Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-05
Dally nsnllebec. Journal
SEVEN RESCUED.
Gloucester Fisherman A. E.
WhyIand Lost at Sea.
Barge Antelope With Captain, Wife
and Four Men Lost.
Twenty four Men Taken of From
Stranded Ship L. Schepp.

Boston. Feb. 4.-The Danish steamer
Antwerpen, Capt. Andreasen, which ar
rived here. today from Copenhagen.
via Stornoway. brought seven men of
the crew of the Gloucester fishing
schooner A. F.. Whyland, whom she res
cued off Scatterle. Jan. 81. They in
clude Capt. VIM. Il. Larkin, Joseph Nc
Leila. steward Edward Williams and
Seamen George F'raze, John Shepard,
John Rose and Martin Sesco.
One of the schooner's crew, Melville
Smith, was washed overheard and lost,
Jan. q. while on the bowsprit furling
the jib. He was SO years of age and
belonged in st. Andrews. N. 3.
On Jan. 81, at 9 A. NJ, in lat. 1887
north, long. 1872 west, or 120 miles
south southwest from Scatterie, the
lookout deserted a twO-maSted schooner
about seven miles away, with distress
signals set which proved to be the
A. e. Whyland, loaded with frozen her
ring and bound to Gloucester. The
vessel was in a sinking condition, with
the crew worn out from constant work
at the pumps and exposure. The
schooner was badly iced up and her
oowsprit was broken off close to the
knighthcads. The sails were also
blown away and she was otherwise
crippled. The Antwerpen stood by the
wreck for eight hours, as the sea was
too rough to attempt the rescue when
she first went alongside. Between 2
and 3 o'clock that afternoon. the rescue
was accomplished with considerable
difficulty.
The Whyland sailed from Gloucester.
Jan. 2, bound for Bay of Islands, N. F.,
for a cargo of frozen herring. She
started on her return to Gloucester,
Jan. %. on Jan. 81. violent south
westerly gale was encountered, which
soon hauled to the northwest, accom-
panied by a tremendous sea. in which
the schooner strained so badly that
she soon sprang a leak. 1t was on this
day that Smith was lost.
The fearful weather continued and on
the 10Th the bowsprit broke off and was
carried away, together with all head
gear. The vessel at that time was Leak
ing badly and all hands were constant
" at the pumps. The weather was in
tensely cold and the vessel began to ice
up badly. Jan. 30 came with the con-
ditions of the men perilous in the ex-
treme. TIE schooner was drifting be-
fore the wind aPd the men suffered Sc
vereIy from the cold.
Edward Williams, the steward. had
his feet and face frozen. and JOS. Nc
Lellan had the fingers on both hands
frostbitten. Captain Larkin's face was
also frostbitten.
On Jan. 81, the welcome sight of
steamer attracted the attention of all
hands. The crew of the disabled craft
watched the oncoming craft intently
and she was seen to bear down on
them. having evidently seen the sig
nails. The Antwerpen stood off half a
mile to windward until p. M. before
the attempt at rescue could be made.
Then she came alongside as near as
possible and all hands were taken off.
In the abandonment of their vessel the
fishermen saved nothing but what they
stood in.
The A. f. Whyland was built at Bath.
Me, i'm 1883, and was owned by John
Peal & Son of Gloucester. The vessel
was 1870 tons net and 1856 tons gross. The
general dimensions were: Length, 1913
feet: beam. "a feet; and depth of hold,
90 feet. She was valued at $4,000.