Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-04-21

HE WAS LANDED MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE
two of the crew of the Quonnapowitt
were picked up by the fishing schooner
Flora NickersOn, Captain Jethro Nick
ersOn, and brought to wharf in Boston
Iattheson told the following tale:
When he and his mate found them
selves cut out from sight. Of the vessel
by the fog they rowed in the direction
in which they imagined they had left
her. On and on they rowed, shouting
to attract attention, but not a sound
greeted their ears in response. They
had load of fish taken from the
travis, and this, with the trawl tubs,
gave them little room to move. The
pangs of hunger and thirst began to
make themselves felt. but the men row
ed on They had fish on board, but,
knowing better than the story writer's,
who tell of f lermen feeding on raw
hadd0ck, what the consequences would
be, they dared not touch it,
During the night they had to take
rest, and it was while Mattheson could
not watch him that young Hemeon did
what nearly cost his life. Earlier in the
evening in standing up to rest his
cramped body and to listen for some
cheering sound he had fallen over
board, and only the quick action Of
Mattheson kept him from drowning
In getting back to the dory the young
man lost his boots, and, soaked to the
skin, he was landed more dead than
nj ;yvC in, HE, c0o+ ~, +J,o
The involuntary wetting added to his
suferings and his craving for food
and water, and while Mattheson was
not watching him he seized one of the
haddocks from the dory and began to
eat it. For the moment his cravings
were satisfied but the effect of eating
the raw fish soon began to be apparent.
BY daylight he was raving mad, and
Mattheson had all he could do to pre-
vent him from jumping into the water,
where in his delirium he thought he
could quench his devouring thirst. He
rocked the boat so that the oars went
over the sides, and the two men were
left more helpless than ever and with
but the slightest chance of being saved.
AS well as he could Mattheson tossed
the fish overheard.
The dory pitched dangerously, and
soon the seas began to come over the
side. Mattheson threw over the 'trawl
tubs and spent his time between watch
ing Hemeon and bailing out the Gory
Night came on again without help at
hand, and while the deranged sailor
slumbered itfully Mattbeson sn2tched
a few minutes of sleep. lie could not
sleep for any length of time, as he had
to watch the dory as we'll and keep her
bailed out
1t had grown cold, and a new danger
presented itself. He was afraid That Il
he allowed his companion to sleep the
latter would freeze to death, and in
spite of the difficulty he had with the
crazed man he kept rousing him after
each few minutes of sleep
At last Mattheson saw two steamers
and four sailing vessels before the Flo
"a Nickerson hove in sight. but they
passed him by. and he was about to
give up when he was seen by the men
on Captain Nickerson's schooner, and
to his JOY he saw her headed toward
him.
1t seemed hours before the schooner
reached him and hoisted his dory on
board. Mattheson was able to tumble
out Of her, but Hemeon had to be lifted
out and carried to the forecastIe, where
he remained delirious for twenty four
hours.