appeared so:much like an apparition that
the crew OF the. 'yawl were fora moment
scared completely out Of their wits. Reeov
ering themselves, they looked again and
saw two human beings wrapped lin canvas
and reaching out their hands for help. The
eranee was ut hand, pointed to the side OF
the vessel beneath their feet and said
in broken English, "One man inside"
The pilot-men put their ears to the spot in
Giicated and heard the voice of human be-
ing calling in heartrending tones for help.
After two hours incesSant toll the sailors
succeeded in making a hole through which
they could speak to the poor fellow within,
who cried out that the water was rising and
almost stranging him. Redoubling their
efforts, they finally made a hole large enough
to admit of the passage OF man, and drew
from the darkness below the swollen and
almost ifeless body OF Henrique Gancanis.
When asked if any others of the crew still
survived be answered, emo; they are all
dead" The survivors are named James
Refs, Manuel Avis, and Henrique Ganca-
mis-. all OF Cape de Yerd island, who shipped
on the 18th instant on the bark Sarah, OF
New Bedford, for whaling voyage of two.
years. The crew numbered twenty-five
men, all told - go. -;
The following is the story OF the wreck
as related by one of the survivors: eve
left New Bedford Saturday, the weather at
the time looking very stormy, the wind
being northeast and blowing stiff breeze,
which increased to gale. We commenced
to take in sail and reef. At half-past hove
to on the port-tack, the wind blowing Il
hurricane and a frightful sea running. Two
hours later tremendous sea struck The.
bark and capsized her on her beams end.
There were seven Of lis in the forecaStie at
the time. The sea rushed in and filed the
iorecastle, cutting of escape from the deck.
We struggled for life, and managed to keep
our heads above water by clinging to
floating chests; called to each other,
and found there were six aliye-fve men
and one boy. One man died a little while
after, and the boy died the next morning.
Those yet alive chung to the sail-tier, with
the water UP: to their ehins. BY, prying
open the lid of a floating chest we found a
small bottle of sweet wine and eight APP
pies. We ate the apples and each took
drink Of the wine. The cook was dying,
and he begged for more wine. We gave
him another swallow, and little while after
he died. We pushed the body down under
the water, as we wanted space. There was
only about, eighteen inches to two feet of
space between the wafer and the side,
| and the floating chests and stuff iammed
Our heads and bruised our bodies dread
fully. We had fresh air enough
through a: broken deck light, which
occasionally rose above the water. Be-
! lieving we must, die ii we remained in
this horrible place, we decided to try and
/. find scuttlc and reach the deck. Manuel
tried first, and on the second attempt sue
ceeded in reaching the open air. This was
Sunday. 1 tried twice, and was almost
drowned before 1 could get buck again. I
had hard struggle to get my head through
| the floating boxes. did not try it again
| that day; but the next day made another
attempt, and after desperate struggle got
out, and found Manuel clinging to the
upper side of the vessel. There was
q dead man lashed to the rigging.
cut him adrift, as he made me feel
bad. Manuel said he saw a. steamer
about eight miles off the day before.
We pulled some pieces OF canvas up to
where we were, and wrapped ourselves in
it. We called to Henrique, who was still
| in the forecastle, to come out, but The poor
fellow couldn't swim and wouldn't try.
We tried to cut through the plank with a
knife, but could only dig the oakum out Of
the seams. the plank was so hard. We kept
good lookout for vessels, and only drop
ped asleep little before we were rescued.
| Believe all the rest Of the crew were lost
when the bark capsized, as it was sudden,
and the wind and sea was too much for q
boat to live, even il one could be got out
| We had been on board the vessel so short
a time that we were not acquainted with
the names OF the officers and but few Of the
crew. There was one stowaway On board,
who was lost"
The Corn, Wheat, and Oat Crops.
! WASHINGTON, October 1S.-The official
agricultural reports place the average con-
| dition Of the corn crop,at 96-an increase OF
over the September average. New Eng
land, the Middle and Gulf States show q
small decline. The South Atlantic States
| ,,o;ntsip their Spntpmher condition. while