Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-01-02
STORY OF CASTAWAYS.
HardShips of the Crew Of the
Wrecked Whaieback on
Bleak Shore.

Bleak Shore.
the crew of the wrecked barge 115, which
went aground on Pic island, Ont, on the
northern shore Of Lake Superior, tell a
thrilling story of their experience after
the ill-fated craft broke away from the
steamer Colgate Hoyt. Capt. Boyce did
not accompany his men to Cleveland
The balance of the crew are: NJ T.
Lynip, mate: Al Frost. 4. Weber, Roy
Stowell, II. S. Graham, e. r. Babcock,
seamen, and Oscar Buckner, steward
The Hoyt and barge rs left Cleveland
on Sunday, December 10, and expert
enced no heavy weather until Monday
evening. The wind freshened constantly,
and on Tuesday it began showing short
ly after the vessels left the 500. About
. o'clock Wednesday morning the tow
line parted. 1t was still showing and the
weather was thick, with a heavy sea run
ming. The barge stood the storm WELL
but lost its lifeboat, deck pump, spar and
fence.
The Hoyt disappeared, although its
whistle was heard at intervals all day
Wednesday. That day and night, and
for four succeeding days, the barge rolled
heavily in the seas which swept the
SldlI 1IOHl emu 10 emo. luoTo were pIO-
visions in plenty when the barge left
Two Harbors, but when the Hoyt was
seen in the distance headed for the 500
Capt; Boyce put his crew on two meals
per day.
Story of Mate Lynip.
Mate Lynip and his men tell the fol-
lowing story of subsequent events:
About IL o'clock on Monday morning
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 wa
ter's edge 800 to 600 feet, and even high
er in places
The barge began to pound heavily,
and we were afraid it would knock a
hole in the hull. There was a little life
ratt on top of the after turret, and we
the men went ashore and made landing,
and then sent the raft back and forth
until we were ashore.
Desert Newly Baked Bread.
"The cook was just baking bread when
we left, and we were unable to take this
with us. The shore was couple of hun
dred feet from the boat and quite a sea
was running. Some of the men took ex-
ira clothes with them, and in the party
we had two loaves of bread and a shout
der of ham, besides our pockets full Of
candles
There We're some provisions left
aboard the boat but we had no time to
get these and could not have carried
them if we had, as the snow was so deeD
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,
q chn hn niy,Io
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.
Find Deserted Cabin.
1T was then we found we were on an
island. AS we followed the shore we
came across log cabin about 3 o'clock
In the afternoon. IT was without a roof
and had part of an old sheet-iron stove.
We had taken ashore from the barge an
axe and some matches. and we all Start
ed to cut some boughs and make a roof
on the shanty and to make q fire in the
stove. We stayed in the shanty Tuesday
night, and it was here that the stew
ards feet were SO badly frozen.
"wednesday morning we could see the
mainland about three miles away. We
ripped the old shanty down and made a
raft 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 it, but we started out, and after
drifting couple of miles down the shore
making our trip about five miles in ali
we landed.
Shanty Raft Goes to Pieces.
"As soon as the raft struck the shore
it went to pieces. There was lots of
snow on the mainland, but we built a fire
and camped in the bush all night. On
Thursday morning we started out and
walked all day along the shore to the
west. Our provisions were giving out.
and we had about half slice of wet
bread and two ounces of raw ham each.
Make supper OF Candles.
"Scme of the boys chewed the candles
which they had taken with them from
the barge. That night we camped in the
bush again, and on Friday morning, af-
ter 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
tod us that the nearest town was Mid
dletown, a mile and q half away We
reached the railroad station at Middle
town about noon on Friday The agent
there did all he could for us, fed us, gave
us place to sleep, and dressed the stew
ards feet. The captain then wired to
the company Of our arrival. The Cana
dian Pacific people took good care of us
uo loft thpro On Sunday for Clovo