Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-13

New YORK, Oct. Z. The brig F. |.
Merriman arrived here to-day in command
of Captain Hoffschild of the German barque
Frederick Scala, the Scalia's captain hav-
ing died at sea. Captain Hoffschild aban-
doned his own vessel, which had been dis
abled in hurricane, to take command oil
the Merriman. The Frederick Scala left
Setting on July IL with cargo of salt
for Charleston, S. G. She was barque
of 422 tons, built in 1858. Capt. Hoffs-
child. his two mates, steward and eight
men were on board. All went we'll until
Sept. u, when, without any warning, the
barque was caught in hurricane. The
wind blew with terrific violence, and great
seas swept over the vessel. The hurri-
cane began to blow from the south south
east. and shifted to the south.southwest.
Everything was swept from the decks.
boats were stove, sails blown from the
bolt ropes, yards and masts were carried
away land leak started in the hold When
the storm passed away the captain found
himself in command of mastless hulk,
rolling in the trough of high sea, with
the water gaining rapidly in the hold. He
set them to work at the pumps, and the
leak was stopped as well as it could under
the circumstances. A jury foremost was
rugged up, and a couple of sails were set
so that the captain was able to keep the
vessel before the wind. By keeping the
pumps going constantly the water
in the hold was prevented from
gaining. When the hurricane struck
the barque she was in latitude 800. longi-
tude $40, and when the captain had got his
jury-mast rugged after the storm. he ran
before the wind toward the south in order
to get into the northeast trades. brig was
sighted flying signals of distress. The two
vessels were soon near each other. and a
negro on the quarterback sang out
"Lend us provisions and water and a
navigator"
where is the captain ?" asked Capt.
Hoffschild ..Deadt" was the answer.
THE mate ?'' dead alsor'
Lower away your boat and come for
us and we will all come aboard and bring
provisions and water" said the captain
of the Scala. "We can't, only two OF
the crew are alive, and one of them sick. 81
The captain explained that he had nc
boats, and that the brig must lower its
boats. After little delay boat from the
brig came off, pulled by the negro who
hailed the wreck of the barque and anoth-
er negro. Captain Hoffschild took some
of his men and went aboard the other
vessel. She proved to be the brig F. I.
Merriman of this port. homeward bound
from the west coast of Africa with car
go of hides. She had gone to the African
coast with miscellaneous cargo from
Boston, and carried captain, two mates
and a steward in the cabin. and four men
before the mast. While lying at Bathurst
on the African coast. the first mate died
of African fever On the homeward voy-
age one of the crew died of the same dis.
ease, and native African was ship.
ped in his place. When two days
out, Captain Nickerson and one
of the crew were taken down with the
fever. The captain fingered along fol
some time, but finally died Before the
captains death the mate was taken sick
and after ten days he died. About the
same time another member of the crew
died. This left the steward, the native
African and one white sailor to work the
vessel. The steward is Bermuda negro
! He took command. No one of the three
knew anything of navigation. and had the
/ SAINT luTTlcdHe IHdt WTeCkeu the Scalls
struck the Merriman she would probabl,
have gone to the bottom. As it was, the
steward had gone by dead reckoning anC
had not gone far astray. The steady anC
gentle winds of the northeast trades haC
/ filled the sails, every one of which wa.
set, and sent the brig into that part of the
ocean where she might expect help; bu
the stores and water were almost gore
and starvation or death from thirst stared
the three men in the face For ~ dav.
the brig sailed in this manner, the white
sailor being taken down in the meantime
with the fever. Finally they sighted the
wreck of the Scala. When Capt. Hoffs
child heard the story of the brig. he trans
ferred all his men, stores and water to tn,
Merriman. and, abandoning his owl
vessel. shaped his course for this port. Oh
the arrival of the Merriman here to-da,
she was detained at quarantine. the whit,
sailor of the brig still being sick witt
African fever. Capt. Hoffschild has an
nounced his intention of claiming salvag,
for bringing the brig into port. The car
go of the Merriman is valued at $4,000
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