Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-18
A TRYING ORDEAL
Described by a Sailor. Of Shipwreek and un'
kindness.

A vivid account of the wreckng of the
lumber schooner. Matthew Vassar, Pr.
was related to Portland Express re-
porter the other day, by one of the crew.
John Carolan. His tale was this:
1.-The schooner Matthew Vassar. Jr.,
put into Newport News from southern
port with a cargo of Southern pine lum-
Der, to put man ashore and get some
| one to fill his place. The man was sick
and his legs were in bad shape and he is
still at the hospital in Newport News.
The Vassar was leaking badly at this
time and it was necessary to work the
pumps good deal of the time to keep
her clear. This did not know for they
kept her out in the stream so far that no
one could look her over. She was reg
ular coffin then and they got me on board
without my having any idea of what she
was. The captain thought he could get
the vessel to New York, however, and as
the mate had whole summers pay COM
ing to him he didn't want to desert and
lose it so We sailed. l think it was Nov.
10. ! expected to go coasting all winter
| and had just put in new outfit that
stood me over $50. l had top coat that
cost $40.
We'll. the leak kept gaining on us and
for seven days we worked the pumps
steadily and even then there were be-
| tween two and three feet of water in the
hold all the time. Part of the time two
pumps were going and part of the time
three. and l got about four hours sleep
in seven days. On Nov. 20, a norther
struck us and the fore boom went down,
the jib tore away and we fell off into the
trough of the seaa. In less than thirty
minutes the schooner filled and her deck
was two feet below water. 1t was only
the deck load that kept us from sinking
and while it was no earthly use to pump
the captain kept us at it standing to our
waists in water. Then came the danger
of capsizing. There vas an awful sea
| running and unless We could keep her
head to it we must go over sure.
There was the captain and his wife and
four men on board: no boat. for it had
| ben smashed by the sea- and no help in
| sight We got out the anchor and paid
off all the chain we had 1t held and this
| probably kept us from keeling over as
| it kept our bow to the sea.
1--WE were chilled through. wet to the
| skin and hungry. while death was star
| ing us in the face and we expected every
| moment would be our last We saw one
vessel and from the top of the deck load
we all shouted together: Ship ahoy.'
| They did not hear us. however. and our
only hope seemed past when we saw the
red and green lights of Il schooner bear
ing down on us. Our own lights had been
smashed and we gathered again. We had
| to take to the rigging by this time.
The captain had dressed his wife in a
| suit of his clothes and she showed Won
| derful courage. We all shouted together
|
| back an answering shout. Thank God we
had been heard. The vessel proved to be
! the Childe Harold and she thought we
were drifting. She run by us up into the
wind and dropped her anchor. When she
| swung back it was directly onto our bow.
The bowsprit snapped off. the bow
| crushed in and the masts snapped and
| cracked. 1t broke the Harold's boat
| hanging from the stern davits and il
| looked as though we were lost after all
| However. our foremost came pretty near
the schooner's stern and we escaped that
way by climbing up the rigging and then
| by ropes we were helped aboard. The
| mate pushed by everyone and saved
| himself first of ALL | waited and helped
the captain get his wife to the vessel and
we had pretty hard time breaking her
hold on the ropes. She had borne up well
until this time and the swapping masts
and crashing nmbers had been too much
for her. We finally got her up over the
| stern and | was the last one to leave. The
Childe Harold took us to Newport News
and Capt. Howes left us. on the beach
without clothes, money or shelter, to
shift for ourselves. we couldn't get a
cent The mate should have had s13O. the
| other men from s25 to $50 each. and there
was 10 days pay due me- NY clothes
We're the hardest loss of all to me- for
couldn't ship on anything else | finally
| managed to reach Portland and here
4 am, without clothes or money"
Through the kindness Of Mr.. E. p. Flick.
EFT. the sailor missionary, Mr. Carolar
has been provided with a coat and vest
and Mr.. Pickett is trying to provide thf
other necessary articles so that the shin.