The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-22
The Awful Experience Of Three Ship
wrecked Sailors
THEY CAPTURED 4 FEW BIRDS
which Kept Life Within Them for Nine
Days British Sailors Rescued BY =
Spanish steamer--Five Of the Wind
mers's Crew Drowned.


fearful story told OF the sufferin gs of ship
wrecked sailors than that related when
the Spanish steamer Palentino, Captain
Guerrlca, from Matanzas, Sept Is.
brought to this port three survivors OF the
British schooner Windermere, OF Port
Medway, N. S., Captain John @. Charl-
ton, which left Key West on Sept. I. In
ballast, bound to Mobile, to load lumber
for Port Spain. Trinidad On the seventh
the vessel was struck by q sudden squall
and cap sized. She was then $50 miles on
Mobile.
There were eight persons on board and
I've were drowned. These were the cap
tain. and his wife. of Port Lorne, MS; First
Mate Truman Holman, rs years Of age. OF
Annapolis. N. S.; Steward Henry Sun ds,
q native OF Norway, AZ years old, but q
resident OF Nova Scotia: Seaman Daniel
August, Frenchman, 20 years OF age.
The Windermere was built at Port Med
way, N. s., last January. She was ~
tons register and was valued at $4,000.
She was partly insured and the managing
owners were John s. Hall e. Co. OF Boston.
The three surviving seamen were rescued
on the 10th about l8o miles from Matanxas,
the steamer being out about IL hours from
that port The survivors are Second Mate
Charles LaCain of Annapolis, N. s.; James
Clark of Yarmouth, Eng. and John
Mattox of Birmingham, Eng.
A Story OF Suffering.
The story of the wreck Of the schooner
was written by the second mate on the
day Of Sept IL, the day after they mad
been picked up by the Palentino IL Is
- "a ~ a. tt-o. br al
and tells every detail Of their awful
struggle with the elements. On Sers 2
all was as usual ON board the boat, and
they were skimming along under q good
breeze, with q clear sky overhead. The
when the port watch went below. leaving
LaCain on deck.
The captaiu's watch began at $50 and
Just before he came up squall appeared
to the windward and seemed TO be travel
ing toward the ship at a terrific rate OF
speed. When the sailors saw It some Of
them went to the main hatch and called
to the captain that 1t was coming and
that he had better come on deck and take
q look. The captain was busy with his
books at the time and diu not respond
really come up, the squall struck the ship
broadsides and sent her over.
AS she was going over the captain called
out to take In the maiussil, but there was
no time even TO begin executing the order
before the ship was lying bottom up and
rolling about at q fearful rate. When the
ship went over LaCain was standing near
the main hatch and . quantity Of loose
L - t.,x<> h. h.
managed In his weakened condition to
climb over the side Of the craft and get on
her keel he cannot tell; but when he finally
reached that point he found the other two
survivors, one sitting on the stern and the
other ON the bow.
Driftsd Hslplessly About.
At this time the captain was sighted on
the box drifting In the wake of the ship.
and the three men heard someone calling
for help forward and underneath the
ship. OF course they were powerless to
to aid anyone, and soon the shouting
ceased. Two of the seamen were seen
swimming In the immediate vicinity Of the
ship, but there was not the slightest
chance for them to remain on top Of the
water without something to float them for
q very great length OF time. The captain
was in sight Of the ship for perhaps half
IN hour, and then he disappeared. calling
as he went out Of sight for the men to save
his wife II they could. A dog, which was
the pet of the crew. escaped from under
the wreck and swan alongside Of the ship
for more than an hour, when he became
exhausted and went down.
For the rest Of the day the three men,
clinging to the wet and slippery bottom
of the schooner, experienced bitter
weather. The rain came down IA tor
rents and the wind blew a gale such as Is
seldom seen, even by seamen who are used
to all kinds OF weather and expect the
wind. They kept Q sharp watch out for q
sail, but saw none, and when the sun
went down they huddled together in the
middle of the craft to watch out the
night.
Friday, Sept 8, brought no change In
weather conditions; during the day the
men managed to catch little water In their
clothing, which they drank. There was
some salt water In 1t, however, and IL
made them slightly III, besides increasing
their thirst. On Saturday, Sept. ., there
was slight rainstorm In the morning,
about sunrise, and this gave them an op-
portunity to get little more water.
Later In the day the sun came out with
terrible heat, and the men took of their
clothing and dipped it into the sea to pro-
tect them from the heat.
Rays Of Hope.
On Sunday morning, when the sun rose,
the first hope came to the half famished
sailors. when they sighted bark of
their bows and tried TO signal her. One Of
the men took off his jacket, and then they
took turns in waving 1t, until the craft
passed cut Of sight without having seen
them. Towards noon on that day they
managed to capture two small sea birds,
which they ate. The wind increased
toward night, and on the following morn
ing, Monday, the weather was raw and
cold again, with the sea dashing up over
the ship under strong wind. On Tues
day steamer was sighted In the distance,
but she was so far away that the men
could do nothing to attract her and she
passed out Of sight. On this day ono Of
the men caught another sea bird.
On Wednesday, Sept 13 the ship
wrecked men saw several vessels, both In
the forenoon and afternoon, and at about