New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-20
PRICE THREE CENTS.
OFFICERS MANNED THE BOAT
BRAVE RESCUE OF nIPERILLED SEAMEN.
A cowARDLY GREW REFUSED TO AID THEM
AND THE CAPTAIN TOOK THE WHEEL.

The German steamer Sophie, which arrived nero
yesterday, brought Captain Pearce and thirteen
sailors rescued from the bark Exile, which was
met in sinking condition on the edge Of the
Grand Banks. The Sophie is steamer Of l,o71
TONS and is commanded by Captain Won Hugo. All
the officers and the cook are Germans. The
crew are Italians. The Sophie left Cardiff in
water ballast for this port on June 2. She almost
Immediately encountered heavy weather, tho first
six days. getting succession of east and southeast
| gales. Between the nights OF June and she
got q cyclone blowing with hurricane force.
| tremendous sea was running, and now and then q
great wave would board the steamer. The
steamers head was kept up TO the sea as much as
possible and her engines slowed down.
great, green sea boarded the ship that night,
smashed the port life-boat, and swept everything
movable from the decks All that night the
steamer struggled against the wind and waves
When the dreary, stormy morning broke over the
angry, tempest-swept the ANXIOUS officers upon
the steamers bridge saw vessel flying signals OF
distress and bore down on her She proved TO be
the British bark Exile, from Pascagoula for
Amsterdam, lumber-laden Her mainmast was
over the side, and her foretopgaant mast miz-
zen tomnast and mizzenmast head were gone.
| Her bulwarks and rail had been carried away on
| the port side, and her port quarter was smashed.
| She was floating with her decks level with the
water, the seas making a clean breach over her.
On the poop lashed to the tafrail. were the
captain and crew of the bark
The vessel was evidently rapidly breaking up
and although a frightful was running. Captain
Won Hugo resolved to rescue her crew. lie called
all his officers and deck crew together and asked
for volunteers to man boat and go to the relief
of the distressed sailors on the wreck His Ger
man officers at once volunteered. but the Italian
sailors declared that they would not risk their
lives on any such errand of mercy. Captain Won
Hugo did not like TO send all his officers on the
adventure and all of them would be needed to
man boat So he steamed as near as he could
to the bark and sang out that he would stand
by and would send boat as possible.
Night came on night Of storm and laundering
waves. When morning broke the bark could not
be seem Captain Won Hugo however. was re-
solved to save the crew Of the Exile and steamed
away to leeward in search Of her. Six miles
away lie came up with the Exile and again called
for volunteers to go IN boat and bring off her
crew The cowardly Italians refused 10 CO. but
the officers again eagerly volunteered. So did the
cook Henry Schmit. who forsook his kettles and
his pans and became hero.
The captain took The wheel Of the steamer him
self and brought her near as was safe under
the lee of the bark. while the life boat put off
Henry Meyer. the second mate. John Never the
boatswain Charles Menslng. the carpenter. Henry
Blifcrnicht and the cook. Henry Schmit Two trips
were made by the fe-boat without accident
and seven men were transferred TO the steamer
at each trip The bark was wet that it was
impossible to set her fire. so the Sophie. with
the rescued crew, came TO New-York.
The Exile hailed from st. John, N. B., and left
Paseagoula on May 20. On June g. when in
latitude 43 40, longitude "A, she caught a strong
wind from south-southwest, which gradually in
creased until it was blowing with hurricane vio-
lence. The bark shortened sail until she was
under storm-trysail lower topsail and topmast-
staysail. Under this canvas she lay easily until
l 0 o'clock in the forenoon, when a sudden gust
of wind blew the lower topsail out of the bolt
ropes and tore the topmast staysail TO ribbons
One hour later another gust blew away the lower
main-tOpsail, leaving her under the storm-trysail
only. At midnight fearful cross-seas were run
ming, and the bark labored heavily. The wind
all the time blew hurricane. Seas broke over
the ship continually and the men laboring al
the pumps had to be lashed to them to prevent
being washed overheard. This continued
until 4 o'clock on the morning Of
Juue 8. when the weather suddenly moderated.
The vessel was in the centre of the cyclone.
The still running hepvily, however, and
port quarter and causing her to leak badly. At
/ 40 o'clock that morning the cyclone again
struck the vessel. The foresail and upper fore
topsail blown ont of the gaSlets and torn
into ribbons, while the bark was thrown on her
beam-ends She righteJ partially and lay with
the seas breaking over her port bow. AT o'clock
q terrific sea boarded the bark, smashing her
bulwark and sweeping her decks. Every boat
was carried away. The manmast went by the
board, carrying with it the foretOpgalant mast,
the mizzenmast head and the mizzentOpmast.
This was caused by the deck load which was
swept against the lee main shrouds and as it
went overheard pulled the mainmast with it.
The pumps were broken and soon another wave
swept away the deck-house and galley.
All hope of saving the vessel was given up, and
the crew mustered on the poop, where they lashed
themselves to the rail. Captain Pearce went into
the cabin TO try 10 save the bark's papers and
chronometer. While he was there sea struck
the bark on the starbOard beam and washed sew
eral barrels Of -four and bacon, which had been
secured on the starboard deck, into the cabin.
The crew looked through the skylight and saw
the captain struggling for his life amid the wreck
age. They threw him line and hauled him up
through the skyleht He was badly bruised, but
not seriously injured. Some cans of salmon and a
casl Of water had been secured on the poop, SO
the sailors had enough 10 eat and drink but they
were nearly chilled 10 death by the icy waves
which broke over them and by the cutting wind.
Now and then fierce hailstorm would strike
them and add 10 their woes This continued all
that night, and the next morning the Sophie was
sighted The Exile was bark Of 934 tons
register, and was owned by w. l. Whiting. Of
II. John. ~ B. The following is letter from
Captain Pearce to The Tribune:
Kindly allow me through the medium OF your val
liable paper 10 express the most grateful thanks of
myself officers and crew to Captain George Won Hugo.
Of tn German steamship sophie. Of GecStemunde for
standing bv from a. M, June 10. until n. M,
June T. ard then sending h:s boat % rescue us from
position Of great peril the weather being too bad 10
do befcro. hqvag been disms sstcd I'm a cyclone
and lying watcrloCyed with decks swept also for
the kind ari g'pcr0uS manner in which We have been
treated VIII /, aboard the sophie. We also wish "a
express cur thanks 10 the five volunteers who manned
a boat and rescued us at the risk 0f their lives.
Signed on behalf of myself and crew.
GEORGE A. PEARCE
Master Of bark Exile.