The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-07-01
WAsHBURN, . NORTH DAKOTA
LEFT IN A BOAT TO DIE.

Barbarous Refusal of . Schooner
Captain to Rescue q Cnstaway.
One Of the most pathetic and heart
rending stories Of the long series Of
disasters at sea during the late terrible
gales was told to q Press reporter by
Capt. James o. Elwell, of the steam
ship Panther, which arrived at Phila
dolphin from FAN River recently. Ono
evening at 6 o'clock the lookout called
attention to some object which, on
closer examination through the marine
glasses, proved to he a BOAT seemingly
empty and adrift.
She looks like a shallop," remarked
the mate, as he took another long gaze
through the binoculars.
We'll, it's not much out OF our way,
anyhow, to take a closer look." OBJ
served Capt. Elwell. steer for it,
whatever 1t is" AS the Panther came
up close alongside the mate cried:
why, there's a body in the. boat
and just then an emaciated Individual.
who in the gathering twilight looked
like a fantasy of grim death itself,
raised himself in Il sitting posture
from the bottom of the skitf and cried
in a croaking, husky voice:
Pour los vuenos Dios. Save nc,
good captain
Capt. Elwell, shocked beyond meas
ure at the half dead appearance of The
poor fellow, Immediately lowered a
boa' and brought him alongside. Ten
1nu1,y %1.n A,,,,:.,~, -, n, I;teDl l,s-o ,yr
the side and carried him into the cabin,
where he was placed upon a sofa. His
dark eyes, lacking luster from fasting
and privation, looked up at Capt. Ell
well with such a glance Of pitiful
gratitude that the gallant skipper,
rough and ready seaman that he is,
said: 1T was enough to N the
stoutest heart" Everything was done
to make him comfortable, food and
stimulants were administered cautious
ly, and in the morning the castaWay
was able to tell his story.
My name," he said, lis Yedo Por-
talar, and l hail from Flores, West
ern islands. On Monday last l was at
Southampton, Long Island, fishing and
was caught in a freshet in he creek.
i jumped into MY boat, which, as you
sec, is 4 little f1at-bottom3d shallop,
and endeavored to reach the opposite
shore. The wind rose and blew me
out to sea. l lost one Of my oars, but
sculled' With the other and kept the
boat head to sea and did not sea a
sail. I had no food or water, but my
courage did not fail until. the. morning
Of the 10th, when a large three-masted
schooner hove In sight. l got off my
shirt and tied it to the oar and, as
well rs l could, waved it al0ft. Tie
schooner bore down and cam. close
alo- gside. They asked what l wanted.
I SAID: I am adrift three days with.
out fctd or drink, tax. me aboard
They cursed. me for a - I~'oytugee'
and told me to go drown and then
sailed away. 1 called to them In the
name Of the good God and holy mother
to save me-, but it was no use. l then
knelt down and prayed aud !resigned
myself to death. The hunger and thirst
were dreadful. A little rain fell
and l sucked my wet clothes for a
slight relief. From the fortunes Of a
parcheu mouth l lay down In the bot
tom Of the boat, and had given up all
hope. when l heard the noise OF a
steamer, and, thanks be to God and
Capt. Elwell, was saved"
Portalar could not make out the
name of the vessel. as he cannot read
English, but said that she was a clip
%per-looking craft, very trim and smart,
with bright spars. Capt. Elwell
thought that in his weak condition he
ought to have medical attention and
considerably stood out of his course
and landed Portalar at Block island.
He took him up to the hotel, got q
doctor and saw that he was comforta-
bly, fixed before he left him. The
grateful, Portuguese took the captains
sun-burned hand and placed it Oh his
heat, and in broken English and Por-
tuguese poured out all the blessings OF
this world and the next on his rescuer.
When she sighted the boat the Panther
was ahOut five miles southeast by