The morning call., 1891-12-25
A VOYAGE OF HORRORS.
Awful Experience of the Crew of til
Schooner Dow.

Awful Experience of the Crew of the
Schooner Dow.
Captain Mclean and his crew of the
schooner Frank G. Dow have just returned
to Portland, Me-. from a sea voyage during
which they faced all the horrors of the in
ternal regions, the only difference being
that they had to deal with water instead of
fire. They were on their way to Richmond,
Va, with a cargo of plaster rock from
Walton. n. S. When off the Cape of Della
ware, November 9TH, they encountered
that never e-forgOtten gale At II 80
o'clock on the third night the
wind increased in its fearful struggling
and monster wave was hurled
against the schooner There was a fearful
ripping sound heard by the entire crew, the
members of which were all on deck. The
air was filled with broken spars and flying
canvas. The men chung to whatever they
could lay hold Of while the huge wave
swept over them. Every mast was snapped
off and every yard of canvas was swept
into the seas. The vessel. without the
stradying force Of maSts and sails, threat-
ened TO turn bottom up at any moment. The
cabin ana forecasile were both filed with
water, which also surged into the hold. All
night long the men labored at the pumps.
They were drenched 10 the skin, and the
water troze almost as soon as it struck.
The next day the crew still took turns at
the pumps. The union jack was hosted to
the broken stub Of the mast that had been
drft standing. The men lashed themselves
to parts of the vessel TO prevent being
washed into the sea. Captain Bean was
thrown half the length of the ship and over
the wheel. He would have gone overheard
had not his son saved his life. The sea
washed into the fresh water Ia ks aud the
men had TO drink salt water. The more
they drank the more terrible became their
thirst. Their tongues became sNolien and
they almost began 10 welcome death. They
had not slept for Seventy-four hours At
last sail was sighted 1t was a bark. and
she bore down upon them to within couple
of hundred yards. They hailed her, but
she passed on and disappeared. All next
night they watched
Young Mclean. with heroic fortitude,
climbed UP the broken mast and held a Ian
tern i'll his disabled arms, for they were
cramped to his breast and pOwerless. A
light came out of the darkness, but soon
faded from view. On the sixth day the
vessel showed signs of sin king, and the or
der came to launch the small boat. They
found the boat smashed TO pieces. a big
steamer was then made out and in an hour
she was upon them. She proved to be the
Salensja, Captain Miller, from New York
to Curacao. The men were taken off, but
saved nothing but the icy clothes they wore.
The long suspense was too much for the
men, and they were stricken down with
various maladies after being few hours on
board. Upon arriving at Curacao they were
cared for by the Dutch priests and Sisters
OF Mercy in the Charity Hospital and Cath
olic Mission. Finally they were discharged,
and the American Consul paid their fare to
New York. The Fall River line passed
them to Boston, and the Portland Steam
Packet Company brought them to Portland.
Portland dispatch TO st. Louis Globe
Democrat