Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-01-15
THE HL.FATED BORUSSIA,
Statement of a Survivor Rescued by an
Italian Bark.

Italian Bark.
Eleven persons of the crew and pas.
sengers who were aboard the Sorussia
when forced to abandon that vessel
Dec. 2nd, arrived at Baltimore, Jan. Sd,
in the Italian bark Giacomini. Bernard
Geritz, one of the survivors, and an able
seaman on board the the lost steamship,
was interviewed by the Times cores
pOndent. He stated that the Borussia
left Liverpool Nov. 20 for New Orleans
via Coronna and Havana, with great
cargo. Early on the morning of Dec.
a leak was discovered in the engine
room. Every possible effort was made
to stop it, but without success, and the
water gained rapidly, although the
pumps were kept constantly at work.
The wind was blowing a gale from the
west and a tremendous sea was run
ming, breakers sweeping completely
over the vessel, which was rapidly fill
ing and becoming unmanageable. At
5 o'clock all hope was abandoned of
saving the vessel as she was evidently
sinking, and shortly afterward the pas
sengers and crew took to boats, leaving
the Borussia to her fate. Night came
on, very dark, and the boats became
separated. The survivors who were
picked up were in hfe-boat No. 8, and
were rescued on the 5sh of December,
after drifting over three days at the
mercy Of the wind and wave.
William Fisher, ordinary seaman,
aged Is, in giving the experience of
those in his boat from the time they left
the steamship, said:
1t was on the I'd Of December, in lat
itude sc degrees north and longitude 35
degrees 50 minutes west, when we made
up oul minds to leave the vessel. 1t
commenced blowing great guns, and
the sea was running high at 5 2. M,
when we succeeded in launching life
boat No. 3 from the davits. Six boats
in all were lowered, but one of them
was swamped by the smashing of one
of the davits. BY this accident the sec
ond steward was thrown from the side
of the vessel, and fell against the boat,
cutting a severe cash in his head, but he
was saved. When our boat was brought
alongside from the stern of the ship,
six of the crew and five of the passen-
gers got in her. We took care to have
plenty Of corned beef and hard tack in
the boat, and we also had two breakers
of water. The only thing we lacked
was change of clothing and in that re-
spect we Ger Iainly suffered. By the
time we got away from the ship it was
dark, and we saw nothing of the other
boats. The sea was running mountain
high, and the efforts, of all were direct
ed to keeping the boat from foundering
from the volumes of water which
washed into her. Viewer all drenched
to the skin, and sleep was a stranger to
all on board our little craft. We drifted
at night at the mercy Of waves and
winds, and when daylight broke the sea
had subsidized. We then parcele1 out
food and water, but were unable to eat
the biscuits until after they had been
dried IN the sur, as they had been thor
oughly saturated with salt water. In
order to make better progress, we
hoisted sail, using oars for masts and
blankets for sails. The passengers in
our boat behaved splendidly, and each
one did his duty like q man. We suf-
fered greatly.
On the second day it blew fresh, and
we scudded with blanket sail. We
sighted bark and hoisted signal.
We were not seen, and the bark sailed
away. The men were worn out with
work, and the night passed in trouble.
In the evening large school of sharks
followed in the wake of the boat. The
largest in the lot struck the boat with
his tail and made the little craft shivcr
from stem to stern. Seeing that they
meant mischief we began to act on the
defensive, ahd after hard fight drove
them off with boat-hooks. The sea was
running very high. and we got out our
sea anchor; but it was of no avail, and
during all that night we were, fer the
second time since we left the ship, COM
PEELED to work hard to keep the boat
clear of water. On the following NOM
ing it calmed and we again hoisted our
sail, and were scudding along nicely
when, to our great JOY, we sighted the
Italian bark Giacomini, and flying our
signal, which was handkerchief tied
on the end of an oar, soon had the sat
isfaction to know that we were seen by
her. We were soon On board but our
boat was so heavy that it had to be left
behind. We were treated very kindly
by Capt. Boniazio. He could not have
acted better if we had been his owp
brothers. The best on the ship was
given us, and we were all provided with
change of clothing. His mates and
sailors we're equally kind.