St. Paul daily globe., 1890-03-18
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE
OF Two Fishermen, Five Days
at Sea in an Open
Boat.
Astray on the Grand Banks
Without Provisions or
Water.
Covered With Ice, They Bat
tied for Life in Their
Frail Craft
In the Teeth Of a Winters
Gale--A Most Horrible EX-
iStenee.

Gloucester Mass Special to Boston Herald
The schooner Blanche arrived to-day
from Grand Banks, having on board
Edward Fogarty and William Wilson.
two of the crew of the schooner Nellie
&. Thurston, who got astray while at
tending travis, and whom they picked
up March in helpless condition.
Edward Fogarty, one of the rescued
men, related the following to a Herald
reporter: Il belong in Canso, N. s.,
and was always used to boat fishing,
coming here few years ago. have
since been engaged principally going to
the banks. This trip l went with
Capt. Collins in the Nellie G. Thurston
to Grand Banks after halibut. Febru-
ary % we were to anchor on the south
ern edge, and went to haul athe travis.
Wilson, who belonged in Gloucester,
was my dory mate. The wind was
northeast. with thick fog. The winch
which we had hauled travis up with
broke, and we started for the vessel to
repair it. After rowing some time we
were unable to find her. 1t commenced
could he done was to keep the boat
eral times she nearly filled, but we
managed to bail her out. The night
came Oh and the wind increased in vlo-
lenCe, and we then realized our situa-
tion if our vessel could not be found.
The fog did not clear. We drifted all
night. 1t was very cold, and the water
froze as it came over US. 1t was the
longest night and the most trying time
| ever experienced. All Friday it
Tained, and it was thick and cold. We
kept rowing before the wind. The Sec
ond night was about the same as
the preceding one. One took
turns at rowing, while the
other would lie down in the bottom of
the dOry. Saturday we were nearly eX-
hausted, our lips becoming parched and
tongues cracked. Wilson's feet and
hands began to swell. We had three
small halIbut in the dory, taken from
the travis, from which we cut pieces
and ate, but the raw fish made us sick.
About noon it cleared, and we thought
fortune had smiled upon US, as we saw
a steamer going east. We hOiSted our
oil jackets on the oars, but she was so
far away she failed to see the signals.
The fog shut down again, and cleared
up late in the evening, when we
saw brig some distance away, but
she also failed to see us. Saturday
night and Sunday it was very cold. but
moderated. We tried to eat some more
fish, but our tongues were so swollen
and parched that we could not swallow.
Having some matches we split the
thWarts up and tried to make a fire in
the bottom of the dory, so that some
fish might be roasted, but our matches
were wet and would not light. Sunday
night we were about deliriouS, and lay
down in the bottom of the dOry and
prayed for death to relieve our suffering.
Monday came in with thick fOg, and
it still remained cold. We were nearly
exhausted and could have survived but
a short time longer. After drifting all
day we heard the sound of horn,
which renewed our courage. Grasping
our oars we pulled toward it, and in
short time our boat was alongside the
schooner Blanche, after drifting five
days and nights without food or water.
We were taken on board, where Capt.
Frazier and his crew furnished us with
dry clothing and did everything posi-
BILE to relieve our Sutferings."
The first two days the rescued men
were given light food and warm drinks,
until their StomachS could assimilate
stronger diet. They have not yet fully
recovered from their terrible exposure.
Their hands and feet are still swollen.
The men say they could not have sur
vived much longer, and if they had
not soon been picked up would have
jumped overheard and ended their suf-
feringS.