Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-02
DEADLY PERIL AT SEA.
A Vessel Burned Despite the Strug-
gle other Crew.

From rho Ns,r YORK Times.
HALIFAX, Nova SCOTIA, Nov. 9Th e
mate of the bark Casper, burned at sea
while on a voyage from Miramichi to Liv-
erpool, before reported, tells the follow
ing story of the occurrence: ave let
MIramicni Oct. 20, with a crew Of thirteen
hands on board, and from the dsv we
sailed up 10 the time of the discovery o.
'he ire, experienced favorable alhPr.
with fine utterly winds. On
NOV. :, we were sailing along as
usual, when, at Up. m, we W re all
sIa'ted by seeing smoke issuing from the
fore ventila Ing hole. The veGtiiatOr
was Immediately taken of and the crack
ing of wood cou'd he distinctly heard
We then rushed to tn galley, hauled out
the stove, and tore up the gallev plates,
thinking that the fire might have made
its way through from tDat quarter. "ut
there was nothing to show that ii had
originated there. Anger holes were then
bored through d fTerent parts of the deck
and 1t was discovered that the fire was
immediately underneath. Smoke now is-
sud in volumes from every place where
there was an opening, and the matter be-
gan 10 look serious.
Tine crew, who realized that their
lives We're in peril, Id all in their power
worked with will and pour. d bucke's
of water on the burning embers, but al
10 no purpose, as the fire was stronger
AID seemed bound to have the mastery.
All was then battened down and every
vent hole covered in he effort to smOthDr
the flames. the ship was kept away TOT
ST. Pierre, which we rtckOned to be alb Il
seventy miles to the west-nOrthwest. I e
wind blowing eastsOutheast. We sill
anI mn in b., Hr.
down il possible. Provisions were place
in The longbOat, and she was got ready
for going over the side in case OF emer-
ge cy. The Captain went down into the
cabin, hut nearly lost his life in doing SO,
as he was oVerp0wered with gas from the
burning cargo. He was with d fficultS
gos,On deck, where he r. manned IN an in
sensible condition tor nearly an hour.
'AL 10 O'clock on the same night the
fore hatch. with a lOud report, blew int
the air. The deck house was also hurled
to considerable distance. had left the
roof few minutes before The flame
mad compleie mastery now. and we saw
that human efforts would only be wasted
ana human life sacrificed in trying to
save the ship, for she was aflame from
deck TO fOre-y artlarm, from stem to stern.
THe boat was launched and We left the
vessel at II D. m. At this tim the wind
'du lut'edSeu u Il gaze, Dub IL DIbW iHif
for our de "ination. The weather was too
thick TO see land, and rain poured dowA
IN torrents.
''After leaving the vessel it was hard
battle against the elements for our lives.
The wind was still mere tslng and the
waves were mountains high. We thought
our last hour had come. as we never ex-
pected the boat to live in sucb fearful
gale ana sea, but she weather. d il
bravply, and our hearts were glsddened
by the sight of land. Next morning "a
II O'Clock we landed safely at LOngiad e
Beach. When we landed we had not a
dry stitch on US. We went to a French
farm house. where we were treated with
the utmost kindness and our wants at
tended to by good people.
"rhe crew consists of Englisbmen,
Swedes and Norwegiaus. Misfortune ma
followed us since we left home for M Ira
MICH, tor on the voyage out poor fellow
fell from the rigging and broke his neck
aud now, to finish up, our snip has been
DurnedO