The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-26
SAVED BY HER BRAVERY.
Perilous Position OF Captains Wife
on Fever-strickep Ship.


From the Ne1c York Star.
Particulars of remarkable sea tale wore
received in this city yesterday by Sonth
street shipping house from Melbourne, Aus
tralia 1t concerns the struggles OF
woman, the wife Of a sailing master, on
fever-stricken vessel. which she brought
safely into port, thousands OF miles from
her starting point, though every one of the
crew had died of contegion during the
voyage, and her husband, the sole survivor
on the ship beside herself aud baby, was so
weakened by the disease as to be unable to
get on deck.
The heroine Of the story is Mrs. Tereas
Meinder. With her husband, Capt. Emil
Meinder, she left the port Of Maurlcius,
Peru, on April 3, on the schooner Johanna
The johanna, besides the captain aud his
wife and 2-year-old baby, carried a crew of
ten men. She Yves q snug little craft, sugar
laden and bound for Australian ports,
where her owners hoped to realize hand
some profit on the cargo.
On April 5, only two days out from port,
yellow fever in its most virulent form
broke out on board. One after the other
the seemen were stricken, and as nothing
could be done for them, with the limited
provisions that were at hand, they died
almost as rapidly as the disease attacked
them.
In less than as many days nine fever
bloated corpses had been thrown overheard
to the sharks that followed in the littlo
vessels wake. Besides the captain and his
wife and child not living soul remained
on board except the cook, who was forced
10 do duty as a seaman. The captains
wife did likewise, and under her husbands
instructions was soon able to perform
seamans duty.
1t was trying ordeal for the commander
and bis wife, but they comforted themselves
with the reflection that the worst had come,
aud that in a few weeks they would reach a
port. But the worst had hardly been hinted
at. The vessel at the tine was two months
out and prospects were fair, when the cook
developed fever symptoms.
On June he suecumbed to the fate Of his
companions, and before nightfall his dead
body Was flung into the sea TO feed the sharks
which had kept steadily on the schooner's
track.
With the cooks death came worse diff
culties than ever, bus the plucky man and
wife faced thom boldly until June TO- two
days after the cooks death, when Capt.
Meinder experienced the first symptoms of
the terrible disease that had decimated his
ship. On the following day he was in bed,
delirious.
The task of working the ship now de-
fought so bravely against the most terrible
odds Besides, she had also to nurse her
husband and look af Ter her baby. Naturally
the schooner made but little progress, but
the sailor mans wife managed to make
some little progress In the proper direction.
When it was necessary 90 go aloft to look
after the canvas, or below to attend her de-
lirious husband or seek few hours Of rest,
she would firmly lash the wheel and take
har hao rtpCc ae 90 hnnE
deck.
For a month the captain was confined to
his cabin, lowering betN cen life and death.
Fortunately the weather was good during
most of this time. But whea the vessel
was within ten miles Of tho harbor of FIRE.
mentle force storm spraug up. The wo-
man worked unfinchingly through the
tempest, whils the little craft bid fair to go
to pieces at any moment.
The captain was recovering at the time,
and, weak as he was, he left his cabin and
helped his wife. But even then their united
efforts promised poorly; for, to make mat
tiers worse, If possible, than they were
already, the vessel sprang leak, and the
water began to pour into her at an alarm
ing rate. Two hundred and fifty bags Of
sugar were jettisoned, and though this
lightened the vessel, both husband and wife
believed that after their brave struggle
they were to die in the end.
Just as they were losing all hope a pilot
boat have in sight, and the captain, his
wife and child were taken of and into
port.
Tugs were sent out to hunt the johanna.
and after seven-hours search they found
and brought her into port. Capt
Meinder recovered sufficiently three weeks
ago to start on the return journey to Peru,
and he is at present once more on the Pacific
in tho Johaane with his plucky wife, bound
for the South American port from which