The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-12
DANGERS OF THE DEEP.
Suferings of the Grew Of the
Sallie M. Steelman.
THEY EAT A NEGRO.
The Brig Carrie Wins'ow Sunk by the
British America.
LOST OFF THE LIGHTSHIP.
THEY EAT A NEGRO.
LOST OFF THE LIGHTSHIP.

this port day afternoon the Speed
WE'LL s so horrible In detail that IL sounds more like
chapter from sensational sea novel than stern
reality. For seven days they had no sustenance
except coffee, and then OF the crow was shot In
row, and the survivors cooked and ate him. Fortu-
nately they not forced 10 subsst long on such
diet, as they were rescued BY the Speedwell she
following day. When brought on board the Speed
well they were in a very exhausted condition, but
through careful and judicious treatment they grad
uaiiy recovered their strength, and are now almost
entirely we'll
VOYAGE.
The schooner Salle NJ. Steelman, Of Somer's Point,
N. j., 1874 TONS lett Charleston, s. Co on the 18th OF
December, bound for Baltimore with cargo OF phos
phate rock. The officers were Captain Somers Highly.
Mate r. Somers and the crew consisted Of the cook,
Sylvester B. Herbert, Dave Barrett three colored
men, George Hicks Waiter Sampson and George Sea-
man. For the first fortnight the weather was quite
mild and the winds light and variable, SO thoy
made little Roadway In their voyage. On the after.
noon OF December 80, when about twenty miles to
the southeast OF Cape Hatteras, they were caught in
= terrific gale from the north northwest and were
literally at ats mercy for seventy hours
During that time they driven off the land
In terrific seaway that stove IN their boat and
washed away everything that was movable. Their
gals were carried away aud their sails split TO ribbons
On the Sd Of January the storm abated slightly but
the westerly gales still prevailed the schooner
was helpless she drlited out to sea- The sails were
patched up but thoy proved OF little use, they could
not stand the storm, and there nothing lett Tor
the crew but TO patiently wait the abatement OF the
gale. Day by day passed away and still the wind
howled through the rigging and the unfortunate
mariners were tossed about the ocean without the
slightest encouraging prospect OF any relief their
perllOus position.
THE PROVISIONS GIVE OUT
AS If TO add to the horror of their situation the
captain a. last forced to reduce the rations and
Oh the morning OF the 23d OF January thoy consumed
the last Of the provisions Toward evening of that
day the pangs of hunger began TO be iolt by these
suffering mon, and the vessel was searched from
stem to STERN for any PARTICLES Of food that might
have been hidden away. 1t was almost a truitless
labor, ana several OF the began to despair. On
The following day they subslsted on coffee, which
proved very grateful and warmed them up for the
time being, but the want OF solid food began tell
on the coored portion Of the crew. On that night,
January "a, the wind increased to q gale
from the west northwest and the unfortunate
schooner labored heavily decks started and
she sprung aleak. A new duty devolved on these
weak and starving men, as It became necessary TO
Keep the pumps going all the time to keep tho water
down. They all took their turns manuly for another
couple Of days. and then the c0i0red ssamen George
Hicks Walter sampson and George Seaman gave up
from exhaustion, and left the captain mate cook and
ssesman to work the snip ana man the pumps. The
storm abated somewhat ON the 2sth OF January and
tie schooner was able TO get up lutte salt but thor
prospects OF reaching port wore very meagre, they
had been driven several hunared miles out 10 sea.
''wB MUST RAT.O
The seven human beings on board this schooner had
changed iearfuy during the past ew days, us their
eyes had sunkc III their sockets, their cheeks
WilA I'm a WRrA Qn6 Arin frnr Ufnron
exhaustion. The cook still kept up lire III the gal.
ley and served out hot coffee, which was eagerly
warmth TO the souiacn. 1t not coffee, however,
Tor which these unfortunate creatures were craving,
SUGGESTION saer. were one sranTs s %s ssss,u
thoughts lie their half crazed minds. This
condition OF affairs continued until the mornng
OF the 30th, when tragedy took place, which
saved the execution OF project TO which they had
been almost driven. On the 10Th OF January the COL
ored man, George Seaman, became almost delirous,
And would occasionally leave ms berth and wander
around The decks han mad Early on the morning OF
tho 3Oth he turned out Of mis- bunk ana came up on
DECK He first met the Captain, and, after talking In
an incoherent way, threatened TO shoot him. Tho
Captain backed away from him and then Seaman
went 10 the forecaste. When he was inside be called
on Walter sampson, another colOred man, and told
him TO get up or he would shoot him in
things ind backed toward the door. but before
he got there Seaman put his hand In his pocket to
there for some little time without any OF the six
vivors venturing to make suggestion as 10 what dis
position should be made OF it but nnnlly the subject
was cautiously approached and one OF the men said
that as tho man was dead he, for one, intended 70
proht by tue accident and try and save his own lie
He cut of portion OF the body and took 1t into tho
galley, wnere he boiled 1t IN q pot The others had
still horror OF leasing the body OF Of their
messmaies; but later in the hunger prevailed
aud the COOK fred some small pieces in pan which
were eaten with great relish.
There appears 10 be a slight differences opinion az
10 the flavor OF the meat as In giving their descrip-
lions OF the repast one OF the colored SAID he
would not know II from mutton, while the cook
proved a wonderful stimuant. as IL revived tho
Exhausted men and enabled them to asslst in the
management ofth vessel.
THE RESCUE
The 3lst OF January Is day trat will be remembered
by the crew OF the Salie NJ. steemaD Tor the OF
their lives, as II brought them deIiverance from a
horrible death. Early IN the morning they sighted
the schooner Speedwei and although for some little
time they suffered all suspense IN the iear
that their signals oil distress would not DO seem ut
last their minds were set at rest as the gallant
schooner bore down toward Them and in a short time
bout was alongside and relief at hand. The sudden
change IRON the gloom OF despair TO good quarters
and plenty oi food almost set tno sufferers crazy,
forced Captain keenc Of III Speedwe to exert great
caution IN resuscitang their exhausted frames. they
were only given iitto nourishment ut a time and
they began 10 regain their strength they we're
fowea 10 lena u hand in working the schooner. When
they arrived yesterday they looked In pretty good
condition, but some OF them have received such
scare that they say they have made their last trip
sea.
VISIT TO TIE sPEEDwELL.
HERALD reporter paid visit 10 tho Speed
well yesterday afternoon and found her al an
Choir OF Jersey CITY. Tho mate on deck and re-
ceivcd the reporter very oourteousiy volunteering
any Information in his power. The SpeedwelI Is a
three-mssted schooner OF Jonesport. Me-, and LETT
Cadiz, spain on tho 7th Of January, bound TO this
port, with mixed cargo. the mate OF the speed.
we'll made the following statement We sighted the
schooner Salie NJ steeman ON the 3lst OF january In
latitude 81 deg 90 min. and Longitude 81 deg. SO min
Seeing her Ia distress we bore down toward her and
look of the Captain and i've men, The schooner was
abandoned, as nothing could be done TO save her,
The crew we're In very emaniated condition, ana had
been without iood Tor eight days From what l could
learn they had meal oil u co0red man named George
Seaman, who was shot by Walter Sampson the day
before we sighted them. The shooting, understand
was done In seli-defe nee.
TALK WITH TIE COOK.
The reporter then had talk with sylvester Is, Her.
BERT the cook OF the schooner Sallie NJ. SteeIman.
who Still shows the effects OF starvation. The cook
Md:-We were blown out TO sea In gale from of
Cape Hatteras ana oil canvas destroyed and
everything on deck washed overheard. Alter about
three weeks Dueting about the ocean our provisions
ran out and there was nothing lott 70 eat had some
conse, which served out hot and that was The only
nourshment had left to give the men. The day be-
mad hv oedW wall IN nj M