New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-22
CLUNG FAST FOR NINE DAYS
SHIPWRECKED NEWS ORDEAL
HOLDING on FOR LIFE TO THE CAPSIZED
SCHOONER WINDERMERE'S BOTTOM
THE THREE SURVIVORS, POwERLFss TO AID
WIFE THE WRECK SURROUNDED

by SWARM or SHARKS
Boston. Sept 2I.-Thc Spanish steamer PAlen
tIno, which arrived here to-day from
M1;anzas. brought three men Of the
!rtsn shooncr Wind'rmere. which sailed
from Key West on September II for Mobile, to
load for Port Spain, Trinidad The Windcrmrre
was capszed in a heavy sIuall on September
l 80 miles OF Mobile The three rescue" men hal
been cnging To the bottom of the vessel Tor nine
days when taken Off by the steamer 1iiosr who
drowned were the captain. John Charlton,
and hi, wife, Of Port Lorrr y. :; the FIRST
mate, Truman Holman, of Annapolis. y. y; tn
steward, Henry Sands, native Of Norway. and
seaman, Daniel August.
The rrScIcI men, Ch,Ilrs H. Cain, scrond mai":
lame, Clarke and john Mattson, able seamcn. tell
Il story Of suffering, deprivation and exposure
seldom equallcd. The following is Le Cams ac-
count.
THE SECOND MATES THRILLING STORY.
On September :, whil" the captain below
working upon MS morning observation d sIuall
~cn coming down upon n from the wind
ward The captain was called on deck. and JUS,
as he came up the eaneway the sluaIl struck Ill"
vessel and she almost immediately went over
The last ! saw of the captain he vas calling 10
lii 'Ylc IN the cabin. From the time the vessel
~tdIt'u lo 70 over Hpl HlW' illdi "H HHiif'
elapsed before she was bottom up.
When | got 10 the keel looked att
and saw James Clarke. and on the
forward part of the keel was JOHN natt,oa.
'lcs for help were heard from III. water, bat ""
we're utterly Unable TO render the slightest AS
,istance over the port quarter was Capt.in
haIlton, struggling to get on TO one oil ia" r,il
boxes. which he -ucc"rd,d in dong In tlo mean
nm Nr IInlu.. fl. m \u0u.t
sank within few yaris OF cac! other, tie mate
not t~Sring 4 word: but poor August. a, he
went down, gave an awful sclram. Ihr rapta,n.
cnging 10 the rail hon, now iioatns away
astcrp. He aid something. II was either Good
br, toys or save NY poor wife. We had TO
watch the poor captain drift away from us. and
continued TO watch him until he disappeared
MANY VESsrGs PASSED THE CAsT\wAYs PY.
Two days after saved a little rinwatT by
wringing II ont of our saturated clothing. On
the ncNt day caught two small sea birds, which
We very glad 10 eat raw. The nj sht of the
next day very cold, and going
usht H. making our suffering almost un-
,ndurable No more vessels wcro seen until the
i3'h. when three or four passed by H. ali con-
siderable distance away. On H." ith other vc>-
>"l- passed NJ but d-HIn W. were unable n At
tract tbcI, attention. ON Friday IN" 18th. it
was very hot. and oTr bps ana mouths were
parchcd If "" hrt br.n eating glue We could
scarcely open OR mouths but 10 one Of MS COM
planned very much. further than - wish Tor a
drink or something - eat. On Saturday morning
4; about o'clock W. discovered . steamer on our
-tmboard quarter. which. thank God. came to
our as~i>tanc" and took AZ on board. The steamer
wds the lacniIno.'
SHARKS SwNEMEn ,RDUND THE WRECK.
An officer of the Steamer Palcntlno says
We wee about ~ miles ont from Matanzns.
| oppo-t" Iykc l>aac-. when discovered. through
| th, glass. the hull of vessel floating bottom
| mp, with something that looked like living objects.
| We rapidly ncarcd, and We found that there were
three men huddcd together upon the bottom, near
the keel Boats were put OIL with some difficulty,
for. ~ ncar.d the wreck, we discovered that it
| was surrounded 10y myrind~ of sharks which. in
| their desire. w"r, tumbIne about and over each
other. waiting Tor the time when these poor un-
| fortundt,r should hccoiI" their prey. We had 10
| near IN" sid" Of th" hulk sufficiently - permit
| the men 10 Jump into the boats. We did 50. AMI
one man bracrd himself and jumped. II" landed,
and Rugged the man near him. and then fell from
| exhaustion. The second man also was successful,
and he clung - his frllow4,ufcror The third
and last man was nervous and, seeing th" sharks,
| which crowded almost upon IA" hull hr shut
| his eyes AM >prang for th" boat His leap fell
| short and if It had not been for the activity of
| one of the in the boat he would have
| furnished a meal for III" f"rocious man-eatcr'.
| UNABLE ~ AID THEIR PERls1lING COMRADES
From tie nan | learned that the c,ptAm'-
| wife WAS in b'd in tho cdur when ih" sliali
| struck. One Of the men sad that tie captain
aud two Of the crow could have b-cr pulled upon
| the bottom OF the vessel il ley had had any
| means Of gieing them i hrld. But ihry wci'
oblI2,h lit and watch the . '>pclatr zen >fTug
lie Tor their live. and then from mcrr eNlaaS
| ton, sink To- the bottom of the deep. 1hrr,
| WAS a black dog on the vessel. and IT," poor brt,
did not give up his life uitll he hai fought i0l
| fwo hours or more 10 get upon the bottom Of the
! wreck ON the third dnv III" m'E noticed some
thing of white appearance above H." edge oi th'
vessel and il proved 10 Ic the bodl OF the cap
tams wife. The odv hortcd about for short
| time and then went down
| The managing owner- oi the Wmd"lm",r W +,
| ! g. Hall a Goa OF this city. The schooner wlt
valued At 81 1900. and was insured. \ brother
of the captains wife is Il ny mb'r Of the flm OF
| Covert Bros ship chambers of thIs city.