The Republican journal., 1892-04-07
stories of the Sea.

! W ellington, New Lealanu paper OF
,Ich 9th, says: The barkentine st.
acle arrived here from New York last
4At, after an adventurous voyage of l23
lys. The vessel. which is commanded
v capt. James T. Erskine, left New York
b the sth of October. They had fair
.u To the equator and after this they eX
rienced variable weather until the 3lst
December. when the vessel was in lati-
r.ie IS, longitude "A. She then encoun-
rcd a terrific northwest gale, with tre-
endous sea The wind blew with
arrieane force. and at II. 10 p. NJ. a
1untainous sea broke on board the ship,
5irh was then going dead before the
nd The sea completely overwhelmed
vessel from stern 70 stem. The after
4rf of the deckhouse WAS smashed, the
tnllS Quilted, the spanke,- boom IA in.
diameteD was broken in two places,
SIP the gatt. The steering wheel was
ut. three beams Oh the Starboard side
the wheel deck We're torn up. 50 that
o. deck on that side settled down, and
- plank of the Sternpost below the COW
M board was stove in. A boat, water
~k~. gaugWaY, in tact almost everything
yahit. WIS washed away. The sea con
.c1 its destructive career and stove in
after part OF the forward house gut
the galley and fortcastlc aud started
g bulwalks on the port side. The cabin
is almost completely wrecked, The man
he wheel, Richard Stretz by name, was
She'd into the cabin and carried along
ID the rush of the water. He WAS
-cntually picked up with his left leg
roken above the knee. The second mate,
hu Gray, who was having his dinner in
be- cabin at the time the sea came aboard,
- knocked down and thrown against the
le of the cabin with great force. He
$50 had one OF his legs broken between
ae 5nce and ankle. The mate, tredk h
mex, was also struck by the sea and
4Iried from the wheel deck, where lie
i, standing, 10 the forward part of the
A5.n, and was eNtlicated from the debris
~ some difficulty. His right ankle was
rrained and he was also bruised about
c body. About half an hour afterwards
mate was unfortunate enough to be
shed into the cabin again. and this time
iid not escape without injury. his left
aulder being dislocated. The captain
il, also seri ,usly injured, He was close
the man at the wheel when the vessel
,l> popped, and was thrown to the deck
h considerable violence. When he came
Lis senses it was found that his breast
rd stomach Was badly injured. He was
.tblp to stand. and was badly cut about
joe eyes and face and his lett ankle
dned,
The eaptain' wife and two daughters
-.i TO and II wears, had a miraculous es-
n'e from injury, They We're seated on a
d lt The side of the vessel. and conse-
sltly did not experience The full force
be- mountain of water which had swept
l, the cabin. AS it was, the door of the
Lin in which they were was broken
gn, and water came in in great vol
Aes. A piece of wreckage carried into
rir cabin by the rushing water struck
ron compass hanging from the ceiling
.l the bed upon which Mrs. Erskine
ud her two children were seated and bent
Had any portion of the wreckage
ruck either one of them they would
aye sustained serious injury.
Even after the gale had spent itself the
r0ubles of the crew were not over, for
seaman named Astram a young man,
~ Alle assisting in bracing the yards up, was
Tashed overheard. Fortunately he caught
lold of rope attached to an oil bag which
rad been cast over to smooth the sea. and
With little difficulty was hauled on board
After the sea struck the vessel she lay
aluoSt helpless in the trough of the sea,
bat She fortunately righted herself with
1 taking another heavy sea on board.
wing to SO many being disabled, and the
gew being exhausted. considerable diff
a'aity was experienced in managing the
''s,el. The gale fortunately abated by
ar evening, and the sea Went down. Next
G vas occupied in clearing away the
7crc ckage. The wrecked house was Gov
'rd with sails, and piece of canvas was
.G ed over the stern part where the beams
'" been smashed. The wheel, which
10 considerably damaged, was fixed up.
pumps were also set going, and the
'N worked at them during the night
ST. but not least. a stove was got out of
hold to replace the one broken in the
ill. Capt and Mrs. Erskine had near
-Ae whole of their clothes spoiled by
water.
he captain : injuries were more serious
a. was first anticipated. and he was
lged to keep to his bed for about five
I" Ihe seaman Stretz had his leg set
II day, and was made as comfortable as
''lble under the circumstances. The
,old mate injured leg was not set for
lew days after. The first mate. who had
responsibility of looking after the ship
7-!ie the captain and second mate We're
pacitated, suffered great pain for five
s, AZ his shoulder was still out, but he
Foically stuck to his post. When the
'fain was able to get up on the fifth day
"lth the assistance of several of the
'@" set the injured limb right. The
sic was at once relieved of all pain, but it
leared that the muscles have been seri-
ariy injured, as he has almost lost the
N Of the limb. Captain Erskine. it is
''Fed- has sustained some internal in Jury,
'l' he complains of his left shoulder.
second mate and the seaman Stretz
doing fairly well. The vessel will be
alded by the Health Officer this morn
~ and the exact nature of the injuries
stained by the unfortunate men will be
saoWn.
After the gale the vessel had slight list
'tarboard, which it is supposed was
'.Sed by the shifting of the cargo.
After the gale mentioned the vessel ex-
'Henced various weather until her arriv-
,a She arrived off the Heads yesterday
'Ernoon, was boarded by Pilot Shilling,
4 w brought to an anchorage off KaiWarra