Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-10-30
Wrecked Grew Rescued

The British steamship Wilesden, Capt.
Raiburn, bound from Galveston to Liver
pool, which put in to Norfolk for coal
Thursday, had on board the captain and
wife aud crew twelve i'll ally of the schoon.
er Charles r. Campbell, which was wrecked
in the Gulf Of Mexico while on the way
from Ships Island to Aspinwall with car.
go of lumber. The story of the wreck. as
told by the captain, is one of great suf-
ferng After leaving the Island the Caup.
bell encountered a hurricane ithe Same
which demolished Sabine Pass, which car.
red away the sails and so disabled The
schooner that the captain expected her to
go down at any moment At the time the
hurricanca struck the vessel the captain
anG the majority OF those on board We're
asleep, and were awakened by the violent
pitching only in time to save themselves,
which they did by cinging to the Iazarite
where they were confined "a hours. During
the hurricane the schooner was thrown on
her beam ends and the captain, knowing that
to remain in such position meant death to
all hands, determined to cut away the
masts, and to do this he and his crew dashed
themselves to the rails by ropes long enough
to enable them to do so with an axe and
Ratchet, which were at hand. While cut.
ting the crew were frequently washed from
their positions by the waves, and the ropes
being tied around their waists they would
bring up with jerk that would render them
almost unit for work, and some cfthe crew
still bear the marks Of their rough expert
ence. After cutting the masts away the
vessel righted Immediately, tut being so
water-logged only the Top of the cabin re-
| 70
and stayed until rescued, No help being in
sight it was necessary to find something on
which to subsist, and the captain on enter.
ing the cabin found himself up TO his arm
pits in water, but succeeded in obtaining
some raw beet aud potatoes and barrel of
Hour, which he brought out. The inner
part cl the ilour only could be used, as the
outer part was ruined by the salt water
Upon this they mansged to exist for some
time. The hurricane abstipg in violence,
another visit was made 10 the cabin, whore
were icuad few cans Of corned beef
and condensed milk Near the ton of
tho cabin few cartridges were found
which the water had not reached,
and The powder being taken from them. was
gut in some cotton waste, and by the use OF
two Tiles fire was started. Part of the
cabln stove having been gotten out, The fire
| Has pun III tHIS, anu by the uln OF q lew OF
the cooking utensils enough food was eook-
ed 10 warm the bodies Of the thoroughly
chilled men, they being too thinly clad to
protect themselves from The severe weather.
having to leave their herths without any
clothing except what they had on. The
vessel drifted about $50 miles from
where the hurricane struck her before the
crew was rescued. During this time quite
u number Of steamers and schooners were
sighted, but they were too far off to notice
the signal of distress which had been nailed
TO the stump OF one of the masts, and when
hope had almost forsaken them, the steam.
ship Willesden hove in sight and they were
taken on board, where they were trested
with grest kindness by the captain and
crew, hid only men who have been in a
simiar position can appreciate the feelings
OF these poor beings who were almost snatch
ed from the jaws of death. The steamship
Hillesden appears to figure almost as sn
angel OF mercy on the sea, this not being
her first rescue, she having on the Sth OF
last November saved from almost a similar
position the crew Of another wrecked vessel.