The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-11-27
Shipwrecked on Lake Erie "A Thrill.
ing Experience. ..a
BrrrrAIo. N. ". Nov,

BUFFALO, N. I. ., November 10.
The schooner Nellie Gardner, Cap
tain Edward Lusk, Master, arrived here
this morning, and brought to this port
another of the crew of the Inflated
schooner c. G. Breed, which went to
the bottom on Friday. His name was
David McAllister, and he halls from
Port Colborne, where he has young
wife, but no children. His account Of
the disaster, and his personal expert
ences after the vessel went down, are as
follows:
l shipped on board the Breed at Detroit
Those ON board beside Captain Rose and my
self were Frank Davis; a man called Scotty,
who believe, belonged in Detroit; the first
Cleveland; James b. Green, of Buffalo, the
| second mate, and two others whose names did
not know. We were about twenty-five miles
below the Point when the squall struck us. 1t
came from the southwark. We saw it coming
over the water at very lively rate and
supposed it was rain; it looked like it. Four
or i've times in the morning we saw sim
liar weather signs, and, supposing them
to be produced by blow, made prep
arations accordingly, but in each instance
| consequence, in this last instance, we were de-
| ceived as to it's true character. 1t struck us
between twelve and one O'clock, and it seemed
just about a second after we discovered its
approach that we got the entire strength full
| on the starboard, the schooner careening to the
left so that her spars stood at an acute angle.
just coming. out of the forecastle, and had
my foot on the upper one of the fOrecastle steps
preparatory to going down to turn in. l did
| not see the Captain, but think he was aft The
other men wore all on deck. l Immediately
ran aft, let go the foresheet, and then went
| for the port side, as the vessel had canted
ed the forebrssce, e pulled myself up 70 tie
| weather rail, and got out on the weather side.
| pulled Davis and Smith up to where I was,
but with great difficulty. The boat was now
and clambered up through the main rigging,
reaching the cross-trecs, and, looking back, I
saw that she had settled to the main rigging.
eyes of the topmast rigging, when she righted
| up, but don't know how far, for Just then the
topmast broke below me, at the cap, and went
| with the gaff topsail halyards and other rig
ging. hung on. and was swept into the lake
with the whole mass: When came to the sur.
but her yards were visible in the water. I grab.
| bed piece of board. and kept myself up. After
drifting along for five or ten minutes, 1 came
each arm. He said, Are ! You hurt a muchs '
thought you were all mangled by the mast. "
He said had poor 1Oat,l and suggested that
ahead of US. soon left him behind me, and
don't know why It was. but I seemed to drift
down the lake faster than everything around
| u
boards ahead Of me. / succeeded in securing
one, and now had 4 plank under each arm.J
passed the mate. He seemed to be hanging to
| the hawser box. He looked at me but did not
speak when was Just abreast Of him . sea
turned me over, boards and all, and, when
was able to look around me again, he had dis.
| appeared.
| saw a man, whom took to be the Captain,
| clinging to what looked like the cabin, upside
down. He had some dark 0b3eyE nke a scarf
Hed to stick, snd aPPsaEs$ t. $s wsvins r. +;
afternoon when found myself alone on the
water, and no signs of any of the rest of the
crew: saw vessels: propellers and tows, iiye
| ward Of me. During the night saw bright
Hsht thst rss apparently JTst 1ssina me: ,s and
times. I shouted myself hoarse, but could
not make them hear me. At one time the
ses sSe2 to ss = s broke 1SE a oUe'
lAInight lonE1 drfteton those two planks;
Whom daylight finally came-and tell you II
@ miies assg xt this time ne Sody
was perfectly numb, from my waist to the
| ends Of my toes. How anxiously l watched
small boat which had been lowered none can
| ever know until they have lake experience.
did not lose heart, though, and determined to
on 50 the fne
crossed my planks, got astraddle Of them IN
the center, and then, with the aid Of piece Of
lower the yawI, pull around for awhile, and g
back. she1tqA but they did not hear.
ssx them eg9d bosra: Teey made second emo
down a fowsF ma waved ~ nsddie sa aed
saw that they had observed my signal: The
boat WINS loEered, and they pulled to where
,ncx sened the naie q the yax and
q blank. knew nnthtng more until found
myself on board the Gardner. and here am. !