News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-04-17
from the n. Y. SUM-


The lookout of the bark Edward
Gushing, on Feb. %, while the bark was
southeast of Cape Hatteras, sighted in
the distance dark object which bobbed
up and down IN the rough sea. As the
bark neared it it was made out to be a
heavy spar spliced to an open boat. In
the boat, which was filled with water,
was man cliDging to the gunwale. The
bark bore down upon the boat, and the
man was taken aboard. He was still
from cold and exposure, and had not
strength to speak. When he recovered
he told this story.
On Feb. 10 the brig A. G. Jewett,
loaded with coal and machinery, left
Philadelphia bound to Matanzas, Cuba.
She was a trim vessel of 361 tons, was
under the command of Capt Joseph
Reed, and hailed from Belfast, Me. She
had picked up her crew in Philadelphia
a few days before sailing. These were
the Captain, two mates, six sailors, and
a cook.
On the day after setting sail the brig
passed the Delaware Bre akwater. On
Feb. 81 and % the weather was forebod-
ing, but the winds favored the vessels
course. During the night of the 22d
the brig struck the Gulf Stream. A
strong wind, which had been blowing
from the southeast, turned into a violent
gale. The sea rose high and the waves
broke over the vessel, which labored
terribly. The storm increased in vio-
lence, and the gale shifted and came
from the southwest. The buffeting of
the waves shifted the briggs cargo, and
she sprang leak. The storm was so
fierce that the pumps could not be
worked with any effect. At 81 o'clock
on the morning of the 23d heavy sea
struck the brig, throwing her on her
beam ends. She foundered shortly
afterward. Capt. Reed and the cook
sank with her,
The two mates and the four seamen
swan toward boat which the waves
had torn loose from the vessel, together
with spar to which it had been spliced.
The boat was full of water, and would
have sunk but for the spar. The men
climbed into her, and chung to the gum
wales. The waves broke over them
again and again. They had no food,
water. oars, or sails. At daylight the
gale had decreased in violence, but the
water was still terribly rough. 1t be-
came frightfully cold. The men to keep
the upper part of their bodies out of the
water stood on the boats seats, still
clutching the gunwales, which were the
only part of the boat not submerged.
In the afternoon Mr.. CLARK, the first
mate, said that his strength was leaving
him. He could not stand on the seat
any longer, and sank down into the wa
ter, his body resting ON the boats bot
TOM For time he managed to keep
his head and shoulders above the gun
vale. A succession Of chop seas swept
over his head, and little while later he
died. His companions, to tighten the
boat, threw his body into the sea. Not
long after the death of the first mate one
of the sailors died from exhaustion. His
body had hardly been let over the side
of the boat when another sailor loosened
his grip on the gunwale and fell back
dead. He also was dropped into the
water. Only three remained when night
came. There was no moon or stars. The
flooded boat was tossed high one mo-
ment and submerged the next. The
night was terrible, and it seemed like a
lifetime to the two men vino lived to see
dawn. The other had died in the dark
ness.
At noon on Feb. "a, Second Mate
James Pratt was the sole survivor of the
crew of the brig A. G. Jewett. For
nearly two days longer he was tossed
around. He had been In the boat fifty
four hours when he saw the bark
Edward Cushing bearing down upon
him. He was too weak and numb to
make even signal of distress. The
bark was out from Boston and bound for
Aspinwall, where Pratt was landed on
March Ia He was anxious to return to
the United States, but was entirely des-
titute, all his effects having been lost
with the A. G. Jewett. He told his
story to the United States Consul at As
pinwall. who sent him home on the
Pacific Mail steamship Acapulco, which
arrived In this port Tuesday.
Pratt is a fne-leoking man of 80
years. He is of medium height, COM
pactly built, and looks like man who
could endure great privations. He has
clear blue eyes, brown hair, and full
brown beard. His home is in Gardiner,
Me-, where he will return. On her last
previous trip to this port the Acapulco
passed the wreck of the schooner J.
Goodwin at Castle Island Reefs. Pratt
was the second mate of this schooner,
and after her wreck went to Philadelphia
and shipped on the A. G. Jewett.