The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-19
Endured By Crew of the
Schooner Deer Hill.

New York, Dee 1S.-The British
steamer Pawnee arrived today from
Mediterranean ports, bringing ten ship
wrecked people who were taken from
the disabled schooner Deer Hill in mid
ocean. Capt. Aikenhead reported that
en- Dec 8 he SIGHTED a three-masted
topsail schooner in evident distress and
needing assistance The name, Deer
Hill of St. John, n b could be seen
on the stern. \ heavy northwest gale
was blowing, and q dangerous sea was
running. The schooner was seeming
ly manageable, and the rudder dis
abled or carried away.
The Pawnee stayed by and finally
succeeded il getting towline aboard.
The line parted. however. and a boat
was launched, in charge of the chief
officer and sent 80 communicate with
the Deer Hill. The boat had nearly
succeeded in boarding the wreck when
an enormous sea struck and stove it.
and, after great difficulty. the boats
ere X succeeded in getting on board the
sCho )ner, where they We're obliged to
remain all night. On the following
morning the weather had slightly mod
Grated. and towline was sent on board
and the Pawnee towed the Deer Hill
towards Bermuda. After towing about
six hours the line again parted. Find
ing that the wind and sea We're increas-
ing when the line parted, it was found
impossible to get out another.
The captain Of the Deer Hill signalled
that he wished to abandon the wreck,
aid requested the Pawnee to stand by.
The gale continued throughout the 9Th,
10th and 1ith, the PdWnee keeping her
position ne&r the wreck. but found it
impossible to u5e the boats to remove
the unfortunate people of the Deer Hill,
owing to the dangerous character of the
sees. Finally at { p. m. of the 18th,
the rescue was effected and the Deer
Hi was abandoned in latitude 3j.42,
sloneitude 52.49.
The rescued people were Capt c. W.
p, ms Louisa Burns, his daughter,
Hazel Merritt, rhc owners daughter.
and seven Of the crew of the Deer
Hli.
When Cant. Burns was seen at quar-
antine. he said THAI the Deer Hill was
three-maEted topsail schooner, own
ed by w. H. Merritt and others of St
John. n. B. The Deer Hill sailed from
81 JOnn, n. b, on NOV. %, for Santos,
with d cargo of lumber, a large part
Of which was declI lead, and two pas
sengers, one of whom was the captains
daughter the other girl a daughter of
one of the vessels owners
About a week after sailing, the sec
ond day Of December, the schooner fell
IN with bad spell Of weather, the wind
commencing to blow hard from the
southwest, and increasing to terrific
force with high and dangerous sea,
during which the vessel labored heavily
and the seas washed continuously over
the decks, swept away the deck load,
smashed the boats and flooded the
decl1-house. This weather continued
for six days, with unabating fury, until
the schooner broke her rudder and be-
came unmanageable. During this six
days blow, the wind was from the
uth-southwest and west, and the
seas We're enormous. Capt. Burns tried
10 abandon the vessel on the first OPP
Dortunity
On Dec. s the steamer Pawnee APP
peared, and in answer to signals, stood
by and finally, after four days, trans
ierred the unfortunate shipwrecked
people to safety and brought them to
this port.
The Deer Hill was built at Moss Glen,
y. B., in 1881, and registered 341 tons.