The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-04-12
THE BARK TIGER.


a Terrible Tale OF Suffering at sea-
| New York, April 11.-As the steam
er Nebo came up with the bark Tiger,
on her trip. they saw the latter lower
ing its boat. After some moments hard
struggling she came alongside. Her
occupants were dressed in oilskins and
evidently very weak.
"What do you want?" sang out Cap
tain Gordon.
"We are starving to death; we are
starving to deathi'' exclaimed a man
in the steamer, excitedly.
ibid you say you were starving"
demanded Captain Gordon again in
surprise.
'Yes, we are starving. See, this is
all we have had to eat in nine days."
(he held loft the skin of dog and one
of the men held up piece of boot
leather.
''God help us,' exclaimed Captain
Gordon, ''come on board right away
and we will do what we can for youl''
A ladder was then lowered and the
men were helped aboard the Nebo and
were given food.
The young German commander of
the Tiger told the captain of the Nebo
that he had been 124 days out from
Liverpool with cargo of common salt,
and he had been in a most dree dful
condition. He was bound into Balti-
timore and made Cape Henry early in
January, and was blown off shore into
the gulf stream; and from that time
had been tossed hither and thither by
winds and currents. He had twelve
men before the mast, all of whom had
displayed the utmost fortitude under
the most trying circumstances.
Their provisions ran short one month
ago. The beef gave out first, and then
the bread. Nine days ago, that is, nine
days before spoken by the Nebo, the
last drop of water was drank, and then
three days later, everything, even to the
boots and shoes, had been devour ed.
They were literally without bit or sup.
The captains dog had been killed,
skinned and eaten; then lots were cast
for a cat. The poor beast was saved
by the captain himself, who besought
the men not to destroy it. The starv-
ing men spared the cat, and cut up
their boots, soaked the strips in lamp
oil and ate them. This horrible food
gave out, and then the poor wretches
eyed each other sur;n isedly and hungri-
ly, and would have killed lhr cal, could
they have found it, but the captain hi d
it, and the pangs of hunger were Ut
appeased for five days.
S)me of the men meditated suicide,
and God knows how many of them
thought of murder and cannibalIsm.
Had the steamer not come to the rescue
the captain of the Tiger said he thought
something more terrible than starvation
would have been enacted. The Nebo
sent months provisions on board.
When the first boat load arrived, the
mate leaped aboard the Tiger, eating a
biscuit. He was pounced upon by his
shipmates, who literally fought like
dogs for the cracker. They rushed
upon the other provisions and tore them
in the same way that famished wolves
might have done.
The officer of the Nebo adds: We
got the provisions on board and set
them at large once more. They shook
the reefs out of their topsails, set their
topgallant sails, and steeged in our
wake. The wind was right aft, but the
vessels bottom was so full of barnacles
that she could not make much head
way. She was able to get along, how
ever, and when last we saw her she was
signalling adieu and thanks.