Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-17

With nothing bat the smooth bottom
lof the huh to cling to, Capt Baker
felt that everyone must perish. No
ak was obtaiHabse, but he threw of HIS
coat and shoes. and before the masts
had settled into the sea SO as to carly
the rail under, he was at the main
channels holding on with one hand ano
with his jackknife cut the lanyards of
the main rigging and the topmast
backstay. The hope was that the
lark would right If relieved of her
lspars and rigging. But before enough
could be cut she rolled so far down
that no more could be done Then came
a heavy sea which washed Capt.
Baker off the ship. He was a good
swimmer, and got back to his vessel,
only to be washed away again. This
time he found it difficult to get his
head above water. There seemed to
be downward current, which held
him down despite his effort. He had
his senses all this time and knew
that his only chance rested in his abil-
ity to hold his breath. He finally
reached the surface and was there
long enough to take in one long breath,
when he was again pulled down, and
when next he came to the surface he
got hold of a plank which had been
part of cutting stage, and piece
of smashed boat. With these he
/ thought he could get back to the ship
but he was fioated past her stern and
off to leeward. With the lashings
which were fast to the cutting stage he
fastened the piece of boat and stage
| together, upon which he crawled. II
wasn't the most buoyant craft afioat,
but 1t answered his purpose, and there
he awaited rescue, which then looked
like forlorn hope. 1t was a frail
support, tut like a drowning man he
grabbed at a straw. On this i'm
provised float he remained above
water all night, the wind blowing
hurricane and the sea running heavily.
Daylight brought little encouragement.
Not vestige of his ship was seen
nothing on the face of the water was
discernible save driftwood from the
wreck, and Capt. Baker believed then
than he alone of the crew was alive
His experience that night must have
been a terrible one. He had all he
could do to retain his hold of the raft,
which was tossed about numerically
IN the heavy sea. With every sea his
small float was washed, and he looked
upon the next riser as his finish. But
his must have been lucky star, and
he pulled safely through that awful
night, revealing with daylight only
the remnants of floating deb-'s from
the wrecked vessel. At z O'Clock on
the morning of the goth he was
startled by the sound of a human
voice, and he thus tells what then
ltranspired in letter which he wrote
A r. Tucker, after reaching Cape
/ TOWN.
II first thought ship was near, but
on looking about saw nothing.
heard the voice again, and made out
in the direction from which the sound
came, one of my men, William Grape,
native of the Sandwich Islands. We
succeeded in reaching each other. He
had four oars and a small piece of
board. | secured them together as
well as l could, and we both sat on
this small raft.
81 then asked him where the men
were. He said they were all gone,
not one left. When he left the ship
he thought it was about o'clock in
the morning. They dropped off the
ship one by one and sank, having hung
to the weather side until exhausted.
when l was washed from the ship
the sea was making a clean breach
over her, and there was no possible
chance for them to escape.
ION the morning of the goth, after
finding Grape, we picked up two more
oars and a piece of plank that went
across the gangway for the after emo
of the boats to rest on. The lashings
that were fast to it were a great
help to us in making secure our raft.
1--WE passed that day and night in
misery never to be forgotten. The
next morning the sun rose bright and
clear The wind had moderated to
a fresh breeze. About O'Clock the
Kanaka began to fail, and showed
signs of insanity. Shortly after l
saw floating near us a pumpkin which
| succeeded in reaching, and we par
took of it. This revived Grape, but
he was very weak, so weak that it
was with difficulty that he kept on the
raft. Later | picked up two more
, and another oar, and while flashing the
oar to the raft saw shark. He
tried to get hold of us, and came very
near doing so several times, but
finally drove him of.
, THAT afternoon saw a sail, and set
} a signal on a piece of board. and in
FIVE minutes after they saw us and
/ bore up for our raft. In short time
= we were taken on board the vessel,
which was the British mail steamer
I England"
On board Of the royal mail steamer
England. Capt. A. d. Dundas, master,
; were 200 paSsensers hound to England