The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-05-19
Columbian Refugees in Open
Boat Chew Leather From
Boots to Keep From Starv-
alton.
SEE COMRADES DIE
Wiring Rainwater From Their
Clothes to Drink-Men Be-
Become HystericaI When
Aid Fails to Arrive.
TBY LEASED WiRE1

HALIFAX, n S., May 19.-The
United States Revenue cutter Seneca
arrived here yesterday with four en-
aciated survivors of the Steamer Col
umbian which burned at sea on May
3, and the body of another sailor. who
died after he had been picked up with
his four comrades from an open boat.
The four living men rescued and
brought to port after they had given
up all hope of ever seeing land again
are Robert Teire, first officer; Oscar
Kendall and Peter Ballenger, seamen,
and Michael Ludwigsen, tiremsn. The
man who died on board the Seneca
was Peter Triel, seaman.
Teire, whose hair had been whiten-
ed by his frightful adventure. had
sufficiently recovered today to tell
something of the experiences of him
self and his companions as they skirt
ed the shores Of death.
Provisions Are Scant.
when we put off from the Column
bian we had only little food and wa
ter with us, but We were near the
steamer lane and expected to be pick
ed up soon," said the seaman.
The weather was cold and we were
cramped and stiff in the boat, but We
cheered each other the best we could
Throughout the first night at sea
some of us were able to get little
sleep but we set watches to keep an
eye open for steamer lights. On the
second day we saw three ships, but
they were too far away to be signalled
although we tied our coats to oars
and waved them until the vessels
passed from view.
BY the end Of the second day near
ly all our biscuits had been eaten and
our water had been drunk, but shortly
afterward it began to rain and at fire.
quent intervals until we were rescued
rain fell This saved US from the hor-
rors Of thirst at sea. for we managed
to catch some of the water by spread
ing out garments until they were
soaked, then we would wiring them
out, catching the precious drops of
fresh water.
Men Lost Reason.
Some of the boys had pipes but
they had only little tobacco and we
passed the pipes from one man to an
other. 1t was as lonesome as could be
and some of the men began to lose
heart when the third and fourth days
passed without any ship coming with
in range of us. Some of the boys were
getting Tightly and began to talk
OIL du6cly
whenever a man died we sang
hymns and threw the body overheard
right away. This quick disposition of
the bodies was necessary because
when a man is starving and cannot
get food Done knows what he will
do
Chew Leather From Boots.
We wore thick leather boots when
we took to the boats which was a
God-send to us. When the pains of
hunger became unbearable We cut the
leather into strips and chewed what
nourishment We could get from it.
This and the dirty water which we
secured from our clothing when it
Tained furnished our only sustenance
All of us in the boat We're grown
end hardened seamen save one boy
named Lycjman, who was only 1G
years old. He bore up bravely, but the
little chap was one of the frst to go
One of the men prayed as We dropped
his body over the gunwlale. | had
given up all hope and was exhausted
from hunger and delirious when we
We're saved"