Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-08
TOWED TO SEA By WHALE.
Distressing Adventure OF Boat-Lond OF
sailors.
TNaur Vora T;,,ae

lNNtn iOlh Illus
The steamship Advance, of the
United States and Brazil Mail Line,
which arrived yesterday from Rio ia
metro, brought six men belonging to the
whaling schooner Mary e. Simmons.
They were rescued on December LIST in
an exhausted condition after having
passed two days in an open boat with
out food or water. The Mary E. Sim
mons is o New-Bedford whaler, which
late in November was cruising
along the South American coast. On
the morning of November Goth, when
the vessel was off the east end Of
Pernambuco, school OF whales was
sighted. Captain Manly soon brought
his vessel close to the whales and gave
the order to lower away the boats.
The first and second mates got into
their boats, and soon each had killed a
whale apiece and had fastened on to
another. AS the first mates boat had
been smashed few days before, that
officer had taken the boat usually
handled by the third mate. Captain
Manly ordered John Prar0, the third
mate, to take spare boat and join the
first and second mates.
Praro took with him five men and
was soon among the whales. Selecting
large one, he buried his harpoon in
the back of the monster, which imme-
diately dived under the water and start
ed off at frightful rate Of speed, pull
ing the boat after him. Prsro kept the
harpoon-line fast, and the whale sped
on until it was eight or ten miles from
the schooner. 1t then suddenly came
up under the boat, which it nearly
capsized. The boat filled, but by
hurriedly baiiing her out the men
kept her from swamping. The
harpoon-line was let go, and the
oars were dashed to the boat in order to
prevent them from being washed away.
The men looked around for the schoon-
er. She was miles away, and evidently
not following them. The sailors watch
ed anxiously, and shortly before dark
they saw the schooner heading toward
them. She was, however, proceeding
slowly. When darkness settled down
over the distant schooner it revealed
one Of her lights, which seemed to come
nearer for a while, and then appeared
to stop. Then it slowly grew smaller
and at midnight disappeared.
There was neither food nor provisions
in the boat, and the next day the men
began to suffer from thirst. In their
longing for water they scarcely felt the
want Of food. During the afternoon a
sailor named Tony, who appeared to
be suffering terribly from thirst, sprang
up and began to shout in a delirious
manner. He fancied that he saw ves-
sells approaching from all directions.
He cried to the people on these phan-
tom crafts to save him. Finally he
made a spring as if he would plunge
overheard. He was seized by two
of his comrades, who threw him
down in the bottom of the boat and
dashed him there. The poor fellow
rayed wildly, but he was too weak to
free himself from his confinement. No
vessel hove in sight that day. Thirst
kept the weary men from sleeping, and
they lay on the seats listening to the
sound of the waves and the cries of
their raying shipmate. When at length
day broke over the ocean two sails
were in sight, although many miles
away. One Of the vessels proved to be
| the County of Glare, Captain McNeil!,
which picked up the suffering sailors
about noon.
The boats crew comprised Third
Mate Praro, Manuel Hommem, Antonio
Perfira, Lawrence Lodreviner, Antonio
Manuel Lima, and Alexander G. Wood.
Theiatter is Connecticut negro, but
the others are Portuguese. The Consul
at Pernambuco obtained passage for the
men on the steamship Advance.
The Italian bark La Fiducia, Captain
Ferola, which arrived yesterday from
Smyrna, brought the crew of the Ital-
ian bark Pietro, which was abandoned
in a sinking condition off the Island OF
Madeira on November 18th. Captain
Filippo, Of the lost bark, states that he
left Marseilles for Buenos Ayres with
q general cargo on October 22d. The
Italian 'Consul-G General will send the
shipwrecked men to their homes.
/