Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-10-31
PERILS OF The DEEP
Awful Experience of the Grow
of a Swedish Bark.
CAUGHT IN AHURR1cANE
The Vessel Driven Upon the Rsafs at
Mona Island.

Crew Washed Overheard, and Ont of
Eleven Men Eight Perish ed-Tha Cap
tain Among the Dead-One of the Sail
Cave-Terrible Suffering of the Sur
vivors.
NEW YORK, Oct. 31.-The BIRTHS h
steamship Smeaton Tower, from Porto
Rico via Cuba, which has just arrived
in port, brought with her two of the
three survivors of the Swedish bark
Mora, which was wrecked on Mona ISL
and August 20.
One of the men, Rooster, was chief
officer of the bark, and from him fair
ly good account of the accident was OBJ
tanned. He speaks English, but not
fluently,
Mr.. Rooster says that the bark was
caught in the terrible hurricane of Au-
gust 20, and was nearly driven ashore
on Mona Island. Both anchors were
dropped, but the chains parted and the
ship was driven on her beam ends broad
side to the reef, the sea making a clean
breach over her.
Captain Pearson was sick at the time
of the hurricane, and the command of
the ship devolved upon the chief officer
When the anchors parted Captain Pear
son asked Rooster to lash him to the
deck, and the subordinate started to
obey. Just as he reached the side of the
captain heavy sea made a clean breach
over the ship carrying Rooster over
board.
81 gave myself up for LOST he said,
"but 1 made a desperate struggle for
life and got ashore more dead than alive.
l was cut and bruised from head to foot.
What little clothing I had left was
nothing but rags, and my only thought
was to get some rest. Near where had
been washed ashore was little cave
and into this 1 crawled. For two days
lay there suffering terrible agony, and
was finally found by workmen who gave
me the kindest possible care"
Rooster thought that the entire ships
| company had persisted, and his joy was
great when he learned that two of the
sailors had escaped. Islanders had
watched the bark breaking up, and no
ticed among the wreckage what ap-
| peared to be human beings They hur-
ried down to the beach hoping to be of
assistance. Finally a plank was washed
ashore, lashed to which were two men,
| At first it was thought they were dead
| but careful examination showed that
they still breathed. 1t took good deal
of care to bring them around, but the
efforts were successful, and in the
course of day or so the men were out
of danger.
Neither of the seamen has any distinct
recollection of how he came to be there
| All they remember is the bark being
among the reefs, after which they knew
nothing until they were revived ashore
The day that Rooster was found alive
in the cave, bodies of eight drowned men
were washed ashore. They were easily
recognized by the survivors as being
those of Captain Pearson and the seven
members of the crew. All of them now
rest in unmarked graves upon the little
| island.
Rooster and one of the seamen sail ed
on the first boat that touched at the
island, the Smeaton Tower, the other
man preferring to return home by some
other route. The two men now here
will probably be returned to their
homes by the Swedish Consul, unless
they prefer to join some other ship.
Both of them, however, express dis
taste for the sea, and say they will try
life ashore for while.