The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-21
a Fearful Experience at Sea.

NEW YORK, April IL
THE steamship Nebo, from Rio Janeiro, ar.
rived to-day. Her Captain reports that he tell
IN with the bark Tiger, from Liverpool for
Baltimore, seventy-seven days out, short of
provisions. and supplied her. The crew were
in the most depiorable condition, having sus-
tanned life for several days ON strips Of leath-
er soaked in lamp-oil, until the oil gave out,
and then on the Captains dog, after which
there was nothing but cannibalism and death
staring them in the face. To add to their suf-
ferings, two vessels passed several days before
within short distance, but paid no attention to
their signals Of dist, ess.
g As the steamer Nebo came up with the tt
ger, they saw the latter lowering a boat.
After some moments of hard struggling she
came alongside, her occupants dressed in oil
skins, and evidently very weak.
what do you want2'' sang out Captain Cor
don.
1--WE are starving to DEATH We are starv-
ing to deathr' exclaimed u man in the stern
sheets, excitedly.
ibid you say you were starving2" demanded
the Captain again, in surprise.
"Yes. we are starving. See, this is all we
have had to eat for nine days."
He held aloft 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 you." A ladder was then
bwered, and the men were helped aboard tbs
1ebo and given food. The young German
commander Of the Ti9er told the Captain
| If the Nebo he had been seventy-scven
uys out from Liverpool with a cargo
4 common salt, and he had been
h most dreadful condition. He was
'ound to Baltimore, and made Cape Henry
.arly in January, and was blown off shore into
the Gulf Stream. From that time he had
been tossed hither and thither by the winds
and currents. He had twelve men before the
mast, all of whom had displayed the utmost
fOrtitude under the most trying circum-
stances. Provisions ran short one month
ago. The beef gave out first, and then the
bread, nine days ago; that is, nine days be.
fore spoken by the Nebo. The last drop of
water was drunk, and then, three days later,
everything, even to 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. The poor beast was saved by the Cap
tain himself, who besouRht the men not to de-
stroy it. The starving men spared the cat, 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 suspiciously and hungriy,
and would have killed the cat
could they have found it. But the Captain
hid It, and the pangs of hunger were unap-
peased for Ave days. Some of the men medi-
tated suicide. 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 ter
rible than starvat .on would have been enacted.
The Nebo sent a months provisions on board.
When the first boat-load arrived the
mate leaped aboard the Tiger, eating q
biscuit. He was pounced upon by
his shipmates, who literally fought
like dogs for a cracker. Then they rushed
upon the other provisions and tore them in the
same way as famished wolves might have
done. The officer of the Nebo adds: 1--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 stecred
in our wake. The wind was right aft, but the
vessels bottom was so full of barnacles that
she could not maize much Roadway. She was
able to get along, however, and when last we
saw her she was signaling adicu and thanks -