Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-09-17
4 srryIyoE's EXPERIENCE.


Mr.. silva, Young American engineer,
who was one of the survivors of the late ter
rible week of the Havana steamer, Vera
Cruz Of the coast of Florida, gives the fol
lowing account of his experience
The ship was sinking fast and made up
my mind to leave her. did not want 10 he
carried down by the whirlpool caused by the
vessels sinking. | asked the people What
is the USE of waiting and going down with
the ship Z" | at once stepped over the
fallen mast, waited for good wave and
sprang out into the sea. | could not get
away from the ship for some time, because
the waves kept taking me back to her. Many
people followed me and soon the waves
seemed to be alive with men and women.
| struck out vigorously, and when |
thought was good distance oil turned
and saw a horrible spectacle. The ship had
disappeared and We were all at the mercy OF
the waves. A terrible whirl carried me
down, down, down, and when again appear
ed, which seemed 10 take an age, l was ca
hausted. saw part of the sIylisht and grasp
ed it. My fingers were cut TO the bone, but
the deeper the glass cut the tighter chung TO
il but not very long, for it was soon
wrenched from my grasp, and | found my
self looking for something else. The sea was
covered with miscellaneous assortment OF
boxes, barrels, planks, sticks, spars, etc, all
beating and pushing among the struggling
crowd of men and women, crushing some
out of sight From that time, for two or
three hours, we were i'll Il perfect hell.
| kent Changing boards and planks
at .ach wave for about two hours,
when | at last found part OF the
steamers deck, about feet wide by II long.
This had two large rings and bolts in II.
Before could get possession OF 1t the ships
baker came to me and We took possession OF
it. As was trying to drag myself upon 1t
| feh Il weight pulling my duster, AMI look
ing around IA saw Il lady with nothing on her,
not even a ifc-prcscrvcr. She begged me In
save her. told her To let me go, 50 could
yet on the raft, and then | would pull her
upon il also She would not do ST" ami
was compelled by force to open her hand and
tear my buster away, Climbed on The iaii,
holding her hand AMI, with the assistance of
the baker, we got her on the rait with us.
The lady was nude and very weak, hut we
managed to keep her upon the raft with rs
little rxcrtion 10 herself as was possible. The
next wave brought to us Mr. Rafael Arruc.
lie had lost his prcscrvcr aud was naked. ]
no iced that nearly all the passengers were
nearly or quite naked in the wafer MIR.
Arue said he had lost his wife, ard that, 10
swim with her rs long AS he could, lac found
il necessary to tear her clothes oil. The next
tremendous sea tore us all from the raft, and
it appeared AZ though should never come
up When | did was ncar the rait and
swan 10 it, The baker soon followed, but
Mr.. Arruc was some distance oil. lie soon
Came to us, and said lac had seen the lady
and she had tried 10 grasp HIM, but he,
having no prcscrycr, showed his piece oil
board 10 her and made for Ms This
was the last of the poor lady. About 30
yards from us saw little hoy Heating ON
his lack, looking up. think he was dead
The three Of us now staid on the raft about
20 minutes at IL time, first ON one SIDE AMI
then on the other: sometimes coming up I'M
der 1t and nearly drowning ourselves trying
to ret away from it, ms there was no diving
the prcserycrs holding MS tightly mp against
it. felt once or twice rs II should give
up and strive no more To save myself, as
death seemed inevitable. had several cuts
on my head.
In the afternoon We ran across Il saiior