Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-09-14
EXCITING SCENE IN MID-OCEAN
Men Overheard in n Monsoon, with
sharks About

! sharks About.
| A correspondent who was a passenp.
er by the steamship Dacca, which left
| Madras for London on the first ut
sends from Alden IN interesting account
of an exciting scene which be witnessed
during a storm in the Indian ocean.
| The vessel encountered themonsoon a
| few days after leaving Colombo, and
had rough time OF it until the 18th
ult, when the gale became so violent
| that canvas had to be taken in, awnings
furried, and things made as snug as
| possible.
The correspondent describes what
| followed:
81 came on deck at A. NJ; and il
was blowing fierce, and the spray COM
ing over the sheets.
There were three of us on deck when
the bell struck--a Miss, Mr.. and Nv.
self We were holding on to our chairs
which were firmly lashed to the inner
cabin sky.ights, under the lea of the
ladies' saloon. Part of the crew were
working hard to get the starboard life
boat in-board, when bigger roll to the
windvard warned us Of what was com.
ing. Hold on! some one shouted We
held on; the chairs rushed forward on
their lashings. The deck upright. In
came the sea, over the gunwale. over
the tatitail, up to our waists lifted the
iie-boat out OF its shackles, carried it
overheard, masking away sta1chiops
and davits, and out to sea. Then came
the horrid cry Of Man overboard,
The helm was put down, the engine
reversed, and back We went on search
all the more SO, as sharks had been
seen around the ship earlier in the
morning The boat was presently seen
some two hundred yards off, keel up.
ermost Soon after the two men were
seen clinging on to it. Then came ar
exciting two hours, during which we
steamed after the boat, which was drift
ing rapidly toward the east. But turn
ing snip like the Dacca is very slow
business, and, rs she hung in the winds
eye a jib was hoisted TO bring her round
By the time this was done the boat, with
Its ptiful looking crew, was away two
miles ard more to leaward, and we were
rolling heavily and unmanageahle At
last the captain decided to lower boat
and the order was given. Stand by the
boat and soon after, lower Who is
going in her?' he shouted.
"The first off GER, Mr.. Ingram, sprang
over the side, caught hold of the dayit
ropes, and slipped down, but just as he
got near her, great roll of the ship
Lifted hin, clear Of the boat twenty feet
in the air. AS he came down again the
boat had drifted forward, and he was
plunged down into the boiling sea for
five or six seconds. Up he came again
as the ship heeled over, still hanging
on, and missed by an ace of having his
skull smashed against the small boats
side. 1t was really a terrible sight, and
we shuddered as we looked on, the
boot all the while lashed up and down
by the violence of the waves. But at
last his opportunity came, and he drop
ped into the stern. AT once he was fol-
lowed by the boatswain, two hremen.
aud two European sailors, the native
crew hanging shameiuliv back. One of
the passengers, : Young English officer.
Lieut.. Wolf, OF the 17th fusileers,
son Of Sir Drummond Wolf, volunteer
cd at once, But the officer in charge
would not accept passengers services
while men of the crew could be got.
At last the boat showed off, and the
oars were got out, and in a terrible sea
they set out for the missing boat.
Directed by the motions of a man aloft,
they got alongside her and took the
men aboard. Then began hard row
back.
I'VE lost sight of her again and
again, wondering how she could live in
such a seq. But still she held on, and
got ~ last under our lee. By the help
of a case Of oil scattered over the waves
they were paratively stillel, lad
der was let down, and, when the last
man stepped on board such cheer
greeted him rs told him what we
thought of his pluck and that of the
gallant fellows with HIM Capt. Burkitt
was perfectly cool, the whole time, and
his Ship with great skill.
When the first officer got change of
clothes and came down to the cabin he
received all kinds of CONGRATULATIONS,
ana his health was drank in bumpers
Of champagne. Ga Sunday morning we
go5 under the lee of Cape Gusrdafui