Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-19
NAROlNBD ON AN ISLAND
w. H. Wilson and Z. e. Wake
Had Thrilling Adventure on Lake,
Tossed abOut in a Disabled Small Pow.
err Boat for Hours, They Finally
Reached Land--RuttcrDUts
fOr Food.

After tossing about the lake for hours
In severe wind storm, and later being
marooned on forsaken island for day
and Il half without food excepting for
few butternuts William H. Wilson ard
Charles F. Walker Of this city, who 1t
was feared were drowned in Lake Cham
plain. escaped to the mainland In tho
vicinity OF Wisboro. n Y. Saturday
morning, and We're later brought home in
nearly exhausted condition by n yacht
The Hornet" which, with a resculng
party, had gone in search of them.
The two men mad many narrow es
capes, and Mt one time were obliged
to lie in the bottom OF the boat 10
Keep II right side UP. while guam
titles of water were coming in over the
side.
Wilson and Walker left the filtration
plant wharf about 10 o'clock Thursday
morning. intending to be gone only two
or three hours. They took with them. in
case of an emergency n light lunch and
this was practically the only food tasted
by them until their arrival in Wilsbors
shortly before noon on Saturday.
They had Wilson's boat, the "Bub.
BILE an open launch a little over 20 feet
in length, and first made for the reefs
Off Colchester Point 1t was while there
that the wind arose TO such a velocity
that It was deemed unsafe to remain
longer in the open or to even make an
attempt to get back TO Burlington They.
therefore, headed for Malletts Bay and
waited for the storm to subslde somewhat.
When It appeared safe, the boat was
headed for Burlington.
The real trouble began when they were
refused to work and the boat became un-
manageable All efforts to get the mo-
tor power to going were unavailing and
when darkness came on II became ap-
parent to the men that the probability
of reaching home that night was very
slight The sea was tremendous, the
small boat being tossed about like a chip
and when in some Of the troughs it SEEM
ed as though 1t could never weather tho
storm Wilson and Walker, exhausted
with their attempts to make the engine
work and benumbed by the cold, crept
in under the spray hood and there await
ed whatever might happen next. All
signs Of the lunch had vanished early
in the afternoon and the pangs OF hun
ger added TO their misery.
As nearly rs could lie estimated II was
q little after midnight when one of the
men, peering over the side of the boat.
saw a large object looming up in the
darkness and sized it up for an island.
but in what part of the lake he could
not tell. Chances must be also taken as
to what sort of a landing place would
be encountered. The boat was safely
cached. however.
| They at once kindled a large fire for
the needed warmth and as a signal %
anyone who might possibly see them
from the mainland There Is shack
on the island. which turned out to he
| Gull island, and they spent tho remainder
of the night in that All day Friday the
water was SO rough chat they did not
dare venture out in the boat as an oar
! and a board, picked up somewhere, were
the only means of locomoton. The days
rations consisted Of about a dozen but
! ternuts. found in the vicinity of the
| hut.
| The New York shore is only two and
! a half miles away from the island ana
| it became apparent that they might as
we'll Try to reach Il rs to starve to death
on the island. and after one more night
/ they decided TO make the attempt. Thor
| started for the mainland early Saturday
| morning and, as the waves had subsidized
! q safe landing was made. At farm
house the nearly famlshed men were
fed lightly az they feared to eat much
and. regaining their strength. they made
their way to the nearest railroad station
where they telegraphed to friends in
| Burlington.
The boat with Superintendent J. F. Kid
der and party was ready to start a
search when the news arrived and the
boat then headed directly for Willsboro.
where the men were taken on board
Yesterday both Wilson and Walker had
recovered from the effects OF their adj
| venture.