The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-07-04

BATTLING FOR TWENTY-ElGHT DAYS
WITH ADVERSE WINDS.

Part of a Ships Crew Undergo a Terrible
Experience After Being Wrecked In the
Pacific Ocean-A Brave Woman Was One
of the Sufferers.
Captain Peterson of the bark Lady
LaTpson. his wife and five seamen ar
rived in Honolulu in an emaciated con-
ditiOn. They came in an open boat only
IS feet long and reported that they had
been % days tossing about on the Pacific.
While the occupants of the frail craft
were not entirely without provisions dur
ing their long battle with the elements,
the effects of short commons and lack of
sleep and shelter were palpably apparent.
Mrs. Peterson, who was clad in a thin
black gown, was worn nearly to a shad-
ow, and her strength failed her com
pletely as she was lifted from the boat
and taken into the Eagle House.
The men were sunburned, leaden eyed
| and ~Iistless. Their heads dropped, andi it
was with difficulty that they could be
got to speak, but Captain Peterson told
in a few words that the Lady Lampson
had been wrecked at night on a reef near
Palmyra island when A days out from
Sydney, and the crew were compelled to
take to the boats. He was very weak
and spoke in a whisper, at the same time
begging that his wife be taken where she
could get n0urishment and a little rest.
The Kanakas lent willing hands to
help the waits of the ocean into hacks
and carriages, and they were quickly
driven to where they could command at
tentiOn. The little boat in which they
had jOurneyed over 1000 miles became
an object Of interest for hundreds of peo-
pie. 1t was partly decked in with can
vas, and strips of the same material had
been stretched above the gunwale on Ell
Their side to prevent her being swamped.
In the boat We're a couple of nearly emp
ty water kegs and a small quantity of
biscuit and canned goods.
Il haven't had my clothing off for %
days" said Captain Peterson when seen
at the Eagle House. He was hollow
checked and unshaven and looked indeed
as if he had suffered both mentally and
physically. The Lady Lampson," he
said, was from Sydney, and we were
bound to this port with 600 tons Of coal
for Wilder 81 Co, We left Sydney last
November and were A days out when
the vessel struck. We had had bad
weather near Feejee, having been in a
hurricane for a hours, but after that we
had fine northeast winds until we got
near Palmyra island, when the weather
became dirty. 1t was $50 o'clock on the
morning Of Jan. 1G when we struck. !
had not had an observation for two days.
| TVI,, ,1g1+ ho1 haon 6arL< on1 CtOrYnv
but the water was smooth then. knew
| was to the east of the island, and that
there was q sunken reef somewhere
around. | was on deck myself and had
two men on the lookout alOft. There is
a strong westerly current there, and |
guess we were going about five knots an
hour with all sails set.
Five minutes after she struck she be
gan to break up, and | ordered the boats
out. We lowered the two boats. took
charge Of one, and First Mate Harry Mil
Ter took the ether. In my boat there
were, besides my wife and myself, Sec
ond Mate c. Brown and Seaman W
Carbon Goth Swedes), Cabin Boy W.
Hayden of Liverpool, F. Weller, the
cook, Who is a German, and E. Everson,
II MOI NSSldil Sd11O4s NO AAoIC oSib
contained a German sailor named Sny-
der Oscar Macpherson, a Swede; j. Jor-
gensen, q German, and a seaman named
Martin.
I'VE started for Palmyra island in
company about 7 in the morning, having
only five gallons of water for the two
boats. The island is only 40 miles from
the reef, but the current and tide were
so strong that we were trying for nine
days to make Roadway against them, but
couldn't. We drifted to the westward,
so ] resolved to put back to the bark.
We suffered greatly through want of
water, and we had barely enough to
moisten our tongues, which were swollen
and dry.
I'VE found the bark settling down and
the water washing over her, SO we got
aboard quickly and put some canned
goods, biscuit and water into the boats.
We rugged the boats with canva and
then started again for Palmyra island.
We tried for two days to make Roadway,
but the heavy swell and wind baff1ed us.
Thinking [ would lose sight of the mates
boat, | told him to steer for Honolulu,
and / steered for here myself. We lost
; sight Of the other boat and have had
heavy gales ever since. have only had
an hours sleep at a time during the day,
and have never laid down. AT nighttime
the spray came over, wetting US all to
the skin. and in the day we dried our
clothes in the sun, if there was any. The
men have been quiet and accomplishing,
even though on short allowance of food
and water. and, thank goodness, we lost
nobody from our boat. 1t was a terrible
experience, though, the worst have met
with during II years of seafaring.
After we passed the island of Maui
we struck a storm, and the boat halt
filed with water. We thought then it
was all over after passing through SC
many other dangers, but we managed tc
bail her out and keep her Nght. The
E--% x-,-~,1 wa . y II SSrpa wa S-r11ol- CN