The New York herald., 1922-09-04
Bachelor Was Without Food
After First Day Motor
Engine Went Dead.
SAVED BY COAST GUARD
Picked Up Off Port Jefferson
After Giving Signals to
Cutter.

Thomas II. Bachelor of 119 West
Fulton street, Long Beach. was
rescued off Port Jefferson by United
States Coast Guards early yesterday
after he had been drifting about Long
Island Sound for four days in a thirty
foot motor boat, alone and without
food and trying to contend against
heavy winds and storms. Bachelor
was able to go home after he was
rescued. but he showed signs of the
suffering he had undergone. and 1t
will be several days before he will be
able to work.
Batchellor left Springfield, Mass.
for New York last Wednesday in his
boat. which he had Just purchased
and which he thought was in perfect
condition. He went to Saybrook with
pilot. and from there started to New
York alone. At that time his engine
seemed to be working perfectly, the
distance was not great and he neg
lected TO store the craft with sufficient
provisions to last him more than
meal or two. The weather was SO
good and the engine seemed to be
running SO well that at his first meal
Bachelor ate practically everything
on the boat that was eatable.
Engine HnIts ms Rain Starts.
His troubles began late Wednesday
afternoon. Engine trouble developed and
he was not able TO make repairs in time
to get the boat going again before
dark. He tried TO work at the engine
during the night. but a heavy, cold ram
began falling, adding greatly to his
troubles. Water leaked into the engine
pit and put the ignition out Of commits
sion. He was unable to improvise sea
anchor.
Batchellor was sleepy for a few hours
Wednesday night. and awakened to find
himself out OF sight OF land. without
food and with no other ships In sight.
He flew signals of distress all day
Tuesday, but no ships came near, and
he never got near enough 10 shore fog
people along the beach to see him or for
the Coast Guard TO learn that he was
in trouble. There was nothing at all
that he could do. So he tried to sleep
in the boats cabin, but he got so hungry
that he could not sleep. But there was
nothing to eat on the boat, and there
was very little water.
Power Fails to Return.
Thursday and Friday and Saturday
passed in, much the same manner.
Bachelor was beginning 60 feel weak
from lack OF food he was drenched TO
the skin from the heavy rains that fell
and the heavy seas that swept over
the little craft, and he began to believe
that he was drifting away from shore
rather than toward IL. But many times
during the day, every time he left strong
enough. he went to work on the engine
He took the engine apart two or three
times and put II back again. and then
tried hopefully to start It. But he never
could.
During the day flags and ,.ignals Of
all sorts that he could find flew from
the tossing motor boat. and at night
he burned what flares he had and sent
up the two or three rockets that the
craft carried. But no one saw them at
night and no one saw them during tho
day. Nothing that even remotely re-
sembied n ship came to Batchellor's
sight until early yesterday morning.
when he saw q Coast Guard cutter
bearing down toward him. lie began
shouting and crying for help he put
up all the signals he had. and finally
the guard vessel saw him and tackled
toward him. He had given up in de-
spair. The men of the Coast Guard yes
sci found Bachelor In the cabin so
weak from exposure and lack OF food
that he could hardly move.
They took him aboard the other ves-
sci. towed his motor boat into port and
filled Batchellor with hot food and
coffee.