The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-01-11
ADVERTISING SCALE
ONE INCH SPACE MAKES A soUAREl
Cast Away in the Pacific.
The Adventures of Bark's Grew Who Fassed
twenty-five days in Open Boats.

! The latest report of 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.
The castaways consisted of John Long.
the master; Robert Thomas, the first Of
| ficer; and fifteen hands. They were ta-
ken in at Cape Lucas, which they reach
ed on the 26th of September, after hav-
ing been twenty-five days at sea in two
open boats. From James Wilson, abe
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:
Il got into the longboat with First
Officer Brown. The boats kept tooeth-
er till we arrived at Santa Rosa Island
All we had was biscuit and half,
ana 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
" thick growth of prickly pears In
the night large turtles came up on the
beach, and we caught these and got
eggs, and boiled the prickly pears.
There was plenty of fish and birds,
which we also captured and ate. We
boiled the turtle meat and eggs and put
them IN the boat, and on the 18th. I
thlnk 1t was, sir, we started for the
mainland. The turtle eggs and meat
Kept Tor 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
Ielt lonesome, IS you understand, sir,
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
a half day. We had to pull during
the twelve days trip good deal and
1t was dreary work, lad, on an empty
stomach. L was sick a good deal O. the
time. and many times when the night
was dark | gave up the whole of us as
lost. [ almost wished myself back with
the two cats we had left on Santa Rosa
Island, or rather who had left us there
TO take after the birds.
''On the day after we sighted land we
were completely out of provisions. /
think, when the mate sighted a bio 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
way. We just cut him up and cook
ed him in his own shell. Very handy.
eh? 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 lmmoderately at his own joke. "a
little while after, in the night time [
think, we sighted steamer and made
signals with rockets, but she put out
her lights and left US. The next after
" tiiV ivUr rr"ru vr 10. we poarueu nef.
The captain, man with a big beard.
treated us very kindly and gave us pro-
visions. Before we left the schooner a
boat came out full of Mexicans from the
Custom House, and we went ashore
with them"