New-York tribune., 1909-06-28
ADRIFT In OPEN BOAT
CREW'.S WEEK OF HORROR.
Returning Sailors Tell Of Sufer7ngs
after WhnLer Left Them.

Antoine panna = sturdy Portuguese sanorman Of
New Bedford, Mass, and five sailors from me
whaling brig Sullivan. who drtfted With MIN Tor
six days and seven nights in I small boat OF me
coast of Southwest Africa IN March, arrived here
Yesterday II the steerage Of the White star lhec
Celtic from Liverpool Penna's story Of an appar-
emily hopeless drift in the South Atlantic, MS
steady vigil and his fight TO keep his men troHA
drinking salt water the talk If the CeiucS
/ crew when she got in yesterday
Few if any, Of the cabin passengers kne" t2dt
between decks were six men returning 70 fahhile5
that had given them up for lost. It vas not untll
the irnnaigrstion officials called up the SIX pFohzed
Portug1Iese TO the ca that Penna told MS
story He was the third mate IF the sullivan a
man strong of and will It vas his don2lla'-
ing personality and wonderful constitution tha1
saved his shpnates. and they were Wiling lla' '0
should talk for all
Yes sir 1 was born in Portugal but am an
American citizen. said the third mate Of the SUI
livan y left New Bedford the hrig on jan
uary Il. 1895 I have not seen my 71te or 'h'ee
children since that day We went to many ports
sold much oil and caught plenty Of whales mat
was all right-getting whales and selling OIL. II
was good business But it was bad business ioi
US when harpooned TWO whales on M4feh -
and were left by sullivan TO drift with theIh
..Farlv in the month we had sold FIVE hundred
barrels of oil in Sierra Leone. and then gone down
of St Paul de Loanda. where we slghted three
schools ana went after them We lowered fou'
boats in latitude Is "A south, longitude 1c2 east
Quickly I and the five men sitting here we're IN
boat No g. which soon, with two dead whales IN
tow drifted about two miles to Tindward- Inc
brig picked up boats Nos l. , and l. but we IN
boat No were too far away
ALONE ON THE WIDE SEA
The gale carried US further to windward when
it grew dark. and that is the last we saw of the
sullivan. burned light all night. and all
looked for a light from the whaler but if II vas
aIight never saw It
we had with US in boat No rusty compass
that vas no good. six cakes Of pilot bread a gal
Ion OF fresh water and a little tobacco. We hung
on 20 the whales until the afternoon Of March u
and all the while tried 10 head for where we
thought the sullivan might be Finally, in de-
spair cut loose from the whales and hotsted
sail"
Perna stoned suddenly in his story and his face
coored. Then. bringing his fist down on the saloon
table he said.
She never picked Us up. and had 70 suffer.
7 knew I could last for eight days without sleep
and little food ard for six DAYS and seven nights
kept hold Of the water cask gave out about
tablespoonful of water day to each man I could
have had a little sleep. but was afraid II I laid
down my men would surely drink salt water and go
mad from greater thirst
They slept. but they dreamed Of food and cried
out in their sleep and waved their arms for food
and water Justine Fortes-this boy here-got sick
on the second day and thought he was dying
On the third day reused the men 70 harpoon
and them. but they fell down IN lle
boat and could not get up
Bad weather came up snd smashed our steering
oar and another one then decided to give Up
looking for the brig and head for land. about hve
hundred miles awav- on the seventh day ! saw |
smoke on the horizon and put I'D a blue flag
we headed for the smoke and after an hour
could make out a steamer. ! sure from the
way she running that We had been seen hy
some one on the bridge She bore down close 10 Us
and signaIled that come alongside
CAPTAIN REscUBs THEM
1t was the steamer Max Brock, Of the Woern1ann !
Line in command Of Captain Fasteyt. He asked us
what ne we're doing so far ofshore and Vhat We |
wanted. I said: There are six Of US. captain We
have been starving for 81. days. and We shall be |
dead in another day If YOU don't take US
At this point Alfredo Cabral and the boy Fortes |
interrupted Penns for the Arst time. saving He |
was 4 good captain He good. on, very good |
to us"
yes they uere very good the steamer con |
tinued Penna but they wanted 70 give too much |
70 eat AT once They had no doctor on the Brock |
she was freighter-and cook charge OF the feed
ing on the first day I gave the men drink Of |
brandy and .ater cigar. They wanted more. but |
I said no Captain Fastert made me and my mon |
GO to bed. and the next day they gave US tea and
rice and bread
The Brock was on her way from Sierra Leone 10 |
su-a kopr1und German Southwest Africa. When we |
arrived al swakopnund we appealed to Dr. Schenk |
the Governor and he put US to work building
mole We in condition 10 work but We |
STAYED a. for stxtythree DAYS and then gave out
We saved between S5 and gave II all to Captain
Doehrr Of the steamer Admiral. who took Us 10 |
Teneriffe Canary Islands On landing, the captain |
gave US letter the American consular agent az
las Palrnas who shipped 10 Liverpool. where |
we took the Celtic.
Penna said that the American Consul at Liver /
pool doubted his story and teegraphed to Queens |
town where he found that the sullivan had put IN |
there and reported having lost boat with six men |
The triz returned TO New Bedford later and re- /
ported there the loss Of The six men and sailed |
again on another cruise
The rescued Whalers, besides Penna, are John OIL
media chief harpooner; Narcisso Dagrola. Antonio |
Erapcesco Tustino Fortes and Alfredo Cabral.