THIRST AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 162, 3 April 1919, Page 5

THIRST AT SEA

TEKUIBLE TRIALS OF MEN WKECK-

ED IN ARCTIC

One of the worst I ales of privation a.nd death at isea during the war can now be published (states the "Westminster Gazette"). The vessel concerned was the Ellorinan-Wilson liner Hildago, which was in charge of Captain Pat ton. Whilst on a voyage from Hull to Archangel she foundered in (he Arctic .Sea, and of her crew of thirty-five, who spent five days and nights in nn open I out, fifteen perished. The vessel sank quickly, and the men had only lust lime to crowd into one boat, which was built to hold twentyTive. The other boals hud been smashed. Two of the crew lost their lives in tryill" to get into the one boat, and the others, crowded together with little food and less water, got ready to meet the unknown fate before them. The captain rationed out the wnler. Each man received a tablospoonfiil and a half at stipulated periods, and the whole , was designed to Inst two d.iys. Willi this scanty supply the crew set lo work- lo reach land. Flares were shown at night: and signals by day, but no craft came near. After the second day, when Hie Wider was exhausted, rain mercifully Ml, ami the men, making the best ii«p of their clothes, caught enough to obiain tempnrnry relief. By the next day, however, all'were suffering lnrm?nts from their racing thirst, and finally, one afte; another, a number of the men. unable lo resist the Ipmptatinn, drank greedily from the wilt water. The consequence was «mn apparent. They became delirious and had to bo restrained from iiiinpin" overboard. Finally H'oy snnk exhausted lo the bottom nf Iho bant. 'I'liirloon men died in this fashion, and eight of them wore l>i:rH al son. ■ The bodies nf Ihe l»«l fivp. who dipd Inter, -wlipn land was first skilled, worn korit in order to give H'l'in decent burial. T'ip of tl<" bind gavn vpiipvTd strength' lo Hip survivor?, wh" hv IV" linin'hiul a" hpcnm" fnvt-b'liP'i. ;."<! thoy lay lo Iho onrs nitl. n ln«l fcob'n spurt, and onmo lo m island nil' a rop.o|p part of fir \>'-w«rin.; 'W. 'Wo ultimately they vr? put liiln ton'ml, whore thoy rm-Hv! l;.o kindp?t a to-i. lion. Tl-n fir- Wip? worn eive r,|,,.,,. tian burial, and tho survivors, some of whom had lost fingers and loos through f'Tv'tbite, were conveyed lo tbeir home m Hull.