The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-12-05
A REMARKABLE WRECK.
How the Schooner David w. Hunt
Drifted for Nearly Year.

On NOV. 4, 1000, says aShlng-
ton special, the American schooner
David W. Hunt, Capt. Merritt, left
Cedar Keys, Fla, for New York,
loaded with pine lumber. Nothing
out of the ordinary happened until
heavy weather was encountered off
Cape Hattreas when, on Nov. %,
she was dismasted, sails blown away,
and the vessel lett at the mercy of
the terrible sea running at that
time. 10 add to the misery of the
crew it was cold and showing, the
wind blowing a full gale, so that
nothing could be done to steady
the vessel and thus avoid being
swamped by the sea, or the crew
from being washed overheard. One
sea after another swept her fore
and aft, taking everything with it,
breaking in her deck houses, smash
ing boats and keeping all hands be-
low with the idea that the next sea
would send them all to the bottom.
Her cargo Of pine saved them from
sinking, for she was soon full Of
water and very heavy. When, on
the 9th, the force of the gale had
diminished, Capt. Merritt found
himself helpless, boats gone, provis-
ions swept away or soaked in salt
water, fresh water impregnated with
salt, the crew half dead from expos
ure, with no means of getting sail
on the ship. After five days Of this,
on Nov. 30, the American schooner
Jesse 7. Mathesen, Capt. Gray, have
in sight, rescued the survivors and
took them in to Inagua, when they
were sent to the United States.
Then commenced one of the most
remarkable drifts ever known in the
history Of the Atlantic ocean.
Starting in latitude 1870 n, long
itude 1880 W., off Cape Hatteras,
and following the course generally
of the Gulf stream, though driven
hithcr and thither by storms and
winds, her zig-zag path carried her
over 5000 miles across the ocean,
making a majestic sweep to the
northward and around the Azores,
when, a few weeks ago she was
towed into MADEIRA, nearly a year
after she was abandoned.
From thirty Fights reports sent to
the photographic office from vessels
that have sighted her, her erratic
course has been plotted, and it
shows continual struggle between
the powerful gulf stream and equal
ly strong gales. In numerous places
she has crossed and recrossed her
track she has been directly in the
way of vessels plying between Eu-
rope and America, some of which
must have passed very close to her
at night in thick or foggy weather,
unaware Of their danger.
But few Instructions to naviga-
ton are so dangerous as derelicts,
especially when water-logged and
lying low in the water, for should a
vessel run into it her bows would be
stove in, with the chances sinking
prevailing, Several large transat-
lantic steamers passed within q hun
dred yards Of her, and one with over
five hundred passengers on board
had to change her course to avoid
running her down. Had she been
steering the same course at night
we would have another mystery of
the sea-a large steamer with five
hundred souls lost, and no tidings
of how she met her fate.
1t has been the purpose of the
United States photographic office to
keep record of all such derelects
and distractions to navigation, and
distribute information to all vessels
which enter our ports. The office
now issues monthly about 10000
copies of it's publications to seafar-
ers, all of which is done without
cost to those receiving them.
A little boy was observed making
queer movements with his elbow.
HIS aunt asked him what he was do
ing.