The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-06-19
A GRIM TALE OF THE SEA.
A pARK CLOUD FOLLOWS THE SAXON
ACROSS THE OCEAN.

Record ON the Ships Log.
What fearful thing, then 1t must be to be
confined to ship where death Is daily
occurrence, where contagious disease Is
raging and no one knows when his turn may
come and his lifeless form, inclosed in q
shotted hammock, may be committed to the
deep. Such voyage was the passage of the
Maine ship Saxon, Capt Groton, from Havre
to New Orleans, in 1854 Capt. Groton has
long since passed away, but these incidents
We're related to the writer by his brother, and
may be verified by his log book.
This log book is a continuous narrative of
death, storm and disaster, and without the
usual descriptions Of courses sailed directions
Of wind each hour, state of weather, observa-
tions Of latitude, longitude, ETC., would be a
most interesting volume Such things, how
ever, would have little interest for the average
reader.
Oct. o. 1854, the Saxon, with 437 passen-.
gers, was towed out of Havre, homeward
bound on voyage that was to try the soul
OF her brave commander. The first entry OF
the log book is business like enough. We are
told that the tug boat received the neat sum
of $40, and left them to themselves But in
day or two the record OF death begins
Oct. IL the ominous words tBuried one girl,n
sounded the key note of the entire passage.
The next day, "buried woman,n and the
next "buried a child.u
On Sunday, the 10Th, the island of Ushant
was seen, and the captain states the passen-
gers were mostly well; but ON the 10th the
terribly monotonous entry again appears,
Blurred an old man, For the next few
days tho records are Of fearful gales, sails
blown to pieces, and the ship hove to for
safety.
Cape Finisterre is passed, and with land
still in sight, three of the passengers 60 over
! the ships side, and two of the crew arc sick.
Up to this time nothing has been said as TO
the nature OF pestilence so rapidly decimating
the ships company, but now we learn that IL
is pronounced cholera by two French physi-
clans who happen to be among thepassengers.
Now we learn also that the captains wife,
whom he had but recently married, Is With
him on this i'll starred voyage. She too falls
avictim. At five in the morning she Is taken
very Ill, and from that time till her death
the loving husbands grief and despair Ii
mingled with the more prosaic details of each
days events. She suffered no pain, but
rapidly weakened. Her life, no doubt, was
prolonged by the assiduous care of the two
French doctors, who did all in their power to
save her, but In vain On the morning of the
21st he writes; MY wife Is very sick and
weak. She is failing fast She cannot live,
but | still hope that she will. The mate asks
IL she dies what is to DO done with the body.
IL 1t can be kept, we shall keep Ii by all
means. The mate has not left the room since
she was taken sick" At11:a0 he says: "She
sleeps quietly; u dark cloud seems TO follow
the Saxon.n
On the next day, ''She is very low, but
without pain.n At IL p. M, s'sinking fast.p
At a. IN. she closed her eyes in death, and
the sorrowfulman exclaims, 81 feel as though
had lost all In life worth living for. Tho
passengers are dying at the rate of two day,
and seem surrounded by sickness and death.
The passengers that take care Of themselves
are all right, but those who are not clean IN
their habits and careful about eating and
est blow had fallen upon the unhappy sailor,
but not the last. On the Goth this entry APP
pears; "Another death at midnightr-my
mate, Joshua Keller He suffered terrible
pain from cramps till death relieved him.
The doctors say his death was caused by OK
posture and imprudence. His home was In
Rockland, Me. He leaves wife and infant
child. am now all alone, and the only nav
igator on board the ship God only knows
what will become of the ship and the passen-
gers II happen to take the cholera and die.n
This last misfortune however, did not boz
fall the ship, though 1t seems almost mira
Gle that he was spared. Every care fell upon
his shoulders. The crew and passengers had
TO BIO watched. Even the second mate and
the cook could not BIO trusted
THE ONLY NAVIGATOR LEFT
Every part of tho ship had to be visited
daily, and the burials had to be superintend-
ed by him, for the deaths occurred with
horrible regularity.
Nov. rs no made this entry; Buried
child;' ON the Goth, Buried two children
and SO on till Dec. |, when forty-fve had
died IN tho twenty-five days since leaving
Havre. They dropped off suddenly, some>
times without an hours warning. The NOR
tality seemed greatest among the children.
On each recurring day OF the week on which
his wife died, tho pathetic entry occurs,
Zone, two or three weeks since my wife
died" Her body he religionsly preserved
The remains were carefully inclosed In cam
vas sack and this was thoroughly coated with
tar; at intervals he added succeeding tarred
canvas cases until there were five OF these
coverings. One day he heard that the passen-
gers were cutting up their berth boards and
burning them. There was no need Of this, as
they were well supplied with wood and coal,
anu he p,opP'iy 'nrea'eneu .neii wiz com
hiclien' ~ IRONS II .hey persls'eu on one
occason no i'aa 70 .hrusn y nah ,or hghsing
woman a. another Time no naa 70 use
force 70 queii hgh. among .nem; iney 20
gun 70 snow lhu.lhous anu aisnea near
splri'. Sap~ urolon was noe . nan way
man. anu wne,i no speaAs ol c,'As'cnpns anJ
one IL 20 ooupt meant u souno .nrasnii,s tof
me uhruiy rrehchniAn.
one uay rush was made LOT nun wnen
Rtanulhg aio ana ~ . eicas ulsaayan.age, pSe
az tne earnest representations ny inc FRENCH
navigheor, tncy concluuea nov 70 .nrow nin
=, sto,s .,.as,.,,, .,. 49, H. ,,,ssss
Ia, Nm, ,,,o,..a w. s,,s;'s,,aS =,
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