The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29
Saxcd from Shipwrecls.


Saved from Shipwreck.
RESCUE or THE CREW OF A DISTRESSED YES
Sci. IN MID-OCEAN BY SEAMEN PROM TIE
wInTE-STAR STEAMER GERMANIC-A Thrill
LING ROMANCE OF TIE SEA.
AT SEA. STEAMSHIP GERMANIC, December
lit was between l and 2 O'Clock this
morning that we were awakened out OF ouI
sleep by considerable connection on deck
The screw was silent, and the horrible
thought flashed across our minds that the
shin was in some dangcror distress. Iud-
ding on my clothes as quickly as possible,
hurried up the companionway, and was IN
formed that there was Il large ship In distress
mile away and that the Germanic proposed
to stop and lend hand to save her. The
night was dark and the rain had commenced
TO fall. Away OFF in the blackness | could
see two great lights blazing fore and ait OF
apparently very big vessel. Now and
then she dipped right below the horizon,
and il would seem as though she had sunk.
Then again the blazing beacOnS would re-
yiye. Next a rocket went up, and it was EVIL
dent TO the captain that the signal was not
one of those used by the well-kn0Wn lines
of transatlantic steamers. 1t was most
probably some merchant steam vessel dis
abled by the recent heavy gales. Anyhow,
CAPTAIN Kennedy decided that nothing
could he done until morning, so we hove
to. In the morning all hands, including
nearly all the saloon-passengers, were on
deck as soon as it was light. and the dis.
treSsed vessel was eagerly discussed
She was a three-masted, top-sail-Schooncl
steamship. with one funnel marked
with a '.Great big D." the monogram
OF a firm called Davidson, OF New
castIc-on-Tyne. 1t was quite evident thai
she was totally helpless, drifting at the
mercy Of the winds and waves. -Four sig
mails iloated at her mastheads, but they were
30 badly hoisted that they were almost I'M
Ineligible. But the appearance OF the
ship was quite enough. She turned hithel
and thither, and was, as 1t turned out, rud
derless and out of hand. Accordingly the
Germanc circled round and round the
water-loggcd steamer, and when within
half mile or so lowereda life-boat manned
by five men and commanded by First-Ofi
Ger Robert Bence.
TO THE RESCUE.
The sea was running very high and the
] lifeboat danced like Il cocklc-Shell on the
raging waters-now deep down out OF sight
in the trough OF the great seas and anon
perched upon the crest Of a rolling noun
tain. IL was an anxious time enough wait
/ ing for the return of that boat. But her sal
liant crew did return within IN hour, lader
with some seven or eight men and the intel
/ Iigence that there were fifteen more to come
/ This necessitated two more journeys, anC
/ fraught with danger they were. The mos
/ critical moments were in the DISSEMINATING
/ of the rescued crew Of tine liurworth, rs tn,
steamer was called, consisting in all O
! twenty-five men. The second voyage wa.
As successful as the first, and the third only
resulted in Il catastrophe at the last mo
ment. The entire rescued crew had been
with very considerable difficulty, got OF
board, as the sea was running so fearfulll
/ that the boat sank and rose with dangerous
velocity. Three White-Star seamen wer,
left in the boat, Which, it was hoped
could be lifted up bodily again tc tn,
dayits whence it had been lowered
But it soon became evident that /
was either impossible, or, at al
events, under the circumstances, imprac
ticable. There was 4 good deal of excite
ment among the deck-handS, and the Sc;
was very heavy and boisterOus Just at thi
particular moment. 1t was necessary, il
order TO raise the boat by the pulley-ropeS
that the hooks fore and aft should be fast
ened simultaneously. For my own ,art
did not believe the feat was possible, 81
unsteady was the boat, and the enormou
blocks dangling in the air were so danger
Gus that in the end only one hook was fast
ened then, unfortunately, the pulley-rop
got stuck, and the nose of the boat wa
pulled up, emptying the three seamei
into the water. Then came scram
bic for ropes, the sea filed tn
boat, and it seemed rs thong
n very nasty accident was imminent. Tw
OF the men, however, managed to climb til
side OF the ship, while the third became en-
/ tangled between the ship and the boat, an,
it was only by extraordinary GOODNESS an,
deXterity that, by series OF manpuyres
he first got into and then kept himself il
the dangling boat. At last rope wa
thrown down and he was hauled up almos
exhausted. Finding il impossible to saw
the boat, ii was cut away, and soon disap
pearcd on the horizon, and we saw the la
OF ms good little craft as ever saved ship
crew from the jaws OF death.
In this way at o'clock OF December LIST
after a delay of Yearly twelve hours, tn
Germanic proceeded on her way rejoicing
plus twenty-three souls and kitten savet
from the wreck. The saloon passenger
/ partook OF all the sensations OF thrilling
/ spectacle while the three White-Star sail
ors were in imminent peril OF their lives
Ladies covered their eyes with their hands
and shut out the scene, while all hello
their breath until the danger wal
past. But James Adair, the quartermaster
had no fear all the time he was alone in tha
boat. l never saw before and probably
never shall sec again so much GOODNESS ant
courage displayed under such terrible cir
cllmsiances. Bafled here and buffatted
there Adair always had another resource
lie did not propose 10 get drowned on this
occasion. The smile on his face told II.
that, and when he was at last drawn up
hearty cheer welcomed his escape.
THE cAPTAIs's STORY.
l soon had the captain OF the rescued
crew in my cabin, where he related TO me
the plain, unyarnished tale OF his miSfor-
tune. John Anderson, late commander OF
the late three-masted topsail schooner