The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-07-18
TOLD BY THE SOLE SURVIVOR.
The Yachting Tragedy in Penobscot Bav

Inflated yachting party, out of which
six boys 0t their lives in Penobscot
bay Tuesday afternoon, July 9th, ar
rived in Bangor on the steamer Ire
mont Thursday from Castine and gave
to the Bangor Commercial the first
connected account of the accident
While physically none the worse for
his terrible experience he was suffering
keenly from the shock caused by the
loss of his companions. He told of the
starting out for sail, with Harry Du-
gan at the wheel and Vague near him
telling him how to steer. After cruising
about for while, with very light
wind, they concluded to 60 to Hewes'
Point and headed out into the bay. The
wind freshened and they we're having
great sail. They saw the black clouds,
and thought there would be a thunder
shower, but did not expect a squall.
The main sheet was fast. What happen
ed is thus told by the sole survivor:
"Roy Palmer and I were up forward
| and the rest of the fellows were in the
cockpit, Harry was at the wheel and
| Billy was standing not more than three
| feet from him. Harry was sitting on
! the box that covers the running part of
the wheel. The squall struck us with
out any warning at all. The boat heel
| ed over and at the very first dip guess
she took in five or six hogsheads Of
water When the boat heeled Harry
| was thrown overheard. He grabbed
the running iron and hung on for a
minute but l guess he couldn't keep
hold. Ray yelled to Harry to put the
wheel hard down. That would have
brought the boat up into the wind and
| righted her, but Harry wasn't there to
do it. Then l tried to let the jib sheets
go and Ray tried to cast off the main
sheet. If he could have done that it
would have brought the boat up into
the wind or if l could have got the jib
sheets off the mainsail would have
brought her round. But the jib sheets
were under the water and l couldn't
get them off.
palmer and l went out over the bow
and l saw Palmer strike out for shore,
though he could not swim. That was
the last saw of him. l didn't see any
thing of Freddy Ringwall after the boat
tipped. Ray Smith jumped into the
tender that was towing astern. The
tender was the kind they most always
have, skiff about - or IA feet long.
don't know where Amos went because
l didn't see him until afterWard. |
guess it wasn't more than two minutes
from the time the squall struck us until
the sloop went down. She went down
stern first and took the tender down
with her.
Il looked around and saw Billy and
Ray Smith. l guess Ray struck his
head Oh the skitf or something when he
jumped because he was holding his
hands up to his face and wasn't trying
to swim at all. | hollered to Billy and
we both swan to Ray. We got on each
side of him and held on to his trousers
with one hand while we swan with the
other. | don't know how long we did
this but after while | saw it was no
use and l said to Billy: We've got to
let him 60 or We'll all co. SO we let %
of him and started to swim for shore.
Billy and | separated then and that was
the last | saw of Billy.
81 swan along and struck against an
oar and grabbed it. 1 held it for a
While and found | couldn't make any
Roadway with it SO | let 60 of it and
struck out again.
Then | found little piece Of board,
but that was no good either. l came
up with Amos in a minute or two. He
was holding on to something that look
ed as if it might have been a seat out
of the stern of the tender.
Il asked him if he could get along all
right and he said he didn't know and
told me to stay near him. | told him
to hang onto what he had and | would
get ashore if l could and get boat to
come out after him. Then | started
for shore again. | had gone but a
little ways when l heard Amos holler-
ing for me to come back. / started
back but l couldn't swim against the
waves. l heard Amos say he had a
cramp and then guess he got into one
current and | got into another, because
that was the last l saw of him.
81 turned around then and started
for shore again. l guess the waves
were five or six feet high and it was
hard swimming. | stopped swimming
and got my trousers loose and kicked
them off. 1t was easier swimming
then and the wind was behind me SO the
waves didn't break in my face. tried
to swim on my back but when | did
that the waves broke over my face, SO
| swan on my stomach this way (in-
dicating an overland stroke.) l got a
cramp in my leg right here indicating
the right groin) and had to stop swim
ming once in while and try to rub it.
After while l could distinguish
things on shore fairly well but it was
getting harder all the time and l was
about ready to give up when the Bis
marck came along. l didn't think |
could make them hear but hollered
and threw up my arms. The men on
the tug saw me after while and the
tug put about. They sent dory out
and when the tug ran by the captain
threw me life preserver and got it.
The cook threw me line and l got
that too and make half hitch around
my wrist.
Il guess the first thing l said when l
got on the tug was to ask the men if
they had any whiskey. They took me
into the engine room and poured some
Jamaica ginger into me and then | told
them there were some other fellows out
around there somewhere. The cook
gave me rub down and some dry
clothes and then put me up over the
boiler. Then they put me in bunk
and wrapped me up in blankets. The
tug cruised around there a long time
but couldn't find any trace OF the other
fellows SO they put about ard took me