The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-07-12
Wreck Of the 3. j. McKinnen.

Il
Lopez the Sole Survivor twenty
Two Days ON the Nreck--.
His own story.
Prayer 20 God for water ~ .
Dying Man.
Something over two and a half
months ago the bark E. J. McKinnen
sailed from San Francisco with full
crew among whom was Victorino Lo-
peg, the sole survivor, and who tells
the following story: On the goth of
March, six days after the fated vessel
sailed from San Francisco, she was
overtaken by the storm. That night |
the vessel lay to, and, just before day
light on the 3Ist, having fallen off for
a moment, was struck by a wave
which upset her. Lopez was at the
wheel, which was lashed, and held
fast to it. The mate and two men,
who were on deck at the time, took
refuge in the rigging. The sea, pour
ing into the foreeastle, prevented the
watch below from escaping, and they
were drowned in their hunks. The
captain, who with the second mate
had come on deck when the vessel
capsized, climbed to the side of the
schooner, and held on there until
huge wave swept him away, and he
was seen no more. When daylight
came, Lopez with his sheath-knife cut
away the rigging: the masts broke,
and the vessel thus freed partially
righted. A small keg of whisky,
box of fruit, and a sack of potatoes
were procured from the cabin; but
these were washed overheard. On
the third day the mate died of exhaus-
ton, and the survivors threw his body
into the sea. Another sack of pota-
toes was fished up from the hold; on
these the unfortunate men subsisted
until the ninth day. Then Lopez,
who to greater degree than his COM
panions retained his strength of mind
and body, with great difficulty FASH
ioned hook out of piece of iron,
and with this began to fish in the fore
castle. He first brought up the body
of ship-mate, but further attempts
were more successful, and he obtained
a box of butter and another sack of
potatoes All this time the men had
been obliged to drink salt water, and
Lopez now lost his reckoning of the
days. He remembers that one day he
killed a gull which was greedily devour-
ed, except small portion reserved
for catching fish; few fish were
caught and eaten at once. A man
named George was the first who died.
Lopez asked him if he thought he was
going to God, and, on his replying
that he did think so, Lopez-with
world of meaning in his words-said,
tGeorge, when you get to where God
is tell him to send us some water.
The dying man said that he would do
so, and presently he died. Drinking
salt water had made the mate crazy,
and he died shortly afterward. This
death was followed by that of Lopez's
only remaining companion and he was
alone on the wreck. Lopez thinks
that Georges intercession was success
full, for shortly after his death there
was an abundant fall of rain. This
was before the others died, and they
Tapped the water from the planks like
SO many dogs. Lopez caughed his hat
full and carefully boarded it. But he
had now become too weak to obtain
more provisions, although he made
many attempts to do so. He could
scarcely stagger to his feet for few
moments at time. His mouth and
throat were parched; his tongue swol-
len so that he breathed with difficulty;
so wasted was his body that his flesh
was drawn tight over his ribs. He
thought that for him also the end
would soon come, and that, should
the wreck be found, it would be
known who he was, for his name was
tattooed on his arm. Despair had
seized him, but one day he painfully
rose to his feet in order to take one
last lingering look for deliverance; he
saw vessel apparently standing from
the wreck, and endeayored to shout,
but no articulated sound escaped from
his paralized throat Making one SUI
Ipreme effort, he shook his sou'wester
above his head and fell back uncon-
scious as he caught a glimpse of a
small boat coming toward him. He
was taken on board the Otaga in an
insensible condition and kindly cared
for. Upon arriving at Port Townsend
he was taken to the Hospital where
he remained two months before being
able to depart. He then went to
San Francisco where the simple story
of his unparalleled sufferings met
with great sympathy and he was soon
the recipient Of substantial favors
which will henceforth make his broken
life more bearable and remove the ne
cessity of labor or again experiencing
the horrors of ship wreck on the
open sea.