The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-16

the worse for its adventure with wind and
wave.
The most surprising thing the wind did
was to capsize the boat of Baltic Bartala
and man named RescOtia, crabfshers,
who had left the ishermen's dock about 2
in the afternoon 10 cruise south to lhe
lower Grabbing grounds.
1t was about O'Clock when BALTIC,
who was steering. headed the smack for
Hunters Point. hoping to round it.safely
and make the foot of Union street at slack
water. just ahead of the craft and on a
line with the point strip of water dotted
with white caps gave evidence Of fres b.
eEing breeze that bOwled over the south
ern hills of the city from the ocean and
warned the fishers to lessen sail This
was done by lowering the spirit and gather
ing in several folds of canvas, the lateen
sail being too clumsy to reef.
The felucea caught the sQuall with a
clOse-hauled sheet, with her head almost
dead into the wind. She jumped away in
a lively fashion and turned the point
shortly after 6 O'clock Then easing off
her sail. she started down the bay for home.
BALTIC was trifie careless, as expert
eDced sailors are apt to be SOMETIMES He
did not notice the dark-green rifle on the
water on his port bow, and failed to bring
his boat into the wind when the stiff suuall
of unusual severity struck it. Over went
boat, boatmen and all. Baltic and Resco-
tia were thrown into the bay, the latter
getting tangled up in the sail gear. His
companion, who is an agile fellow with a
muscular frame, managed to grasp the
Eapl M the 10
hand, while with his right he grabbed his
companion by the arm and hauled him
alongside the boat, enabling him to get a
firm hold on the keel and draw himself IN
on the bottom. Baltic soon followed his
friends example.
The situation was by no means safe or
pleasant one. The wind had increased in
force until the harbor was covered with
breaking waves. The chill northern cur
rent of air caused great discomfort from
cold.
II was lucky for the two shipwrecked
men that the boat in which they had en-
barked was of more than ordinary breadth
of beam and ballasted with railroad iron.
These circumstances probably united in
saving the lives of the Italians. When the
boat turned over part of the ballast, which
was lying in the bottom of it, must have
been thrown out. thus rendering the craft
more bouya1t. Its great width gave the
men greater space on which to rest
Waves continually broke over them, but
they managed to retain their hold for six
teen long hours. an almost incnnceivable
proof of their physical endurance.
Sixteen hours, and that spent on the bot
tom of a capsZed boat. A gale blowing
and the glass low. 1t can easily. be i'm
gined that Baltic and his comrsde were
nearly dead when picked up at 10 O'clock
yesterday morning by ellow-tisbermen
who had been searching for them during
ali the early morning. BALTIC was more
dead than alive when reached, and Res
Gotta was all but ready to let go his hold
on the boats keel. A wagon had TO be
driven up to Powell-slreet wharf, the ex-
hausted men placed in it and hurried away
to their homes on Greenwich street.
Ballito's LETT foot was swollen out of all
semblance of shape, and Rsscotia's hands
were in a horrible condition. 1t will be
weeks before Baltic caa recover his
strength and be about.
Quoting from the statements of the sur
vivors, the bitter blast and the chilling
spray numbed them to the very marrow.
After both had succeeded in getting on 10
the boats bottom. the gale drove the dere-
liet in a southeasterly direction, until the
lights of the city grew dim and the px-
panse of water greater. They thought the
wreck would DRIFT on the mud flats at the
lower end of the bay, but, instead. at
about O'clock in the morning the tide
turned and the board started back toward
Goat Island.
AS the north end of the harbor was ap-
preached matters became desperate for the
fishermen. They shouted loudly to YES
sells anchored in the stream that were
passed, but no one heard them, for the
gale was singing and whistljng in chorus
Of sounds. The waves increased in size :;
every combeT going over the drifting boat
in current of white foam, the salty flakes
OF which We're driven into the faces of the
terrified mortals cliDging to the last lie
that held them between sky and water.
The lights in the city had gone out. The
dim eye of the Yerba Buena lighthouse