The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-04-24
SHARKS FOLLOWED CREW
Narrowing Experience of Schooner
Wrecked Out From Charleston.

The New York World of Thursday
publishes the following account of the
rescue at sea of the crew of the
schooner Lottie R. Russell, which
sailed from Charleston last Friday
with a cargo of lumber from the Tux
bury Lumber Company:
One woman and seven men, sur
vivors of the abandoned schooner
Lottie R. Russell, were brought into
this port yesterday by the oil tanker
Georgian Prince, after having drift
ed for "a hours in small open boat
surrounded by school of sharks.
The woman is the wife of First Mate
Van Zant and the men were Capt. j.
G.. James and his crew.
The Lottie R. Russell sailed from
Charleston, S. c., last Friday for Phil
adelphia On Saturday morning she
was hit by terrific gale. The little
schooner sprang a leak and soon be-
came waterlogged All hands were
sent to the pumps, which were work
ed continuously until 2 o'clock Sun
day afternoon when it was found that
more water poured in through the
leak than could be pumped out, and
it was decided to abandon the ship.
During this time the crew and the
mates wife lived on few pieces of
brine-soaked bread, as nearly all of
the provisions had been swept over
board. There was left only small
quantity of canned peaches. These
were put in the open boat, which
nearly capsized as Mr.. Zant and the
seven men climbed in, abandoning
the schooner 70 miles off Cape Henry.
All afternoon the frail craft was
tossed about by the waves. There was
no fresh water, but the terrors of
thirst were partially averted by the
woman and the men wetting their
lips with the juice of the peaches.
But before night fell new horror
was added by the appearance of a
school of sharks. Large razor-like
fins flashed through the water on all
sides, and the occupants of the boat
fully realized what would be their
fate if larger wave than usual keel
ed them over.
Then darkness came on, shutting
off all hope of being seen by pass
ing vessel, and all that night the
sharks trailed the little boat, dis
appearing for time and then return
ing in seemingly greater numbers.
The men tried to joke about them so
Mrs. Van Zant would not be fright
ened, but their fear was so great that
their jokes fell fiat. When exhaust
ed by the ceaseless pulling at the oars
Mrs. Van Zant sang hymns to spur
them on to greater efforts.
Monday morning showed the sharks
still at hand, but the fury of the
storm had lessened, and there was
still enough of the peach juice left to
ward off temporarily the tortures of
thirst. No ship had yet been sighted,
and early Monday afternoon the par
ty had all but given up hope when
thin line of smoke was seen on the
horizon to the south. After an inter-
minable length of time the thin line
became a smudge, and the hull of a
steamer became visible to the anxious
survivors.
Capt. James stood up in the stern
of the boat, and at the risk of upset
ting it, waved his coat as a signal OF
distress. Finally the steamer blew
her siren to show that she would
change her course. AS she drew near
er it was seen that the rescuing YES
sci was the Georgian Prince, and
within a short time she drew along
side and took the seven men and the
woman on board.
They were landed at Bayonne when
the Georgian Prince docked.
The Lottie R. Russell, 2e0-ton
schooner, was built in 1895 and was
owned at Bridgeton, n. j.
,rrTnENTS AT SENECA