The New York herald., 1921-09-26
ship BRINGS IN 80
WRECK SURVIVORS
Skipper and Crew of Alacrita
Arrive on Spanish Frcighter
Cabo Creux.

The Spanish freighter Cabo Creus
went off her course to steer clear of an
impending blast, and that is how che
happened to bring into Brooklyn last
night the skipper and crew of the little
italian cargo carrier Alacrita. over
whelmed in hurricane seas about $50
miles cast of Bermuda. The skipper
Giuseppe Schiaffino. and his men, thirty
ali told were three days in open boats
subs.sting on sea biscuits and little
water. They were deiiriously grateful
when the benevolent Spaniard took them
aboard September 20. They were still
suffering from bruises and salt water
boils when they were taken charge OF
asst night by the Italian immigration So
ciety.
The Alacrita sailed from New Orleans
touching at Norfolk for coal. with q
cargo of grain for Spain. and on the
night of September Is ran into the West
Indian screecher that stirred the At
antic to fury on It's wild course from
the Belt of Gains to the European coast,
botheriEg such giants as the mighty
Olympic. Capt. Schiafiino said that pars
of tho storm that hit the Alacrita had
the appalling wind force of more than
100 miles and that the seas that can,o
with 1t were Of the variety known as
mountainous. At midnight the freighter
was forced into the deep canyon OF the
taIlest sided trough the skipper ever had
encountered, and the crest began tum-
bling on the deck.
The steam steering gear was carried
away and the skipper tried the hand gear
10 get her head to sea before she wal
lowed rails under. The effort was use
less against the wind. Seas ripped of
ner hatch covers. The skipper realized
| that the water getting into the grair
would swell II and start the ships plates
looming her, so he called for volunteers
to nail boards and tarpaulin over the
hatch openings. Second Officer Cunec
and Third Engineer Seero responded and
with lines about their waists made theiI
way to the deck cautiously.
They had started their perilous task
when a comber came athwart the ship
and swept them into the ferment Halt
dozen men on the lines hauled them
back in a minute, and after they had
rested they went to work again. They
got the tarpauins on all right, but sc
much sea had poured in that the skipper
was forced to abandon ship at O'Clock
In the morning. The boat was put over
empty and fifteen men were ordered 10
SWIM Tor IL, WHICH tncy ulu, Euiutu py
lantern. Then the skipper. the second
officer and the third engineer and twelve
of the crew got in another boat.
The two boats rowed toward the
steamship track. each with a very limit
ed allowance of water and only enough
sea biscuit to last few days. The skip
per put the allowance of biscuit at one
for each man. with one cup OF water a
day. On the second day. when throats
began 20 get parched. there was thun-
der shower. A generous part Of 1t fell
In the boats.
On the afternoon OF September 20 the
Cabo Creux hove in sight. out of her
course to dodge the storm that wrecked
the Italian. The boats crews stood up
end waved caps and oars and coats and
shirts. Then they saw a jet of steam
blossom from the Cabo Creuxs whistle
and knew that they had been observed.
Capt. Juan Zallida soon was alongside
the boats and the thirty happy but weary
Italians were helped UP the sea ladder
with lines.