Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-15
FIvgDAYs ON a WRECK.
The thrilling Experience OF q
Woman on Lake Erie Years
Ago.

uN lDCOub Ol,dbliib W NuC Mhe6
with their usual attendants Of loss OF
life and property, and narrow escapes
Of shipwrecked sailors and passengers,
have given old lake sailors opportuni.
ty for recalling many curious and
thrilling incidents Of navigation Oh
either one or the other Of these great
inla1d seas. The most remarkable
experience that has been related is
that Of an elderly woman, an aunt Of
the late Captain Gilman Appleby who
comm lnded lake craft for nearly forty
years, Fifty years ago he lived at
Conneaut, Ohio, aud was at that time
one Of the owners and Captain of a
well known schooner. the Stste Of
Connecticut. Mrs. William Johns,
bis aunt, was visiting at his fathers
house, and became suddenly home.
sick and expressed her determination
to return to her home at Black Rock
on her nepheW's schooner, which was
about ready to leave for Buffalo. The
Captain was then experimenting the
building of the steamboat North
America at Conneaut--a vessel which
he aiterWard commanded. 1t would
be ready to launch in a few days, and
he begged his aunt TO wait and return
home aboard the new vessel. She in,
sisted on returning at once, and the
Captain reluctantly placed her in
charge Of the sehooners crew
Two days after the crew returned
10 CoDneaut in another vessel. They
reported that Just after they had left
Erie they were caught by one Of those
sudden and violent squalls that are
such a terror to the sailors on Lake
Erie. The schooner was capsized
but, although in a very short time be-
coming nearly full Of water, did no
sink. Mrs Johns was 10 the cabin
and the crew, believing that she wa
drowned, and being anxious 4 saw
themselves, lowered the schooner
boat and deserted the vessel Withou
paying any attention TO the passenger
They succeeded in reaching shorl
safely at a small village near Dunkirk
and made their way back to Con
neaut,
It was the third day after the wrecl
before Captain Appleby could arrang,
to 60 in search Of the body Of his aunt
The steamboat Peacock which was OIL
its way to Erie and Buffalo, was en-
gagged by Captain Appleby to look 10
the wreck aud take the body Of hi
aunt 10 Buffalo. The steamboat cam
across the wreck, which was driftinI
on its side as it had been left, and
number Of the crew boarded it. Ii
making an examination Of its cOndi
ton they found it to all appearance
| full OF water They thrust poles dow
into the cabin, but did not come il
contact with anything floating about
Believing that the body had hoater
out into the lake they left the wreel
as they had found il, and word 10 thi
effect was sent TO Captain Appleby
aud on the filth day after the schoone
had been capsized he went in searol
Of her himself, with facilities 70
righting her il found. A son Of III
missing woman accompanied him
| They found the schooner still driftiD
about in the lake on her side.
Alter several hours the schooue
was Strengthened up on her keel, an,
before she had hardly righted Mrs
Johns, haggard, worn almost TO
skeleton, and every thread of he
clothing dripping with water, stag
gered up the cabin stairs and fell un
conscious on the deck. The though
Of her being alive never having bee
entertained, her sudden appea-anc
before her relatives and the crew wa
so startling that the crew fed in tel
ror 10 the other vessel, aud il wa
some time before the Captain and hi
nephew recovered their self posse.
sion.
Mrs. Johns was restored to COZ
seriousness, but she was 50 weak Ina
she was unable until the next day |
tell how she had saved herself an
managed to keep alive during the fiy
days the schooner was drifting abou
on the lake. She said that when IA
schooner went over she did know whs
had happened. She was thrown dow
and by the time she arose TO her fe,
the water was up TO her waist.
subsequently arose to her arm pits an
was at that height most Of the tim,
She could not lilo down, and althoue
the cabin door was open, the wal,
was nearly three feet above il, and Al
could not get out. When the crew I
the steamboat Peacock boarded N
, wreck she could hear the men an
| talk overhead. She called 10 them ,
loudly as she could. She saw the pol
they thrust into the cabin, but
always came In at a spot where il coul
not touch her nor she grasp IT, an
before she could make her way TO IN
spot the pole would be Withdraw
! and thrust in at another distant placl
This failure 10 mako her presenC
known she said removed every vests
Of hope for her.
All that Mrs Johns had had to O.
was a water soaked cracker and a
obioni which came floating TO he
Twice she tried TO drown herself
putting her head under the water, bt
she could not. She fell asleep sever
times while standing In the water,