The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-01-27
A HORRIBLE STORY.
The suRerings of the Crew of the Almond
Bird.

Rockport, Mass, Special to ". 7. Herald.
The schooner Cora Lee arrived at Pigeon
Cove, bringing five men alive and two dead,
picked up adrift in an open boat. They are
the crew Of the schooner Almond Bird, Of
Rockland, Me-, bound for Boston with plss-
ter. The vessel sunk, and the men. eight in
number, took to boat, and were picked up
to-day forty miles east northeast of Cape
Ann. On the death of the second mate, who
vas the last to expire, the five survivors cut
his throat and sustained life by sucking the
still warm blood from his body. They then
threw him overheard. Physicians says four
Of the sufferers may possibly live. Further
details Of the terrible voyage arc furnished:
The Almond Bird sailed from Windsor, N.
s., week ago for Alexandra, Va, laden
With plaster. Shs encountered no heavy
gales or particularly bad weather until Sun
day, but all that day heavy seas and high
winds asssiled her, and the men had hard
work to keep from freezing. BY night she
became unmauageable, and the crew at
length decided to abandon her. Hastily col
lecting some articles Of food, they took to
the large boat. The instinct of self-preser-
vation was strong, and they huddled togeth-
er for shelter, while the icy spray fell over
them, chilling the very marrow in their
bsnes. Tuesday morning found them still
alive, but suffering terribly from the cold.
The sea had gone down somewhat, and the
storm had abated. Their stock of provisions
was fast giving out, and the terrible picture
of death by starvation and thirst rose before
their minds. During the afternoon they
saw sail, and made frantic efforts TO at
tract the attention of those on board, but they
failed, aud as the second night approached
they saw the unknown vessel pass out OF
sight below the horizon.
| On Wednesday evening the first death oc-
CURED. One of the delirious men became
furious for short time, then coiled himself
up at the bottom of the boat and died. Two
men passed away during the night, ,and, when
Thursday morning came, the boat, heavily
ladened with ice, contained five men in
the agsnies of despair, and two dead bodies.
There vas not sail in sight, nothing but
the vast expanse of sea and sky. The hor-
rible pangs of hunger and thirst and the ter
rible exposure to cold were unsettling the
minds of the survivors. There were no pro-
visions of any sort, and fartive glances were
cast at the bodies Of the dead men. A hasty
consultation was he'd and it was decided to
open the veins in the neck of one Of these.
There was not dissenting voice, and the
operation was speedily performed. The red
stream flowed freely at the touch of the
knife, and the parched throats and frozen
lips of the crew were moistened by the still
warn blood. The desperation of the act
gave them sort of dogged determination to
sustain while longer, and hopes were re-
vivsd that a vessel would cross their path
during the day. They decided to keep the
dead bodies in the boat more from selfish
than any ether consideration. At s O'Clock
sail was seen, and, to their great joy, was
coming In their direction. Desperate efforts
were made to attract attention, and this re-
ciial is the result of their success. When
Captain Saunders saw the CHASTITY crew he
was struck with horror. Their faces were
purple, their lips and hands stained with
blood, and their throats so parched that
hardly q sound csuld be emitted. They
were almost delirious and debilitated by ex
posure.