The New York herald., 1879-02-24
RESCUED AT SEA.


f. AHRENs.
The German ship Lena, Captain e. Ahrens. which
left Bremen January 10, arrived at her pier. No.
As East River yesterday afternoon, after encounter
ing succession very heavy gales during the entire
passage She had board the crew of the bark
Canada West, Captain Fitzgerald, which craft they
fell in with in midocean waterlogged and in sink
ing condition. The captains of both vessels were
found by the reporter last evening" and they each
lated the story of their voyage.
THE VOYAGE OF REscUER.
When the Lena left Bremen the weather
heavy, with the wind blowing from all points of the
compass. Her cargo consisted Of empty barrels
For the first nine days out continuous gales were
met with, during which top. stay and jib sails We're
lost. After passing the Lizards in the English
Channel the storm somewhat moderated. and on
the sOth they were off the Banks of Newfoundland
Rough weather was Immediately experienced, in
which spars and sails carried away and the
spanker boom was entirely demolished. The wind
NAMED about the same for several days, with heavy
seas, It being impossible to carry any canvas The
sailmaker had his hands and feet frozen and several
Of the crew were frostbitten On the night of the
18th inst. q high wind commenced blow
ing, which by midnight increased to hur-
ricane. fearful was running. causing
the vessel to pitch fearfully, while the waves
broke with great violence over tnc uecks Iore ana
aft The sky was overcast with threatening clouds
and peals of thunder occasionally heard above
the roar Of the waves. accompanied by vivid flashes
of lightning. Although everything was kept trim
the Lena was knocked her beam ends and in i'm
minent danger of foundering. After ploughing
through the waves for about hour she was
righted by heavy striking her on the port side.
About two o'clock the morning of the 14th while
they hove to and laborng heavily the first mate
| discovered flash light on the starboard side. The
captain who had just retired to his stateroon,
called % deck but it fully two minutes before
the fash again appeared. When 1T did the captain
saw that it was signal OF distress. whereupon he
Instead of coming toward him the light was getting
further away. which seemed very mysterious. After
making several he succeeded in getting within
hailng distance, and by great effort he made him.
| self heard through speaking trumpet. The reply
| he got was faint one, which understood to be,
ave are waterlogged and have lost rudder
| "Can assist your" again shouted Captain 1ahrens.
''Wi you lay by us. till daylight?" came the faint
| reply above the bowling of the wind
''Y-e-s" shouted Captain Ahrcns, and the Lena
hove to- The blue light was kept burning. and as
an assurance that they would lay by thern Captain
Ahrens hoisted red light. AS it day
| the vessel distinctly made out, and, with her
foremasts gone and sails futtering in the wind like
| ribbons. presented distressed appearance. The
| long boat was Immediately launched, and with
great disuy nd was tse feps nss onp1 cnpsizng
succeeded in bringing the little craft alongside ths
| Canada West. from st. John, N. b.. bound for
| Barcelona. The sea was running mountains high
| at the time. and the seamen were drenched. Nine
Of the Canada Vests crew landed board the
Lena by eight o'clock The boat could not approach
| against the sides 1t up under the stern and
| each sailor hoisted on deck by Of
gantling attached to the end Of the spanker boom.
Not one of them escaped q ducking. boat
| from the Canada West was then launched, and by
| halfpast o'clock the crew of fourteen men
| all rescued, having saved nothing but the clothing
on their backs The captain still remained board,
aud could be seen moving about on the deck of his
| i'll fated craft which he hated TO abandon. The
| Canada Vests men were entirely exhausted and
boat manned by several of the Lenas crew returned
| for Captain Fitzgerald. When the boat was within
safe distance he made spring for it, landing safely
The vessel was then abandoned, and the Lena pro-
| ceeded on her course
VOYAGE OF THE CANADA WEST
| The bark Canada West. Captain George f. Fitz-
| gerald, sailed st. Johns, N. b., wednes-
1883 pieces Of deal and ends consigned to Mcssrs.
Guy, Beven x Co., of Barcelona, Spain, with crew
Of fifteen zen, men al told The passage commenced
| When but forty miles out the sky became
overcast and looked SO threatening that
| was no change in the weather. and Friday they
again got underway. As night came snow began
to fall aud gale sprung up from the northwest.
O'Clock Mschias Seal Island was made out northeast
by the compass about fifteen miles. All day Satur-
day they had strong gales and u thick snow storm.
| On Sunday night the wind and increased in vo-
lence the wind still from the northwest.
|
compass. comp Later ter the the wind shifted to the
intensely dark Volumes Of water swept the decks
and flooded the cabin. The pumps were regularly
attended to. sleet was encountered on
the 10h which froze almost rapidly as ii touched
the deck, making II almost imposs BILE for the sailors
to remain above, there being great danger
of their going overheard. All sail was
reefed and everything made snug. There was
no moderation in the storm on Tuesday. Night
| closed in upon them with the sky more threatening
|
with terrific fury, the masts bending before the wind
and the waves beating against the sides and
lence. About daylight the vessel sprung
leak which could not be located. The port
the starboard pump with will, but the vessel
filing rapidly. The port pump was aterward got in
working order, having been choked by q ballast
stone All hands were then ordered To the pumps
! and were doing good work when, without q momenls
warning fearful gale from the north struck the
knocking tho vessel on its beam ends the Ice rail
going under water.
The deck load forward house and water casks were
started. The beat against the deck load aud
shifted IT. making 1t impossible for the bark right.
| Neither pumps could be worked. The at the
wheel was washed from his position, but
1 saved from going overheard Five hours were
| occupied In throwing overheard the deck load,
many of the crew being severely injured about
the limbs The maintopsail was then goose winged,
and those who executed the order barely escaped
with their lives. They hardly knew when the
had set, so completely was it obscured by thick
Az c1ght CLOCK III evening perfect nul-
| rcane was blowing. The crew becoming dis
hearencd. and many Of them thought that the vessel
| would never hoat through tho night. The Captain
had them ali come att, ~ their quarters in the
forward part of the craft flooded TO the depth OF
four feet. Everything on board was soaked Even
the hunks were filled with water. All the fires
extnguished early in the afternoon. that nothing
could be cooked, consequently they were Obliged TO
subsist entirely salt-water-soaed bread and salt
water as their water casks had burst. No slept
that night, for they were all in terrible suspense
they could feel the vessel gradually sinking, and the
water swashing about below. As soon as the Captain
opened the door OF his cabin ON Thursday morning
he was horrhcd TO find tina. the decks bursting
aud the rigging Stacking through the vessel The dry
deal with which the Canada West was loaded becom-
ing soaked 10 swelled and burst open tho decks and
Sizes Captain Fitzgerald ordered the main rigging
be set up keep the masts from going the Sides
F! A little sail set which had the effect of keeping
her off before the sea. The wheel managed with
great dficulty, the frequently up 10 his
| neck in water. All suffered much for want of
fresh water and proper nourishment Saturday