St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-10-21
THE STORY OF THE ANCHORIA
ThrilIIng EIperiences nd Sea.


ing particulars
ST. JOHNS, n. F., October IL. 1t
was about half-past III Sunday morn
ing when large ships boat was OBJ
served entering the harbOr. She was
under sail, and four sturdy sailors
were also helping her along with oars.
She very naturally excited some ankle
ty as she came in, and many marine
glass was leveled in her direction.
Suddenly captain of fishing
schooner, remarkable hereabouts for
his keen eyesight, exclaimed, as he
took his telescope from his eye: "Why,
that's the AnchOria's boat | see her
name on the bow ~
Immediately there was great excite
ment. A boat from the Anchoria |!
Well, perhaps she is lost, after all and
those on board are the sole survivors.
Happily this surmise was speedily
proved to be wrong. The boat was
hailed as soon as she came within
speaking distance, and the CHEEKY re-
Spouse, ''The AnchOria's all right-On-
ly broken down." caused much TejOic-
ing among the little crowd.
The boat proved to be one of the
Anchoria's lifebOats. She was under
the command of the first officer and
was manned by eight picked men of
her crew. The AnchOria, they report
ed, had broken her main shaft and had
drifted along to the westward under
sail for several days. The first officer
said that all were we'll OH board and
that both passengers and crew had
done the best they could to enliven the
tediOusness of the long passage under
sail. They had plenty of food on the
steamer, and that there was never any
fear among the passengers.
The first officers business was soon
accomplished. He engaged the steam
er Miranda to go in search of the An
chOria, and steam was Immediately got
up and every preparation made for the
undertaking.
GLOW did the passengers behave 2"
was asked one of the bronzed and
bearded sailors who had come in on
the lifebOat.
"They didn't mind it much," was
the reply, uttered in strong Scottish
accent. "They had plenty of music,
and made the best of a bad job"
SOME PARTICULARS.
The AnchOria left Glasgow on the
10th of September, and after calling at
Neville proceeded on her westward
voyage without accident until Friday,
the oath. A stI Ong gale was blowing
from the northwest and the sea was
running high. The ship was not Ia
boring heavily, but under the impulse
of q wave of unusual magnitude the
AnchOria gave sudden lurch. I'm
mediately the passengers and crew
LODI Nv In n
the shaft close to the propeller. Until
the engines were stopped the shaft,
unimpeded by the disconnected pro-
peller, continued to revOlve with ire
mendOus velocity, and seemed to be
racking and tearing the vessel to
pieces.
The utmost CONSERVATION prevailed.
The ship, deprived of her propelling
power, began to roll in the trough of
the sea, and the noise and crash of
broken crOckery and glassware drove
everW one on deck from the saloon.
The passengers, terrified and panic
stricken, huddled together, filled with
a dread of impending danger. In this
critical moment there was no distinc-
ton between the saloon and the steer
age. A common peril made bond of
sympathy between all but while this
panic prevailed among the passengers
it by no means extended to the gallant
master and his brave and hardy men.
The engines were stopped, sails were
set, and the ship became somewhat
steadieT.
Nothing now remained but to keep
the vessel going in hope of relief from
some passing steamer. They had run
at this time about 100 miles from
Glasgow, and rather to the nOrthward
of the usual track of ocean steamers.
The captain managed, however, to get
knowledge of his position by daily OBJ
servations, and on Friday last, finding
himself about 80 miles off NewfOund
land, he called for volunteers to at
tempt in the life boat the perilOus
voyage to that stormy coast. He had
not long to wait. 81 will CO." said one
brave fellow, eff Mr.. MacFarlane will
go with u.s." In quiet and unexcited
accents the noble MacFarlane answer
ed 81 will CO." "and l, and |, and l."
was the choral response until the COM
plement of this forlOrn hope was com
plete. Among those who volunteered
to go in the boat was Thomas Suther
est, London barrister, who contested
a seat in Liverpool in the liberal home
rule interest. His wife being on board
insisted on accompanying her husband,
but as the trip was deemed too hazard
Gus for a woman, Mr.. Sutherest was
impelled to remain behind.
The wind was fair, but the sea was
running mountains high when these
noble fellows who, for the love of their
fellow men, essayed a task which was
a thousand times more hazardous than
that which they refused to do for the
love of money, prepared to start from
the helpless ship. Provisions in the
shape of biscuits and meat in tins and
a cask of water were put aboard. The
noble crew were now about to embark.
"God bless you, MacFarlane," said
the hardy skipper, with moisture in
his eye. ''GOd bless you! We may
never meet again !"
With these parting words the life
boat, in which centered the hopes and
fears of 700 souls pushed off from the
disabled ship, and was soon lost to
sight in the hay distance. Following
are the names of the dauntless eight
whose heroic deed will add further
lustre to the fame of TIE British tar:
John MacFarlane, chief officer, Scot
land.
John Mcintyre, Scotland.
Hugh Dunn, Scotland.
Alexander Mckenzie, Scotland.
Thomas McAuley, Scotland.
James Hanna, Liverpool.
James McLOughnan, Londonderry.
Robert Thompson, Newry.
Their mission was grand, but as
subseouent events uroyed though no
fault of theirs, was fruitless, for the
AnchOria, favored by a fair wind, man