SUFFERING AT SEA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 523, 31 December 1881, Page 2

SUFFERING AT SEA

Ephriam Wilson, a colored sailor* and a native of Nassa, who was landed at Falmouth on October rr, gives’the following narrative of the loss of all the - crew, excepting himself, of the American brigantine Annie M. Palmer, bound from Wilmington for Hayti. The Annie M. Palmer left Wilmington on Sep-' tember 3, and on the 7th encountered: a gale, which increased to a hurricane., At 11 p.m. the vessel labored heavily, and the crew, as the gale (id not subside, cut away the mainmast (the mainsail had previously been blown away) and then let go the port anchor, so as ‘ to keep her head to the wind. A big sea, however, capsized the vessel, the crew, six in number, escaping from the wreck to the mainmast, which, although cut away, was still attached to the vessel by the rigging, and lay in the water alongside. The poor fellows did nok stay there long, for in about twentyminutes an old Irishman was washed overboard and drowned, and soon afterwards a young American followed, him. Another wave carried away the captain ; two others, theTtnate and the cook, were washed off, locked in each •' other’s arms, Wilson only being left. He says that the night was intensely - dark, and that he did not see the men after they fell into the water. The hut- . ricane moderated at 4 a.m. Wilson contrived to fasten pieces of wood so as to form a kind of raft, and he used some torn canvas as a shelter for his head and to wrap his body in and pro tect himself from the numerous sharks which were constantly attempting reach him. In this slate he convtf to live without any food unt'l Septern- m ber 12, when the wreck was by the crew of a passing vessel, the Sweedish brigantine Carl Rosennis, of ■ Bergen, which made forthe vessel to see* her name. They observed Wilson on* the spar, and rescued him. He only saw one vessel before during the five,days which elapsed between the time of the shipwreck and his rescue, and hmij made signals by waving canvas, etc,, ' but they were unnoticed. He gave up-, all hope of being saved, and was i:’". " such a state of exhaustion that he was : not aware of the approach of the Ca v j| Rosennis until a boat from her close to him. p 'J,