The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-22
WRECK, PIRATES AND SNAKES.g
Thrilling Experience of the Crew OF
the Schooner Jesse Murdoch.

| thrilling story Of shipwreck. the i'm
generation of crew Of seven men for
twerty-four hours on the Island Of ST..
Vincent which was alive with rattle
snakes and their suDjcction 20 most
dastardly treatment by band Of pirates.
made up of hall breed lndiars. was told
last night by Captain Ernest Wheatley
master Of the schooner Jesse Murdoek.
whose loss on Flag Island was briefly
stated In these columns In despatch
from Apalachicola several days ago.
Captain Wheatley. accompanied by his
mate. J. W. COverdale. arrived here last
evening both almost destitute Of cloth
ing. Every piece save what they mad
on their bodies and all other personal
effects had been stolen by the savage
natives.
Captain Wheauey was seen az the oinco
of his agent John l. Nicholson. upon
his arrival and he stated that they left
Moss Point. October 10Th for CaiDarien
with 2lg O0o feet " lumber. The schooner
sprung leak in bow ports which made
IL necessary 10 put into Mobile for pee
pairs. The voyage was resumed October
Goth. and on November lst. forty miles
southeast OF Mobile another leak appear
ed. on the lth. dying iibhoom and force
tOpmast head We're carried away The
vessel was then leaking sixteen inches lu
hour. ON Sunday the Gin. h" attempted
20 go into West Pass entrance 90 Apaia-
chic0la. and went aground. There were
no pilots 90 be had in this locality, but
on Monday the vessel hOated, badly dam
aged and put 10 sea.
She began 10 nll and Captain Whellley
decided To make an attempt TO reacG
harb0r I'm so doing the vessel struck
o. H. %
which is partially II not WHOLLY h-
merged ar high tide Al J.. VI Che fna
was running high over the vessel ana t.e
wind blow q gale from the southeast,
and at l.. VI she began 70 break up.
Captain Wheatiey and his crew. with
great difficulty. launched a boat. and 10
10 L. NJ landed ON the Island OF St
Vincent. They took with them some
provisions and pitched tent ON tho
beach. i'm which they made preparations
FOR nights rest. IL was while engaged
IN pitching the tent that they found
themselves surrounded on AN sides by
rattlesnakes One man was kept on
watch an night TO keep away the snake
1t was night OF peril TO the careworn
and exhausted men. and despite thpir
fatigue they slept little
The next morning they discovered that
all their provisions and clothing had
been stolen by natives and carried on.
Barely clad the men put of In their
small boat TO have another look NJ the
wreck and attempt to save some of their
effects They found that she had been
visited by the natives during The night
and ransacked from keel 90 truck. The
sails however. remained and these we're
bundled up taken In the boat and the
wearied men sailed up 10 Apalachicola.
reaching there last Thursday night
ST. Vincent, where the vessel struck.
Is an isolated place away from all com
with the shore. II IS situ-
ated. according 10 Captain Wheatley.
between Cape st. George and Cape san
Bias. and is about 300 acres long. Tho
natives. he says, while not ofseri.g 10
do any OF his men bodily harm woul ,
have made sad work of them had they |
refused to turn over 10 them their |
things. Captain Wheatev and his mate
upon arriving. were taken first 10
clothing store and properly dtted up
The vessel was valued "a. about si.o01 !
and the cargo az 81 800. The latter was (
insured. but the vessel was uncovered.
Mate Coverdale H. well known here as I,
master OF vessels of Governor Halls /
feet. Captain wheatley. while Della (
warean BY birth. lives in Warehan, |
Mass -Philadelphia Press.