The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-12

ot RAN -. ~. ~
SNS& Missioner Of the English $50
RNSS Church, Danzig, Germany ~S~0
During the month of August,
t906, Captain Hans Messer, of the
galliot Anna Rebecca, was loading a
cargo of deals at Memel for Olden-
burg. On Monday, the 9th, the
cargo being completed, the vessel
moved slowly out of port for her des-
tination.
A strong northwest wind was blow
Ing, and when the Anna Rebecca was
some forty miles off the coast. with
but the slightest warning she sud-
ienly turned turtle" The masts
were broken clean off as they struck
he water, and the startled crew were
Hung into the sea. BY good luck,
however, all were thrown clear of the
wreck, and they were enabled to save
hemselves-temporarily, at least
by swimming to the capsized galliot
and finding safety on its keel.
The crew Of the little vessel were
three in number-Captain Hans Mes
Der, aged thirty-hve; Rudolph Wisch-
emann, sixteen, sailor; and Fritz
Meyer, fifteen, cabin boy. The trio
Immediately sought to make their
position as secure as possible, which
proved to be very difficult. A heavy
Bea was running, and they possessed
bnIy a small quantity of rope and
Btring with which to lash themselves.
Presently the two lads were both
washed into the sea again, but the
captain pluckily succeeded in saving
them once more, though 1t was only
with great difficulty that he was able
10 drag them back on to the slippery
Keel.
The position in which the three
Found themselves was wellnigh hope
Jess. The wreck lay so deep in the
water that nearly every wave washed
tlean v g it, not only threatening to
sweep the castaways off, but making
khe hulk practically invisible to any
thatcher on the shore. Great was
their Joy, however, when, some time
later, they saw a steamer apparently
bearing down on them. y But their
Joy turned to deepest dependency
when they slowly became convinced
hat she had not see them. They
yelled and waved their arms wildly,
but all in vain; the steamer held on
her course and finally disappeared.
Then ensued a time of terrible suf-
fering. The three men were, of
course, entirely without food and
water, and as day succeeded day and
bo vessel was sighted the acute men
Fal anguish Of hope deferred was
added to the ever-increasing tortures
bf hunger and thirst. Five days
dragged themselves slowly by in this
fashion, while the poor wretches
Elung to the wave-washed wreck.
~Ptraining their aching, salt-crusted
Dyes for signs of rescue. But none
fame, and their minds began to wan
Ter owing to the terrible strain and
their growing physical weakness.
Fritz Meyer, the youngest Of the
bad trio on the Anna Rebecca's keel,
had swallowed a considerable guam
fity of sea water during his INNER
bion, and by Saturday-the sixth day
bf their awful ordeal-he showed un-
nistakable signs Of exhaustion. The
lime dragged slowly by, and hour by
hour the poor lad grew worse, till on
Sunday it became evident to his anx-
&ous companions that his mind had
given way. He raved terribly all
Hay against his i'll luck, but the cap
Fain's encouraging words at length
Peemed to soothe him, and he dropped
ksleep, though he still muttered de-
iriously at intervals.
Still the wreck drifted on, and
hever a sight of a sail came to glad
len the straining eyes OF the casta-
ways.
On Sunday the wreck had drifted
DO close to the coast near Schwarzort
that, as subsequently transpired, sew
oral people saw what appeared to be
large dark object some miles off.
AS, however,. it seemed to bear no
bigns Of life or any signal of distress,
The watchers on shore did not deem
t necessary to call out the lifeboat.
On the Monday also many eager eyes
gazed at the wreck from various
points Of vantage as 1t drifted slowly
hown the coast, though they did not
5ream that hapless castaways clung
hespairingly to its keel.
Meanwhile, what of the three sea-
men? Rendered desperate by their
6ufferings, and seeing the coast ap-
parently so near, Meyer and Wisch-
emann decided to throw themselves
INTO the sea and risk everything II
pne supreme effort to reach the shore.
imagine how maddening it must have
been to these poor fellowship had
hlready faced the horrors Of starva-
ton and thirst for a week-to be so
close to land that they could clearly
discern the red roof of the lifeboat
station and could make out vehicles
4on the roads and fishing craft off the
shore, and yet be unable to obtain
assistance! These two brave young
lads naturally thought they could
reach shore, but the captain knew
better. He decided that in their
Starved and exhausted condition they
were not fit to attempt it, and would
only be drowned. And SO, though
Very reluctantly, they gave up the at
tempt.
Despair was now fast overwhelm'