Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-09-07
THE FIELD OF VENTURE
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.
Fhe Heroine of Ia ShipwrecIr-Ncarly
Drowned by His Pets-A wife
Saves Her Husband.

"a ERS. NJ. i. McARTHUR,
| IN who is visiting Oakland as
v the guest OF Mrs. Ambrose,
lives to tell n tale of hard
ship at sea which few women could
have survived. She is one of the sur
vivors 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
she was launched Captain II. L. Nc
Arthur was made her master, and to.
gether with his family took up quar-
ters on the craft. Thenceforth until
the ill-fated ship sank afame upon the
high seas Mrs. Macarthur did not leave
her accept on one occasion when she
WAS absent for a month.
| On August 8, 1881, the Milton
weighed anchor at Newcastle and put
out to sea. Soon afterward sultry,
disagreeable weather sent the captain
W LAO cuhh, - olSh ihob'
Weeks went by, and he was still
confined to his cabin. Finally one
day, when those on board were occu-
pied with thoughts OF Christmastide,
and were 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 too 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 1890 miles
from Cape st. Lucas. There was
enough food on board to scantlly 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 US darkness came on that Christ
mas eve, the three boats pushed Off
The wretched group of ship wrecked
mariners sat as If in trance all that
night, watching the Millions destruc
tion. Long before the morning of
January l dawned the Nova Scotian
craft was no more; only a few charred
timbers remained ahoat, 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.
ciemencies of the weather, it was not
many days before all felt the pangs of
hunger and were moved to despera-
ton 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 an oar. 1t
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
pitt lnce 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 dwin
died down to two. One meal day was
soon necessary limit, and before the
month was out it was one every two
days. The seaman began to suffer
from the cravings of thirst, and two
went stark mad, then died, and were
rolled overheard by the plucky wo
man who was in charge. Captain Nc
Arthur, Notwithstanding his weak
ness, manufactured a crude condenser
and condensed a supply of water tc
drink. Finally death overlook Mrs
McArthur's little baby boy. She
sewed his remains up in Il sack, slowed
them carefully away in the bottom oi
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 Englisl
ship Newbern hove in sight and picEet
them up.
On February 25, 1882, the Newberr
sailed into this harbor and landed ,
quartet of sick, disheartened survivor
of the Milton. The captain and hi
family went at once to the Hote
Devon, and the next day buried thei
child they had brought with them t.
place in grave on land. One by on,
the remaining sailors have passe'
, away, and barring the possibility tina
two of the second mates boat still live
Mrs. Macarthur and her family alon
survive to recount that fearful .experi
ence.
A son was born to Mrs. McArthu
: soon after the party was rescued b.
} the English ship, and she named hin
Newbern. Newbern Macarthur is
, great brawny fellow to-day.