Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-10-14
ADRIFT ON A RAFT.
A Touching Story Of the Sea.

AOuCuluS StOry VI bu0 sea-
Rarely among the stories of the sea
has any thing more touching been told
than simple tale published in the
Friend of India some years ago, as hav-
ing been narrated by u seaman-one
Aaron Frazer, survivor of the ship Roth.
esay, which was abandoned by her crew
on the 30th of June, three days after
casting off the tug boat from Calcutta
At twelve o'clock on the Goth, the pilot
expressed an opinion that they were over
taken by cyclone, and as next day tie
vessel was found to be in critical con-
dition, the crew were lashed to the mast
for safety. Frazer's narrative proceeds:
"Tne pilot then asked for volunteer
20 build raft; the chief mate (who was
the captains SOM, myself, and the. boat
swain, and seaman named John Roach,
volunteered for the work. Within two
hours we had the raft ready for launch
ing to windwerd, when a heavy sea
took it from off the bulwarks, foated il
over the other side, at the same time
breaking the captains leg in two places,
washing the second officer overheard,
and fatally crushing the boatswain q
mate. After the raft was launched, we
lowered the captain tenderly, and secured
him; but, as he said he felt that he had
nos more than an hour or 50 to live. he
requested to be placed again on board, as
he wished to 60 down with the ship.
The chiet officer (his SOM, and boatswain,
and some Others of the crew, also re-
mained on board ....
''The sea eS this time was fast rushing
into the ships matches, and she was al
most down to the waters edge. The pi-
lot ordered all men who desired to get on
the raft, when thirteen of the crew did so.
The raft was then astern of the ship,
held by rope. Jumped off the stern,
and made for the raft; the pilot followed
me, and he was the last man to leave the
ship. The pilot ordered the hawser to
be cut, and within an hour atterward we
saw the vessel keel over and go down.
"We drifted all the day and night,
heavy seas breaking over US. We were
all up to our chins in water. as, having
so many men upon 1t, the raft floated low
All the night Pilot Elson, being very
powerful swimmer, swan round the raft
in order to gee to the lashings, which re-
CURED constant attention. At two in
he morning, one man, Greek, Peter
Lecoll, was washed off the raft by
breaker; the pilot immediately made
for him, and brought him back; one or
two more men, similarly washed of,
were also saved by Pilot Elson.
"The pilot then suggested that we
should remove the three booms, which
in part held our smaller raft to relieve
the men on the larger one. The men
were all suffering from the salt W ater, the
raft being so deep in the water. The
pilot, myself, seaman named John
Butler, and another London seaman
(1ame not known), who shipped in Cal
cutta, took to the small raft, and after
getting on to her we lost sight of the
large raft. Our small raft was made of
the three booms aforesaid, and was in
the form of triangle. During the night
l fetched in every piece of wood that
tioated passed us, to improve the buoy
ancy of our raft.
"Toward the morning OF the I'd, when
the sun began to increase in power, the
two me1 seated at one corner of the tn.
angle became delirious, and allowed the
lashings to 60 adr1ft. Later on, the three
spars of the raft got separated, and In
swimming about in heavy surf to get
these together again, the pilot and ] be-
came very much exhausted. At about
four Of clock heavy sea washed off ore
OF the delirious men, and within an hour
after the other man shared the same fate.
I then observed to pilot Elson that we
were the only swo men lert, and must
try and fight it out, when he replied, % !!
Fraser. can't hold out any longer l
replied, pilot, you mustn't give up that
way. I will see to the lashings; you re
main quiet I further said, 1T you think
YOU cannot hold on, can lash you on.
He then made some exclamation about
his poor wife, and said, Il will hold on.
81 then turned to make fast the LASH
ings, when heavy sea broke upon us
and knocked him off. I made for him
in sufficient time to lay hold of him by
the hair of the head, but my hand slip
ped from the raft. found it impossible
to hold him, and was forced to let him
go, as I had great difficulty In regaining
the raft. I then got the raft little to-
gether, and lashed myself to it. scarce
ly knew at the time what I was about,
being so exhausted, and felt that I was
about to share the fate of my companions.
cannot say how long I remained on
the raft after this, forI become senseless.
sat eventually y(next morLing was
high and dry on the beach, the part of it
near the Balasore road, and sixteen miles
from Contai. l managed to walk to a
small house on the beach about two
miles distant, where I learned that of the
eleven men on the big raft eight had
come ashore and three washed off,"
1t is gratifying to learn that some of
the leading firms of Calcutta have start.
ed a subscription for the widow and chill
dren of Elson, whose heroism and self.
sacrifice in perilous circumstances are
beyond praise.