The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-01-23

none OF the OmCerS WOulQ leave the
vessel while single plank remained Of
her, one of the crew took command of
the boat. fortunately, she got clear of
the wreck, but what became of her aft
erward has yet to be known.
"The Purser of the Souder was now
called upon to take charge of the third
lifeboat. in which were ten persons, but
he did SO reluctantly. as he preferred to
remain on the sinking vessel with his
commanding officer. All this time it
was evident to those on the Souder but
a few minutes, perhaps seconds. were
left to make whatever preparations
could be devised to save life. Ander-
son and myself were fastening ourselves
to the 'booby' hatch (hatch cover). An
elderly gentleman of about fifty years
was there, and we induced him to join
US. While trying to make the 'boeby'
hatch float, q tremendous sea came
along and carried it out upon the waves.
At that moment the Captain was en-
deavoring to make raft for himself,
and that was the last we saw of him.
Everybody had now to look out for
himself, and while on the hatch-cover
we saw the ship sink beside us. In less
than five minutes after the vessel went
uowhs tuC AhC-loAtp WhAShs AoA OuhoeOAys
had been cut loose from the steamer,
came alongside of the BOBBY hatch,
and, though it was in q miserable con-
dition, Anderson and myself sprang
upon it. We urged the old gentleman
who was upon the 'booby' hatch with
us to come on the life-raft. We en-
treated him to join us, but he seemed
paralyzed with fear and did not stir.
Col II OF Il dnxxyr
soon after.
1--WE stuck to the life-raft the best
way we could, hoping against hope,
but still with full faith in a speedy res
cue. For more than forty-eight hours
we were tossed about on the ocean, and
our sufferings during that period can
be imagined better than described. We
were almost exhausted from exposure,
hunger, and thirst, but in this extremity
we found tossing about on the waves
some canned-oysters which had hoated
from the Souder, sud which gave US
great relief.
ION the third day we were sighted
by the schooner Herbert Devereau, from
Boston for Kingston, Jamaica, and
picked up. l should add that the first
night we were on the life-raft was ex-
ceedingly dark. We could not see any
thing, and soon lost track of the wreck
debris that surrounded US in the early
part of the evening. While on the raft
we suffered severely. Half of our bodies
being in the warm water of the Gulf
Stream were constantly kept in a sort
of warm glow, while the other half, ex-
posed to the cold winds, felt the effects
of the severe weather most terribly.
When the Devereau came in sight she
hove right alongside, and we were &C.
tually dragged on board of her by the
warm-hearted crew in their haste to
succor us. The raft was subsequently
taken on board the schooner also. The
Devereau has that life-raft on board
vet. We were three days on the
schooner before we could use our lower
limbs, so terribly had they been weak
ened by exposure. During fourteen
DAYS we remained on the Devereau,
where we were most Hospitality cared
for until we arrived at Kingston, Jamai-
ca. We were sent back to this port by
the American Consul ut that place"
The seaman Anderson stated that the
life-raft on which they saved themselves
was swept off the Seuder just as she was
sinking. They knew nothing whatever
about those who had left the vessel in
the boats, except that they saw one OF
the boats turn over; they feared that all
the rest had perished. about forty OF
the crew and ten passengers. They
were the last on board, and remained
there till the Souder was sinking. The
hurricane was one of the most fearful
on record. The most heartrending
sight connected with the catastrophe,
he said, was the upsetting of the boat
under command of the First Mate. The
shrieks and piteous cries of the women
almost drowned the roar of the tenn
pest, and, what was worse, there was
no human help available to serve them
in their terrible position. The boats of
the Emily B. Souder were considered
in good conditions; but no ordinary life
boat could withstand such waves. An
derson says the life-raft was in bad con-
dition, constantly leaking and turning
over.
The United States Local Inspectors of
Steamships will commence taking testi-
mony regarding the loss of the Souder
within few days. 1t is reported that
evidence will be forthcoming to show
that the vessel in question was almost
loaded down to the waters edge and
had hardly any free board left. and that
her gangways were filled up with tim
ber and other freight.-N. Y. Herald.