New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-02
ADRIFT FOR HOURS IN a STORM.
REMARKABLE STORY TOLD BY THE CAPTAIN
OF THE WILLIAM L. BRADLEY.

REMARKABLE STORY TOLD BY THE CAPTAIN
OF THE WILLIAM L. BRADLEY.
Captaln John II. Leo, master of the three masted
American schooner William L. Bradley, arrived here
late on Monday night the Ward Line steamer Orlzaba
Captain Leo told yesterday most remarkable story oi
tc loss Of his vessel and Of his own experiences lie
SAWS he is the only survivor OF the officers and crew OF
the Bradley The schooner left Charleston on OCTOBER
for Weymouth. Mass The wind was fair and the
sea was calm On October the wind suddenly SHIFTED
from the south to the northeast and began to blow
with hurricane violence The began to rise and the
schooner struggled still toward the NORTH though IL was
with the greatest difficulty that she could be kept on
her course. All that day and all the night the
hurricane continued. II was about O'Clock on the
afternoon OF october TO- while the crew OF the schooner
we're clearing away the wreckage caused by the Storm
that threecrested appeared rushing toward the
vessel. 1t came on, great rushing mass OF water,
and threw itself upon the schooner Captain Leo said
Yesterday 1t laundering down on the schooner
carrying everything before It, sweeping every one from
the deck and breaking In the matches. The mate and
l. feeling the schooner sinking beneath US, jumped
into the sea. i saw the cover bf the wheelhouse
floating by me and grabbed hold Of 1t. l saw the
mate cnglng TO a plank, and the cook clinging to a
portion OF a boat which had been broken in two by
The wave which boarded us. When looked again
the mate was gone and the cook gone, and
was alone on the storm-t tossed / threw away my
ollskln coat and my rubber boots. The wave rolled
the piece Of wood to which l was clinging over and
over and was more of the time In the water than
[ was out of 1t. in the Gulf Stream, and about
off the Capes OF the Chesapeake, so the water was
warm and did not suffer from cold. Night came on
and II was clear and star-lit night, and kept o
good lookout for passing vessels. About 10 O'Clock
in the morning. Just as / was getting exhausted and
was prepared to give up the fight, saw bark coming
toward me- Iswam toward her and cried out rs loudly
as my exhausted condition would let 1t still
blowing hard and the bark VAS under shortened sail
My cries were heard, and line thrown me by
which l was hauled on board She proved to be the
spanish bark Fnma de Canaras bound for the port OF
Palmas in the Canary Islands. The bark had suffered
considerably In the hurricane which had overwhelmed
my own vessel and the pumps were kept going con-
tnuousy. l was wen taken care OF on board the
Fama and we reached Palmas on November .. An
Englishman named William Lltcheld paid my passage
from Palmas to Tenerfe. where 1 saw the American
Consul who sent me in the steamer Julia to Havana.
Then took the Orzaba to this port
Captain Leo belongs in Rockland, Me-, and will
start for his home to-day. The schooner william L.
Bradley was a three masted schooner to 4s4 tons
register and owned by the Bradley Fertzlng
Company OF Boston. she had board q cargo Of
phosphate rock at the time of her loss She was built
last year and was cassed under asspecal survey as
sound for fifteen years. Both schooner and cargo
fully insured. She carried crew Of seven men be-
sides the captain.