Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-11-13
Five DAYS without Food.

New Orleans papers of the I'd inst.
announce the arrival at that port of the
Spanish steamer Enrique, from Matan-
gas, bringing two seamen, Gustav
Michel, q German, and Antonio Diaz,
a Spaniard, the sole survivors of the
American brigantine Sally, Capt Jose
Artigea Aharez, which was capsized in
the gulf, about 100 miles southeast of
South Pass light. The Sally was owned
at Key West, and left Pensacola for
Havana with q heavy load of lumber on
the 25th of October. Michel, who was
on his way to Havana to join the Brit
ish brig Florence as mate, says the
crew consisted of eight men. 1t was
blowing hard at the time they left PEN
sacola, and the brig was found to be
leaking badly, as soon as they got to
sea. The pumps were kept going from
the start. On the 26th the wind had
increased to a terrific gale, the heavy
sea sweeping the foreyard every mo-
ment. Early in the morning of the
next day Sunday, the crew, who had
been constantly at the pumps, were
only able to get some bread and coffee,
the last meal they were destined to eat
together,
The next day, about eight o'clock in
the morning, the vessel was thrown on
her beam ends, and it was impossible
for her to recover her equilibrium, be-
ing now hopelessly water logged'
Michel had lashed himself to the
wheel, of which he was in charge at the
time the vessel went over, and to this,
in all probability, he owed his safety.
The steward was killed by the falling
of the mainmast, which went by the
board as the vessel capsized, and the
only other survivor, sUrange to say, was
saved by being entangled in the rigging
at the time. The two survivors were,
therefore, enabled to climb to the side
of the vessel then out of the water and
hold on. The Captain, mate, and three
of the crew managed to get into the
long boat just as the vessel went over,
They dared not come near the wreck
for fear of being swamped in attempt
ing to save their comrades, neither OF
whom could swim. Ten minutes after
the long boat left the wreck it was lost
sight of. A very high sea was running
at the time and Michel thinks it was
lost.
Up to the following Friday the two
men held on desperately to the wreck,
with nothing to drink but salt water
and the blood of cat, which they had
killed and ate, dividing six spoonfuls Of
the blood between them. Diaz, who
speaks only Spanish, gave your CORE
spondent the. following additional par
ticulars. He says he was trying to free
the long boat from its fastenings at the
moment the vessel capsized. At that
instant he lost all sense of conscious
ness. When he revived he found him
self entangled in the main rigging, from
which he extricated himself and climbed
up on the mast. AS the longboat drifted
to leeward the Captain called to
him to Jump At that time, however, it
was too far, and he dared not attempt
it as he could not swim.
During the five days they clung to
the side of the vessel their sutferings,
both from hunger and thirst, became
The vessel, to whose sides
they clung, still rolled heavily in the
swell of the sea, exhausting every mo-
ment the little strength they had. On
Thursday they sighted bark, to which
they made signals of distress. She
either did not SEQ or did not heed them,
and so passed on. On Friday morning,
after dividing the blood of the cat be-
tween them with the most scrupulOus
exactness, both agreed if assistance did
not appear before night to relax their
hold upon the vessel and drop into the
sea. Endurance could go no fur
ther, and they both reasoned that
death would be easier than the
5ufferings they endured. Toward |
noon of that day Michel became |
ielirious, and Diaz found it almost inn
possible to control him. His mouth |
had become sore and swollen from the
use of the salt water, which he would
persist in drinking, and it was impos-
Iible to understand what he wanted to
say, even when his delirium had passed
off. Diaz says he was sure assistance
would come in the time they agreed to
wait for it, and his only way was to
Ieep his companion in the same hope
ul spirit.
Late on Friday afternoon they were
lroused from the almost despair into
which both had now fallen by the APP
,earance of a large steamer, bearing
loWn toward them Darkness was now
,oming on rapidly and they were afraid
hat their signals might not be noticed.
They made every effort that their little
trength was capable of to attract at
ention, and shouted with all their
night, The Enrique and its comman-
Ter had discovered them and they were
ayed. Both men lost everything they
lad in the world except the clothing
hey wore. They are profuse in express
ions of gratitude to Captain De Mugico
# the Enrique, who kindly furnished
hem with everything shelter, cloth
ng, and food. Michel says he has
een twenty-nine years at sea, but had
ever experienced anything so dreadful
s his last disaster, although he was
nate of the Robert Ruff, of Galveston,
uring the hurricane of September,
877. Most of the time he has sailed
rom New York, where he has many
riends.
It is impossible to ascertain the
,,,,ne % tbo y,,o,, Who yvsra lost ag tho |