New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-01-03
WHOLE NUMBER 377
Cast Away : the Pacific.
The Adventures Of 0askss Crew Who passaa
twenty-five days In Open Boass

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The latest report of 3 marine disaster
IS That gathered from the surveyors OF
the abandoned British bark Brookville,
brought to this port by the steamer
Mexico, which arrived from Mazatlan.
Inc castaways consisted of John Long.
the master; Robert Thomas, the first Of.
ncer; and fifteen hands. They were Ia
Ken IN at Cape Lucas, which thew reach.
ca on the Goth of September, after hay.
ing been twenty-five days at sea in two
open boats. From James Wilson. able.
seaman. who formed one of the crew Of
the mates boat, the following story of
the adventures after the crew had left
the bark has been obtained:
got into the longboat with First
Omcer Brown. The boats kept tooeth-
er till we arrived at Santa Rosa Island.
All we had was a biscuit and a half
and pint of water each. On the
island we found plenty of water, and
we drank SO much Of it that it made Us
SICK There were no animals there: on
y thick growth of prickly pears. In
the night large turtles came up on tho
beach, and we caught these and got
eggs, and boiled the pricklv pears.
There was plenty of fish and birds.
/ which we also captured and ate. We
Dolled the turtle meat and eggs and pu.
them in the boat, and on the 18th. /
mink 1t was. sir, we started for the
mainland. The turtle eggs and meat
kept for three or four DAYS without salt
AFTER we were out two days we parted
from the captains boat, as she sailed
faster than ours. and 'pon my word we
felt lonesome, as you understand, air.
we thought, because she was an old
BOAT. that she was gone to Davy Jones'
locker. The mate, after the turtle meat
gave out, only allowed us biscuit and
half day. We had to pull during
the twelve days trip good deal, and
1t was dreary work, lad, on an empty
stomach. Twas sick q good deal o. the
TIME. and many times when the night
was dark ! gave up the whole of us q
lost. 1 almost wished myself back with
the two cats we had left on Santa Roea
Island, or rather who had left us there
to take after the birds.
ION the day after we sighted land we
were completely out Of provisions, l
think, when the mate sighted big tur-
tie lying asleep on the top of the water.
He ordered the boat steered right to.
ward him, and Peter Williams the sail
maker, stood in the bow and caught
him very handily and landed him in the
boat. Then there was nothing to cook.
him in; but hungry men, sir, soon find
q way. We just cut him up and COOK
ed him in his own shell. Very handy,
ehP That's the kind of game to CATCH
the sort that brings stove on its
back" And for the first time during
the recital the shipwrecked sailor laugh.
ed immoderately at his own joke. "A
little while after, in tho night time I
think, we sighted q steamer and made
signals with rockets, but she put out
her Ii IS and left US. The next after
noon sighted the schooner. Lotus
to the leeward of us. We boarded her.
The captain, a man with big beard.
treated US very kindly and gave US pro-
Visions. Before we left the schooner Z
boat came out full of Mexicans from the
Custom House, and We went ashore
with them"