The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-04-30 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

CURIOUS POINT OF LAW.  TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF A CREW.  Particulars were received in Liverpool on Saturday of the terrible sufferings of the Liverpool barque Tiger, which as already reported by cable was sighted on the Bth 4;--ist. by the Sunderland steamer Nebo, in lat. 33, long. 73, the Tiger then being 125 days out from Liverpool, and all her provisions exhausted. The captain of the Nebo, Mr. Gordon, reports that when the two vessels got near each other a boat was lowered from the side of the Tiger, and some one in it was seen waving the skin of an animal in his hands. A thin, emaciated man, who proved to be the captain of the barque, cried out that he and his men were starving. They pulled to the side of the steamer, a ladder was put out, and the men slowly climbed up it, and were lifted on the deck. The captain was taken into the cabin, and the rest of the boat's crew were sent forward, where food and drink were given them. The men manifested their gratitude in extravagant gestures, and ate the food . eagerly and tremulously. The poor fellows having been refreshed, Captain Gordon sent on board the barque two boat-loads of flour, bread, beef, beans, water, &c., and then resumed his voyage. When last seen the Tiger was heading towards Cape Henry with a favourable wind, and all her lower sails set. The captain of the Tiger told Captain Gordon that his vessel left Liverpool on the 4th December last, bound for Baltimore, bu.t owing to head winds and calms she was considerably delayed. Seven weeks before she was fallen in with by the Nebo, she was within fourteen miles of Cape Henry, but a heavy north-westerly gale set in, driving the vessel before it. It was in vain that she attempted to make headway against the storm. When it passed over she was well out into the Gulf Stream. Early in March the provisions ran short, and the crew were put on short allowance both of food and water. On March 31st, the last drop of water was served out, and on the morning of the 3rd of April the last scrap of food was eaten, and there remained on board nothing on which to sustain life save a dog and a cat, two pet animals belonging to the captain. Tits dog was a fine black one of which the captain was very fond. He begged for his life, but the twelve men who composed the crew refused to listen to him, and the dog was killed. The blood was drunk by the starving men and the flesh eaten, the bones being picked clean. Meanwhile the pangs of thirst were almost unendurable. After the dog had been eaten two vessels were sighted, and signals of distress were made, but both passed on without heeding them. Several of the men began to talk of suicide, and some suggested that lots should be cast. They cut pieces of leather froni their shoes and after soaking them in oil attempted to eat them. By this means all the oil for the side and binnacle lights was used up, and at night the helmsman had to steer by the stars, or by guess-work when the night was overcast. The sufferings of the men became more fearful as the days went on. On the morning of the Bth it was decided to kill the cat, but just as they were about to do so the smoke of a steamer was seen astern. The poor fellows were fearful that the steamer would treat them the same as the other two vessels had done, but she saw their signals and came up rapidly. She proved to be the Nebo, and her captain relieved them in the substantial manner already described. The skin of the dog was given to Captain Gordon, who has cured it and will keep it as a souvenir of the occasion.