The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-01-20
ADRIFT At SEA.
Terrible Suffering of Six Whalers
in an Open Boat.
Becoming Delirious for Want Of
Food and Water.

The steamer Advance, of the United States
and Brazil line, which arrived at New York q
few days ago, brought into port six ship
wrecked whalers who had been found at sea
in an open boat, Captain Mcneil, Of the
British steamer County Glare. Their names
are John P. Pararo, third mate; Alex. G.
Wood, boat steerer; Manuel Hormen, Anto-
MO Perrira, Lawrence Lodrevener and An
tonic Manuel Lima, seamen. Alexander
Wood, the boatsteerer, is negro
born in Connecticut and is the only one who
talks English fuently. His shipmates are
italians. He said that they had sailed on the
whaling schooner Mary E. Simmons, from
New Bedford some months ago for the whal-
ing grounds off the coast Of South America.
When about one hundred miles to the east
ward of Pernambuco, a school Of whales was
sighted. The first and second mates lowered
away, the former taking the third mates boat
his own having been stove in on former occa-
sion In short time both boats had made fast
to a whale. From the deck of the schooner @
the work of the two crews could be seen, and
there being other whales in sight the third
mate ordered the spare boat to be lowered.
She was without water or provisions, and it
was late in the afternoon when q start was
made. A big spOuter was selected for cap
ture by the third officer, and when near
enough the boatsteerer sent his harpoon into
the back of the victim. He proved to be a
fighting whale of tremendous size.
At the first stroke of the harpoon he
sounded" or dived. Line was paid out, and
when he rose to the surface strong pull was
made to get alongside Of him. and the lance
in the hands of the third officer was plunged
into his side. Then the whale "fuked" and
lifted the boat, men and all, out of the water
When they came down the boat
had been overturned and with great
difficulty it was righted. The
whale was dead and lay on the sur
face harmless mass of untried blubber,
alongside which the men hauled their boat,
which was stove and waterlogged. By this
time it was nearly sunset and the schooner
was nowhere to be seen. Shortly before dark
the sail of one of their own boats was seen
and the wrecked men yelled and shouted to
attract attention. Their cries were not heard,
and night coming on all hands were obliged
to sit on oars lashed across the boats gun
vale, with their legs dangling in the water.
After dark the lights of the schooner could be
seen plainly, but too far Off to windward to
allow hail to be heard.
The next morning another schooner was
sighted standing toward them, and mans
shirt was lashed to boat-hook and waved
aloft The schooner tackled three times
within eight or ten miles Of them, and at
last squared away and was soon out Of
sight. Weakness from wanto water and food
and exposure, added to the disappoint-
ment when this schooner sailed away, made
the men almost desperate. Shortly after
ward another vessel hove in sight and hope
was renewed. Frantic waving Of the signal
on the boat-hook failed to attract attention,
and again feeling of despair came over
them.
During the day seven sails were seen and
all passed on their way without noticing the
suffering men. When night again fell Sea-
man Lima had become delilious and raved
wildly. His shipmates were compelled to tie
him with the boats painter to prevent his
jumping into the sea. All night the men
were forced to listen to the rawlings Of the de-
seemed to distract our minds from our own suf-
ferings." The third day passed and still no signs
Of help and the men were tortured with thirst
and hunger. On the morning Of the fourth
day, two more vessels passed by. At II A.
NJ. steamer was made out coming directly
toward them. She saw them and at noon
the six exhausted, starved and almost crazy
seamen were taken on board the County
Glare. Every kindness was shown them but
it was some time before they recovered their
strength. The were taken into Pernambuco,
whence the American consul sent them home
on the Advance.