Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-04-14
4 TALE OF THE SEA.


An Associated Press dispatch from New
York, dated Mon night, says:
The officers Of the British steamer Nebo
tell q terrible story of suffering at sea. On
the morning of April 9Th she fell In with the
German barque Tiger, bound from Liverpool
to Baltimore, flying signals of distress. The
engines were stopped and boat put out from
the barque. As it approached the steamer 1t
was seen that the men at the oars were
emaciated and their cheeks We're hollow aud
their eyes sunken A rope WIS thrown to
them and with great difficulty they were
hauled aboard. They said they were starving
and were given a hearty breakfast. 'The
captain of the barque told our captain, said
Mate Saville, OF the Nebo, that he had been
1874 days out from Liverpool with cargo Of
common salt and that he bad been in the
mott dreadful condition. He was bound into
Baltimore and would have reached that port
but Tor the singular bad fortune be had
experent ed. He made Cape Henry early in
January aud was blown of shore into the
Gulf stream by heavy westerly gales. From
that time up to the present they had been
tossed hither and thither by tickle winds and
the Gulf Stream currents. He had II men
before the mast, all of whoni had displayed
|, the utmost fortitude under the most trying
circumstances. Provisions ran short one
| month ago The beef gave out first and then
| the bread Nine days ago-that is, nine days
before we spoke them-the last drop OF water
WAS drunk, and then, three days later every
| thing even 10 the boots and shoes, had been
| devoured. They were literally without bit or
sup The captains dog had been killed,
| skinned and eaten then lots were cast for
| the cat, which was condemned to die. But
| the poor beast was saved from its dread fate
| by the captain himself, who besongbt the men
| not to destroy Il. Strange as it may seem,
| these starving men respected their shippers
wishes and spared his cat They cut mp their
| boots, soaked the strips in lamp oil and ate
| them. Five days before we fell in with them
even this horrible food gave out, and then
dark thoughts flied the hearts Of the poor
| wretches They eyed each other susplciOusly
| and hungrily, and would have killed
| the cat could they have found 1t j;
| but the captain ind it and the pangs
| OF hunger were unappeased for five days.
| Some of the men meditated suicide. God
| knows how many of them thought OF murder
| and cannibalism. Had we not come to their
rescue just when we did tho captain of the
| Tige1' said he thought something more terri
BILE than starvation would have been enacted
on board. As it was, there WAS that ill the
furtive glances cast by one at the other
/ which made mans heart stop beating
almost with terror. We'll, sir, to cut u
long story short, we came along i'll the nick
of time to save them, and We gave
them a months provisions bread, beef
| lard, flour and water. Two boatoads were
| taken alongside and put on board When the
first one went to her the mate leaped aboard
the Tiger eating morsel Of biscuit. He was
pounced upon by his shipmates, who literally
fought like dogs for his cracker. Then they
rushed upon the other provisions and tore
them in the same way as furnished wolves
might have done In conclusion, said Mr..
Saville, I'VE got the provisions on board aud
set them at large once more. They shook the
reefs ont of Their topsas, set their topgal-
liant sails aud steered in our wake.