The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-09-26
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE
rHR1LLrNa INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.
The Heroine of IA Ship wreck-Ncarly
Drowned by Ills Pets-A Wife
Saves Her Husband.


Drowned by His Pets-A Wife
Saves Her Husband.
n IRIS. NJ. T. MACARTHUR,
II n who is visiting Oakland as
vi the guest OF Mrs. Ambrose,
lives to tell tale of hard
ship at sea which few women could
have survived. She is one of the sur
viyors Of the good ship Milton, which
burned to the waters edge in mid"
Pacific in 1882. Despite her rough
experience which has been her lot, she
is bonny little woman with charm
ing manner.
The Milton was a wooden ship, built
in Nova Scotia to ply to and from
Newcastle as collier. The day that
che was launched Captain H. T. Nc.
Arthur was made her master, and to.
gether with his family took up quar-
ters on the craft. Thenceforth until
the Inflated ship sank aaame upon the
high seas Mrs. Macarthur did not leave
: her accept on one occasion when she
was absent for month.
On August 8, 1881, the Milton
weighed anchor at Newcastle and put
out to sea. Soon afterwerd sultry,
disagreeab!e weather sent the captain
to his bunk, sick man.
| Weeks went by, and be was still
confined to his cabin. Finally one
day, when those on board we're occu-
pied with thoughts Of Christmastide,
and we're making preparations for its
observance, the first mate, Charles
E. Carroll, came to the bedside of the
sick captain and reported fire in the
cargo with which he could not cope.
The captain got up. Mrs. Macarthur
had to walk beside him to support
him, and she literally carried him
about the ship as he gave his orders
for the fighting Of the fire.
But the fire had gone ton far. Cap
tain Macarthur climbed up on coil Of
rope, and with his wife at his side and
his little children clinging to his
knees, he told the crew the ship was
lost, and ordered the long boats cut
away.
+, The Milton then stood 1880 miles
from Cape st. Lucas. There was
enough food on board to scant,ly sup
ply each OF the three long boats for
forty days. The captain doled out
the provisions, the boats were hastily
equipped with blankets and extra oars,
and as darkness came on that Christ
mus eve, the three boats pushed off.
The wretched group of ship.wrecked
mariners sat as ii in a trance all that
night, watching the Millions destruc.
tion. Long before the morning OF
January / dawned the Nova Scotian
craft WAS 40 more only a few charred
timbers remained afoat, and they
were soon carried from sight by the
currents.
The three overloaded long boats
started out in the direction Of land.
Although no one suffered from the in
clemencies OF the weather, it was not
many days before all felt the pangs OF
hunger and were moved to de*pera.
tion when they realized that the sup
plies were becoming exhausted.
In ten days the boat manned by the
first mate disappeared in the night
and was never again heard OF.
Soon after the second mates boat
began to lag and fall behind, and fin
ally they admitted that they had no
one in the boat able to pull m oar. IT
was then agreed that each boat should
shift for itself, and they separated.
There were two hams in the CAP.
tain's boat, besides Jug of water and
some lighter provisions. Eight people
lay all day and watched their little
pittlnce dealt out TO them by the only
cool head in the group, Mrs. Captain
Macarthur.
Three rations day for the first two
weeks were served, and then it dwjn
died down to two. One meal dry wa.
soon necessary limit, and before the
month was out it was one every tive
days. The seaman began to suffe]
from the cravings of thirst, and two
went stark mad, then died, and we're
rolled overheard by the plucky wo
man who wns in charge. Captain Nc
Arthur, Notwithstanding his weak
ness, manufactured q crude condenser
and condensed supply of water te
drink. Finally death overlook Mrs
MoAzthur's little baby boy. She
sewed his remains up in sack, slowed
them carefully away in the bottom q
the boat, and then took to the rudder
which the men had given up.
| For forty-six days this supreme
misery was endured before the nglisf
ship Newbern hove in sight and picked
them up.
On February IS, 1882, the Newberl
sailed into this harbor and landed