Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-24
BRAVE RESCUE OF A CREW.
The Shipwrecked Men Brought 10
OBstOn-Details of the Rescue-Tre-
mendOus Gales and Seas.


mendOus Gales and Seas.
Boston Advertiser.
The British steamer Salerno, Capt. Neill,
from Hull, England, November 10, arrived
st this port yesterday, thirty days out. She
brought Capt. Carter, his wife and child,
and crew of the British bark W. |. Whiting,
who were rescued from the wreck on the
morning of December 2, about four hun
dred miles west of the British coast. Both
Captains report the weather to be the
heaviest they have ever experienced. The
bark left Liverpool November l, and at
once encountered succession of strong
westerly gales, with high seas, the vessel
laboring heavily and shipping good deal
OF water. The bark was hove TO most OF the
time. From the 5th to the 11th the weather
was more moderate, but from the latter
date until the 18th there was a series OF gales.
On the 18th the wind blew with great
violence from the west-north-west,' &C
companied with terrific hail squalls, which
blew away the main topmsst staysail and
main lower topsail, the bark being hove TO
under balanced reefed spanker, the seas
running very high and constantly breaking
over the vessel. From that time up to the
2lst there were continuous heavy gales and
terrific squalls, the sea becoming more
violent and washing everything movable
off the deck. The bark was driven back In
the meantime five degrees to the eastward.
On the morning of the 21st It blew per-
feet hurricane, it being almost impossible
for man to stand on deck; the new double
spanker was blown to shreds. At 9 a. m. a
tremendous sea broke on board, smashing
stanchiOns, bulwarks, boats, skYlights,
pilot houses, and starting forward-house,
washing overheard Jefferson Carter, a sea-
man, who was lost, and severely injuring
John Sconton, another seaman. The
wheel was secured with tackles, and
all hands gathered in the cabin, for
it was impossible to stay on deck. The
waves made clean breach over the bark,
cleaned out the forecastle and galley, and
swept away boats, binnacle and compass.
The Captain expected the ship to founder
at any moment. Towards night the weather
moderated, and the crew was able to man
the pumps. There was then three and half
feet of water in the hold. From this time
till the night of the 1st Of December the
crew worked at the pumps night and day to
keep the vessel afloat. On the 23d the fore
mast went by the hoard, and on the 1st of
December the vessel became waterlogged
and entirely unmanageable. The men had
been soaked with water for fourteen
days without a change of clothing,
and had had no food except hard tack
and tea. A part of the vessels cargo
was bleaching powder, which burst
the packages containing it, and, dis
solving in the water In the hold
made a powerful alkal. This was drawn
up by the pumps and swashed about the
feet and legs of the men till it DESTROYED
their boots, socks and pantaloons and eat
terrible sores in the desb. For many days
and nights the seas broke over the vessel al
most continually, and it was only at great
risk that the pumps could be worked. The
men were lashed to their places, and when a
sea came they would spring into the rigging
and hold on till It had swepO by, frequently
burying them in 1t, and then they would
drop down to the deck again and pump till
they were warned that another sea was COM
ing. Robert Carter, a seaman, was caught
by one of those seas. His companions saw
him swept twice across the deck, but they
could not save him. The Captains wife
and her little child did not look out of
their cabin for eleven days.
On the first day of December the situation
appeared almost hopeless. The vessel roll
ed in the trough OF the sea at the mercy Of
the WIZ. anu waves. At about five o'clock
in the afternoon, the Salern0 came in sight.
She had left Hull November 10, had expert
enced moderate and then increasing gales,
eliminating on the night OF the 25sh in
hurricane, which continued till the morning
continued to blow strong gales, with terrific
seas. The steamer was making slow pro-
gress westward when the lookout discover
ed the bark, and Captain Neill at once bore
down towards her; but just before he got
within hailing distance it shut in dark. He
could see the flare lights and hear
the report OF a gun which was fired
as signal OF distress, but the seas were
so high and the gale so furious that he could
rnnnnF ocefcfonnn 10 A.. IL
mind, however, to lay by until morning.
Twice he sailed in circle around the bark
near enough to keep her lights in sight and
to encourage her people by showing his own
signals, but then the gale having increased
to hurricane accompanied by frightful
lightning, and the seas risen to a tremen-
dous height, he did not dare turn his vessel
again, and was obliged to keep her head, on.
The two vessels soon parted company, the
steamer moving slowly to windWard. and
the helpless bark drifting off to leeward.
About an hour before daybreak the wind
bad lulled little, till Captain Neill thought
he could safely turn, and gradually he wore
around, shipping heavy seas, but sustaining
no material damage. He then ran for
where he judged the wreck would be, and
In about an hour sighted her fare up light.
He steered directly for 1t, and rounded
under the stern of the bark. In response
to hail Captain Carter informed
him that the bark was sink
ing, and that he and his crew wanted to be
taken off. The steamer then went to wind
ward and lowered the port lifeboat, manned
by the second mate, Mr.. Barnard, and five
seamen. The officer fell overheard, but
swan to the boat and got in. The boat then
went down to the wreck, took the Captains
wife and child, the mate and five men, and
transferred them to the steamer. The Cap
tain and the rest of the crew came off in
the second load. The men from the bark
were so exhausted that they could hardly
move, and 1t was with great difficulty that
they got over the side of the YES
sci or on to the steamer. Capt. Neill is
entitled to great credit for his manly &C
tion in standing by the wreck. He was de-
layed from five O'Clock in the afternoon till
half-past nine in the morning. When Capt.
Carter lost sight of the steamer in the night.
and couln not see her in the morning, he
gave up hope, supposing that she had gone
on her course. He made an effort to get
the men to the pumps again, but they could
not be reused. TIE second mate and the
lifeboat crew risked their lives in a sea into
which 1t looked hardly possible to launch
and float boat. The remainder of the
voyage was without special Incl
dent. The weather continued heavy till
Nova Scotia was reached.
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