Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-25
SAVED FROM A WRECK.
Terrific Experience Of Crew Bound
for Port Royal.

The ship Don Enrique, from Singapore,
fell in with the bark Aberdeen, Captain
Robert P. COnk. bound from AmbOy, N. J. 4,
to Port Royal, s. G. The Aberdeen was In
g sinking condition. Her crew, consisting
OF the Captain and eight sesmen, were
taken aboard the Don Enrique and landed
IN New York.
The Aberdeen, which had a cargo of four
hundred and thirty-tbree tons of railroad
iron, after waiting two days inside of Sandy
Hook for favorable weather, set sail on the
afternoon OF the 18Th inst. Between six and
seven o'clock the vessel passed Sandy Hook
Two hours later the bark encountered q gale
accompanied by high seas. The vessel la
bored heavily and by twelve O'Clock. while
of Barnegat, the sea was breaking over her
fore ard aft. The gale had increased and
the bark began TO leak. All hands were set
to work at the two pumps, but despite their
efforts the leak gained upon them.
At two O'Clock on the morning OF the
20-h the cargo broke sdrift between decks
owing to the heavy rolling of the vessel
The bark was now pitched about at the
m rcy of the waves and the starbOard pump
broke. The Aberdeen carried all sail possi-
BILE, and tried to WORK inshOre. At two
o'clock the Don Enrique was signalled, and
requested to stay by the Aberdeen until she
could get ia nearer shore. Captatn Cremon
hours kept near the struggling vessel. The
sea was running very high, and at seven
O'Clock the port pump was broken off by
the rolling of the vessel. At eight the wind
had moderated little, but there was very
little hope of saving the bark. She was
strained badly, her pumps were gone, sess
had repeatedly dashed over her,
and she rolled so badly that
her crew could not keep their
ofr L &~3o -
ward shore, but she was beyond control.
Her heavy iron cargo went first to one side
and then to the other, and at every roll the
vessel shipped heavy seas. The bark now
held five feet of water in her hold. The
crew were IN water TO their waists. Strenu-
GUS efforts were made to bail her with pals,
but without avail, ss the crew were hOated
about and there was imminent risk of their
being swept overheard. There was a 400
gallon tank on the vessel filled with water,
and the Aberdeen's rolling turned the I'M
meDse tank completely upside down. At
length, after q gallant fight, Captain Conk
was forced to abandon his vessel, and In
latitude 38 deg. 40 min, longitude 70 deg g,
he and his crew we're taken off by the Cap
tain of the Don Enrique. The Aberdeen
was then eighty-four miles east Of the Cape
May lIghtshiD.
"There was no use Of our irving further
York Herald reporter. 81 have been going TO
sea for thirty eight years, And never before
did l see ship roll as she did. We expect
e at any moment to see her sides burst in.
We were wet through and tired out. We
hsd bad nothing to eat for hours. The
seward couldn't cook anything, for he
couldn't keep the Ere in the stove or any
thing on #. He made US some coff se, but
hevond that We had nothing ell the time we
were at the pumps down TO the time when
we we're rescued ty the Don E9rique. Why,
with one sea over the bows, and right after
that another sea over the stern, the vessel
was strained so that we thought she mus
90 TO pieces. Ny heartfelt thanks are due
to Captain Cremon. He could not have
treated us more kindly than he did. For
seven hours and half he followed our
vessel so we might have every chance to
save her. | stuck to the vessel to the last
The loss leaves me poor man."
The Aberdeen was the >int property of
Mr.. s. II. Mills, OF No. 107 South street, and
Captain CODk. She was twenty four years
Old considered stanch, and was valued a.
$4,000 The lark had just come from the
dock al POrs Jefferson, where she had been
completely overhsuled. Her mssts and
sails were new, aud many other repairs had
been made. SO great was the confidence of
her owners in her that they did not insure
her. The value of her cargo is not known.
Il was slowed partly in the hold and partly
between decks. The severe cross sess made
the vessel roll so badly that the locks were
broken aud the iron was let loose.