Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-07-11
ON A DESERT ISL AND
Terrible Adventure and Escape of
Ten Shipwrecked Sailors.

rived at Plymouth, England, recently.
some shipwrecked mariners whose ad,
ventures present features of no ordinary
interest. They are Capt. Stewart. the
second mate, the carpenter the sail
maker. and five seamen, survivors of the
crew OF the Gettysburg bark, of Aber-
deem, which was wrecked off Morant
Cages, thirty-three miles from Jamaica.
The Gettysburg left Monte Video on
FEBRUARY 6, with crew of sixteen all
told, in ballast, for Pensacola. On
April ] at 30 q. M, she struck OH q
coral reef outside Morant Caves. The
night was very dark, it rained at inter-
walls and there was q high wind blowing.
The current had carried the ship south
east of her course. Immediately she
struck, the bark fell over on her port side
and commenced to break up, and the
stern sank in deep water. Two boys,
John Tolfrey and Henry johnson, both
about sixteen, apprentices from the
training ship Warspito, who were III the
cabin, went down with the bark, and
Henry Bence, John Olsen and William
Vogwill were washed off her stern and
drowned.
Captain Stewart and ten of the crew
chung to the part Of the barks bottom
which was still above water, and while
they were in this position one of the
vessels boats was washed within their
reach. They tried to hold on to the
boat till daylight, but at 2 a. m.
heavy sea struck the boat and carried it
seaward. Captain Stewart and six Of
his men were washed off with the boat
to which they chung. but it filed with
water and became useless. Four men
managed to get back to the wreck, hut
John Forbes of Aberdeen, chief mate,
and John Lindsay, of Rhode Island, stew
ard, were drowned. Captain Stewart
seized an oar and hoated until heavy
sea washed him upon the reef. He after
wards joined the survivors Of the wreck.
At daybreak the Cages was made out n
mile to the westward of the reef. Will
lam Carter swan out to two spars, mast,
and yard, and, with the assistance of
James Crawford, ordinary seaman, who
joined him, constructed raft alongside
the reef. BY their efforts the lives of
Captain Stewart and six of their ship
mates were saved. They were towed ON
the raft to the nearest Cages, Carter
swimming all the way, and thus steer
ing the raft. There they found three
cocoanuts to eat and no water, the
island being uninhabited. They landed
completely naked.
After being there for two days they
dug for water, and found some, but
very blackish. On the third day Thomas
Allen, an able seaman, swan over to
larger island, followed by Carter and
Crawford, and stayed there all night
Next morning Carter returned to the
smaller Caves with news of having dis
covered more water and cocoanuts.
The rest of the survivors then swan over,
except David Wolfe, n German, able
seaman, who was injured in the wreck,
and Captain Stewart, who was too
exhausted. Carter assisted Captain
Stewart and Wolfe across. They re-
NAMED there over two weeks, existing
upon shellfsh, small crabs, and cocoa
nuts. During the last few days they
caught few birds (boobies) sleeping,
and ate them raw, as there was no
means of lighting fire. Some little
roots like the common white radlsh
were also found and eaten, but were
difficult of mastication and digestion.
A large shark was on the watch to catch
the sailors, and they tried to catch him,
but neither party succeeded. On April
81. at low water, Carter, Shaddick, the
second mate, and Edward Macdonald,
ordinary seamen, waded over to an IS
land and secured sufficient wood to make
a small raft The sun was so hot that they
we're badly scorched and blistered. A
raft was constructed by Charles Reece
Jones. sailmaker, and all the sails were
made out of an old piece OF bag. some
pieces of blanket, and bed which was
washed ashore.
On the ODD of April, Jones and Allan
started on the raft for Jamaica to pro-
cure assistance. They were victualled
with piece of pork which had been
washed up, all the cocoanuts lett ana
nine pints of fresh water IN Old potties
found on the island. The raft sank 10
eighteen inches below the water III the
centre. but both ends were elevated.
Its occupants were up to their wastes
in water. and remained so for forty-eight
bonrs. when, on the oath they landed Mt
Beacon Point, seven miles from Morant
Raw. There they lay down on the beach
exhausted. and slept till morning, when
they proceeded to White Horses, three
miles distant. At this place, at Ia m, they
found a black policeman, who gave tneln
food and took them on to Morant Bay,
where the Collector of Customs gave the
constable money to get them more food
and teiegraphed to the AUTHORITIES a. at
KINGSTON. Jones and Allen aiterward
Law down upon the piazza outside tn, the
Custom house, being still quite NAKED,
About 8 p. m. two gentlemen, one nm
Englishman named Barrett, superinten-
dent of the telegraph station, Mere e+r rea
indignant at their being left in the streee,
and n7rotested against their being sent to
Kin Kingston in their present condition.
Mr. Mr. sRaITett took them to an outtitter 5
and and provided them With clothes ordered deere;
n hot meat dinner for them, and Prov
ded them with liquor to battle ana rn 1,
their legs, which were very much s. swo ,ll
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