Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-01-04
SAILORS THRILLING STORY
Destruction OF a WhaIeback
Barge on Lake Superior.
WAS ! WRECKED OFF PIC ISLAND
Some OF the Crew Compelled
to Chew Candles.


Cleveland, o.. Dec. 2s.-Members Of
the crew of the wrecked whaleback
barge l15, which went aground on Pic
Island. Ont, on the northern shore of
Lake SuEsrior, tell thrilling story Of
their experience after the ll-fated craft
broke away from the steamer Colgate
Hoyt. Mate Lynip and his men tell
the following story Of the subsequent
events:
"About II o'clock on Monday morn
ing, the barge drifted ashore on what
we Afterwards found to be Pic Island,
Where the barge grounded. the land is
extremely bold. and rises from the
waters edge 500 to COO feet, and even
higher in places.
"The barge began to pound heavily,
and we were afraid she would knock
a hole In the hull. There was a little
life raft on top of the after tnrret, and
We used this TO get ashors. First, two
Fof the men went ashore and made a
landing, and then sent the raft back
and forth until we wore ashore. The
shore was 200 feet from the boat, and
quite sea was running. Some Of the
men took extra clothes with them, and
in the party We had two loaves Of bread
and shoulder of ham, besides our
pockets fill of candles. There were
some provisions left aboard the boat,
but we had no time to get these, and
could not have carried them il we had,
as the SNOW was so deep on the land.
"We landed in small cove, and
began to climb up the steep bluff. We
caught hold of roots and stones and the
small evergreen trees which grew among
the rocks, and at last reached the top.
1--WE thought Mt this time that we
were ashore on the mainland. The
snow was about three feet deep, but the
weather was not as cold as on the water.
The first night we camped in the woods,
and the next day we started along the
shore line. 1t was then that we found
we were on an island. As We followed
the shore, we came across log cabin,
about 8 O'Clock in the afternoon 1t
was without roof, and had part
nm old sheet iron stove. We had taken
ashore from the barge an axe and some
matches. and we all started TO cut some
boughs and make a ioof for the shanty,
and to make b fine in the stove. We
stayed in the shanty Tuesday night,
and it was here that the stewards feet
were badly frozen. -
Wednesday morning, we could see
the mainland, about three miles away
We ripped the old shanty down, and
made rsft with which to get ashore
on the mainland. The raft was not
large enough to hold all of the men,
and sank knee deep in the water when
We all boarded IL, but we started out
and, after drifting two miles down the
shore, making our trip about five miles
In all. we landed As soon M tie raft
struck the shore, it went to pieeea
There was much snow on the mainland,
but We built q fire, and camped in the
bush all night.
Thursday morning, we star ted out
and walked all day along the shore
tc the west. Our provisions were
giving out, and we had about half n
sice Of wet bread and two ounces of
raw ham each. Some of the boys
chewed the candles which they had
taken with them from the barge. That
night, we oanEed in the bush again,
and on Friday morning. after walking
until ii O'Clock, We struck the tracks
of the Canadian Pacific road. Here,
we ate the'last Of the provisions which
we. had with us. At last, we met two
section hands, who told US that the
nearest town was Middletown, mile
and a half away. We reached the rail
road station at Middletown about noon
on Friday. The agent there did all he
could for us, fed Us, gave us place to
sleep and dressed the stewards feet.
The captain then wired the company of
our arrival, and we left on Sunday for
Cleveland. EN