Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-12-17
AS BY A MIRACLE.
How Eight OF the Lond onian's Crew
Were Saved,

How Eight fthe Lond onian's Crew
Were Saved.
Baltimore, Dec. 15.-Eight additional
survivors of the crew of the lost steam
ship Londonian We're brought into this
port last night by the North German
Lloyd steamship Maria Rickmers. They
are Captain E. B. Lee. Third G Cfiicer Jo-
seph Cottier, Boatswain T. Benin. Quar-
termaster Il. Carlson. Able Seamen j.
| Webb and w. CarneSS. Second Steward
D. Darnell. and Second Cook w. Martin
These. with the As previously rescued
by the Johnson line steamer Nedainore,
complete the list of survivors, is having
/ been lost in an attempt to leave the dis
abled ship in one of her small boats.
OF the lost two were cattlemen, and the
balance We're members of the crew. The
Londonian left Boston on Nov. 16. load
ed with general merchandise and carry
ing 500 cattle. bound for London.
| A week has elapsed since the arrival
of the Vedamore, and during the interim
but little hope has been felt that any
of those who remained on board the
Londonian when she and the Vedamore
parted company would ever be heard
from again. That another chapter of
this tale Of the sea is to be told seems
little short Of miraculous.
Captain Lee, as he sat in the cabin
of his rescuer. showed plainly the effects
of the anxiety and hardships he had
undergone. His face was thin and care
worn, and marked with deeper lines
than would be ordinarily imprinted by
the so years through which he has lived
He told in simple. matter Of fact, way,
peculiar to those who follow the sea for
a livelihood. the story Of his experience
since leaving Boston. a little less than
month ago. He said:
Our voyage was uneventful until
about noon on Wednesday, the 22nd
ult. when our steering gear became dis
abled. An examination showed that
small piece OF cotton waste had, in
some manner. become entangled in the
gearing. A heavy gale was blowing,
and. being unable to keep the vessels
head to the wind. she listed heavily,
sending the cattle on the deck and in the
hold to the starboard side, and throwing
the vessel almost on her heam ends.
You have heard from those who came
ashore on the Vedamore the story of
what took place from that time until
Sunday afternoon.
I'VE had made repeated attempts to
launch a second boat, without success.
but finally at 1 p. M, on that day we
got one over the side with 23 men IN
1t. under the command of Chief Officer
Murray. She had hardly left the ship
when she capsized. and II of those in
the boat were either drowned or dashed
against the sides of the I.ondonian and
killed. Boatswain Benin, Quarter
master Carlson, Seamen Webb and Cor
ness, Second Steward Darnell and Sec
ond Cook Martin were thrown back upon
the slanting deck. and managed to hold
on. Soon after this darkness came on
| and we lost sight Of the Vedamore $
| lights.
| when day broke she was nowhere to
be seen, and those of us on the wreck
made up our minds that nothing but a
miracle could save US. We had had
but little to eat since the accident oc
cured four days before, had been
drenched by the waves and exposed to
the bitter cold winds almost constantly
Everything in the shape of provisions
and almost all the fresh water were in
the hold under water, and we We're un-
able to reach them. We therefore had
| nothing to eat save a few seabiscuits
| soaked In salt water, and by the time the
| Vedamore left us there was but little
| fresh water aboard. All day Monday
we looked in vain for sail, and when
night came we were reasonably certain
thot yra would revar apothpr GIN
| rise. The ship was slowly. but sure
| ly, sinking, and we felt that any hour
| might see her take her final plunge.
| Our food was almost gone, and there
| was not enough water in our casks to
| last us IL hours longer. We had had
but little sleep and hardly dared to hope
Nothing but the desperation that comes
! to men in their last hours gave us cour-
| age to make another effort and to show
| a light that we scarcely expected anyone
| would see. That it was seen and thai
| we were taken off, gives me new faith
| in the inscrutable ways of Providence -
Then the captain said. with a sigh:
IT wish now that the other poor fellows
| had stayed aboard the LondOnian in
| stead Of trying to get away in the life
boat that Sunday afternoon. They toe
might have been saved"
Asked why he did not make the at
tempt with them, he replied: There
wasn't room for Cottier and me. Hc
wouldn't go without me, and captain
can't leave his ship as long as anyone
remains on board. The boat that was
smashed when all those poor fellows
were drowned was the last we had ex-
.-s
| have lasted a minute in those seas, SC
there was nothing to do but stay on
board and take our chances"
The shipwrecked sailors were cared
| for by the British consul at Baltimore
and will be shipped home whenever they
| are ready to 60.