The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-20
RESCUED In MID OCEAN,
A TRUE TALE OF THE STORMY
sEA--HOw THE CREW OF A
SHIPWRECKED VESSEL
Were Saved by the CunArder Parthia-An EP-
isOde of the Recent Gales.

On a certain Saturday the well known
Cunard steamship Parthia was between
400 and 500 miles distant from the west
coast of Ireland, having sailed from the
port of Boston on the previous Saturday
For some hours low barometer had
given warning of coming gale. The
fury of the wind raised tremendous
sea, The Parthia ran for time; but rum
ming is not the remedy prescribed to
captains who are caught in circular
storm, and shortly after o'clock the
helm of the steamer was put down and
her head pointed to the seas. The pas
sengers were below, considerably bat
tened down by order of Captain Nc
KAYE, the commander of the vessel, 30
that they should not be washed over
board or drowned in the cabins, for now
that the steamers bow was pointed at
the sea she was just one smother of
froth from the eye to the rudder head,
Her curtseying might have looked grace
full at distance; but it was tremend-
GUS experience to those who had to keep
time to her dance. Every now and
again she would dish a whole green
sea forward-taking it just as you would
dip a pail into water-a sea that imme'
diately turned the deck into small rag
ing ocean high as a mans waist.
Ihe Parthia lay hove to for six hours.
At 10 o'clock at night the gale broke, the
wind sensibly moderated, the steamer
was brought to her course and went roll
ing heavily over the immense and pow
erful ocean swell which the cyclone had
left behind it. Sunday morning came
with benediCtion in the shape of
warm, bright sea. But the swell was
still exceedingly heavy. 1t was shortly
after two bells 70 o'clock when the look.
out man reported vessel away on the
lee bow, apparently hull down. AS she
gradually hove up by the approach
of the Parthia, those who had sailors
eyes in their heads perceived that the
was vessel in distress, and that if any
human beings were aboard of her their
plight would be most miserable. She
was water-logged, and so low in the wa
that she buried her bulwarks with every
roll. She had all three masts standing,
but her yards we're boxed about any.
how, her runnlng rigging in bights, with
ends of it trailing overheard. Her can.
vas was rudely furled but she had a frag-
ment of a foTetopmast staysail hoisted,
as we'll as storm staysail, and she look.
ed to be hove to. Her aspect, had she
been encountered as a dereliCt, was
meurnful enough to have set sailor
musing for an hour; but when it was dis
covered that there were living people on
her she took an extraordinary and trag.
ical significance. No Colors were hoist
ed to express her condition; but then no
coloTs were needed. Her story wanted
no better telling than was found in the
suggestion of the small crowd of human
heads on her deck watching the Parthis;
in the dull and deadly lifting of the dark
volumes of water against her sides, in
the gushing of clear cascades from the
scupper holes as she leaned YEARLY over
to the fold of the tall swell that threat.
ened to overwhelm her, and in the slug
gish waving of deT naked spars under
the sky. Twenty-Five people could be
counted aboard of her. ALI these had to
be saved, but it was very well under
stood by every man belonging to the
Parthia that they could only be saved at
the risk of the lives of the beats crew
that should put off for them; the swell
was still violent to an extent beyond
anything that can be conveyed into
words. As the Parthia, with her pro.
peller languidly revolving, sank into
hollow, wall of water stood between
her and the bark and the Inflated vessel
became invisible, then in another mo-
ment hove high, the people on board the
steamer could look down from their
poised deck upon the half.drowned hull
and the soaked, clinging, and pale faced
crew as you look upon housetop in a
valley from the side of hill. The seri.
GUS danger lay in lowering boat. But
Jack is not of a deliberative turn Of
mind when something that ought to be
done waits for him to do it. Volunteers
we're forthcoming. The order was gwen.
Eight hands sprung aft and seated them
selves in the lifeboat, and the third Off
Ger, Mr.. William Williams, took his
place in the sternsheets. II was one of
those moments when the bravest man in
the world will hold his breath. There
swung this boats crew at the davits; the
ends OF the falls in the hands Of men
waiting for the right second to lower