San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-06-15
A Woman Passes Five Days r.
q CapsiZed Vessel.

Ever since Lake Erie has been nav;
gated by civilized people, especially for
the last century, says the Erie Penn /,
Dispatch, has she swallowed up larcs
numbers of human beings by shipwrecR.
by fire, and by other casualties. and
while many bodies are recovered there
are hundreds that are never found and
many that float ashore that are never
identified.
l propose now to give an instance IN
which a human being was shipwrecked
on Lake Erie, remained in the water
five days, and was finally rescued alive
In the autumn of 1888 Capt. Gilman
Appleby, of Conneaut, o., was Captain
and part owner of the schooner New
Connecticut. A steamboat was then
being built at Conneaut (the North
America), of which Capt. Appleby had
charge, and was for many years her
master. An aunt of his, then residing
at Black Rock, below Buffalo, was at
Erie on visit, staying with a brother
who was then resident of the town
The lady went to Conneaut in COMPANY
with nephew, to visit brother there.
After remaining for some time she be.
came exceedingly anxious to get home.
Capt. Appleby, who was busy with the
steamboat, endeavored to dissuade his
aunt from taking the home-journey un.
til he should be going out with his YES.
sci, when he would take her home. His
efforts in that direction, however, were
unavailing, and he had her taken on
board the schooner to 20 to
Buffalo in charge of the crew. The
vessel being light, and the time
of the year August, the Captain hade en-
tire confidence in the ability of the crew
to manage the craft and land his rela-
tive safe at her destination. Every.
thing passed off quietly until after the
vessel had passed Erie, when a sudden
squat struck and rolled her over upon
her side, when she nearly filled with
water, but continued to float. The crew,
loosening the vessels yawl, jumped in
and pulled for the shore, leaving the
woman in the cabin, as they supposed,
drowned. The party landed at or near
Portland, Chautauqua County, N. Y,
and made their way as best they could
back to Conneaut. Three days after
the accident Capt. Wilkins, of the steam.
boat William Peacock, in coming down
from Detroit, was besought by Captain
to board the wreck if he saw
it, and if possible get the body of his
aunt out of the cabin, and convey it to
Buffalo. Capt. Wilkins discovered the
vessel drifting down the lake,
and, after coming alongside, Captain
VIM. Henton, then first mate Of the
Peacock, boarded the wreck and made
search. The schooner lay upon her
side, and, to all appearances, was full
If water. A pole was employed and it
vas supposed every part of the cabin twas
and as no object in the shape
If human body was felt, the conclu-
ion was reached that the remains had
loated out of the cabin into the lake,
renee further search was given up,
Two days afterward Captain Appleby
anne down with a vessel with facilities
o right the schooner and tow her into
he nearest port, the drowned
son being along to assist in
he recovery of the body. The vessel
vas finally righted, and when the CABIN
loor had nearly reached level posi-
ion, the woman walked through the
vater and came up the stairs upon deck.
The was caught by Capt. Appleby and
while her son wept and sail
RS screamed. Five days and nights
ad she been in the water, while a por'
ion of her time she was up to her arm
its. She could not lie down, and VIVA.
leep she got was in that position, anu
IL the food she had was SOLITARY
racker and a raw onion, which floaleu
n the water. She stated that after lne
essel capsized and was abandoned ~
ne crew, she found herself alone Ill
-ater waist-deep. The cabin door was
pen but the water was two feet above :
!, and the sea made constant changes
l her position. When Capt. "ilhins
,opped she could hear the boardinS
arty talk and walk on the vessel anu
she used her voice to the u.
lost to attract attention, she could mol
lake them hear. She saw the Poi'