Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-18

Rescue OF the Crew OF n BOSTON
Schooner = Generous Conduct OF
the Captain of a Savannah Vessel.


The Baltimore american, noticing the
arrival at that port of the schoo.
ner Annie Bliss, from Savannah,
with the crew of the schooner Zeta
Psi, of Boston, abandoned at sea, of which
telegraphic mention has been made, says:
captain ]. O'Dounell, of the schooner
Annie Bliss, reports having sailed from
Savannah early in December. He encoun-
tered a series of heavy northwesterlY gales
during the entire voyage. On December %.
when he was about forty miles southeast of
Cape Henry, 1t blew a regular hurricane.
and his vessel was blown out Of her course
and carried about two hundred miles to sea
IN southeasterly direction. The sea was
exceedingly heavy, and, on the night of
the 18th about IL O'Clock, heavy wave
struck his vessel, sweeping her from stem to
stern, washing out the forecastle andsgalley,
carrying away everything In them, and
washing the men clear out of their berths
On December "a 1t was somewhat more
moderate, but on the 2Sth the gale began
with great force. On this day he sighted
four vessels in distress or abandoned. The
first was a three-masted schooner, with
mainmast gone and mizzenmast leaning
over the stern. Saw q vessel run for her
and continue on her course without stop
ping, and concluded she was abandoned.
Afterward saw two-master, and was in
sight OF her all day. She was laboring
heavily, and the crew were at the pumps the
entire time. When he lost sight Of her,
about dusk, she was running under
a jib only. Supposed her to be
bound to this port with phosphorus rock.
Also saw three masted schooner
and a two-master, both dismasted and
abandoned. He had tough time of lit him
self. On December 90, in latitude 80 de-
80
minutes, about a. N. he sighted schooner
with the Union Jack turned down "a signal
OF d1stress) He was at the time standing
northwsrd under short canvas, and the
wind and sea were raging. He, however,
stood for the distressed schooner, and came
up with her at 10 a. m. He discovered her
to be the schooner Zeta Psi, of Boston, from
Wilmington, N. c., for New York, with
lumber. He hailed the Captain, and he re-
quested to be taken off, as his yes
sci was in a sinking condition. The
lumber had swollen In her hold and SPLIT
her hull, so that she was half full of water.
His rigging was also badly crippled. Captain
O'Donnell took the Captain and crew on
board the Bliss, as stated above, and con-
t1nued on his course, abandoning the Zeta
Psi. Captain O'Donnell, however, had been
out for some time-much longer than he
had calculated on-and the Bliss was almost
completely out of stores and provisions.
he reversed the Union as q signal of dis
tress, and the schooner Rebecca A. Carter
came to him Ia the height of gale. Captain
Barton, of the Carter, as soon as he learned
the state OF affairs, generously divided his
stores half and half, notwithstanding the
fact that his crew, which consisted chiefly
OF colored men, were In state of mutinY,
and some of them were in irons at the time.
The Bliss then succeeded in making this
port arriving here yesterday. On January
2, when about two hundred miles from
Cape Henry, heavy sea swept his decks
and carried off about so, 900 feet Of the deck
load OF lumber. Capt. O'Donnell cannot say
too much in praise of Capt. Barton, of
the Carter, who divided his stores with
him. 1t was an act Of unparalleled generos-
itY andas the Bliss had sixteen men aboard,
saved them from need, If not starvation.
The Rebecca A. Carter also arrived yester-
day in this port, the mutinous crew having
been subjected. Captain Geyer, of the
abandoned schooner Zeta Psi, reports hav-
ing left Wilmington on December 10Th and
encountered nothing but fendish weather,
which battered his vessel fairly to pieces.
He was sinking fast when he and the crew
were taken off by the Bliss The Zeta Psi
is owned by Parsons and Loud, of New
York. Captain O'Donnell is raising by
subscription enough money to send the I'M
fortunate sailors home, and he deserves
great credit for the part he has taken"