AN AWFUL STORY.

Dunstan Times, Volume 641, Issue 641, 31 July 1874, Page 3

AN AWFUL STORY.

-- o The ship Arrican was burnt at sea, in lat. 3.1C N. and loot;. C 5.30 E., about the middle of February last, when the captain and crew had to take to their boats. One of the boats, with the chief officer and four men, arrived at Cochin on the 17 th of March, and subsequently the captain and eight men managed to make their way in the long boat to Aden, The third boat, the pinuaco, with the second officer and four men, Iris now arrived at Calcutta, having been picked up at sea by tbo City of Manchester. A passenger by the latter vessel furnishes the Friend of India with the following particulars, which were obtained from tire second officer :—“ On the 20th of March we picked up,in the Arabian Sea, a small boat, containing the second mate and four men of the barque Arricau, all dreadfully emaciated and sunburnt. Two of them were so week that they had to be lifted on board. The poor fellows had been tossing about in that open boat on a tropical sea for thirty-two days. Their ten days’ stock of provisions and water was utterly exhausted on the 9th of March. During the eleven days that followed, they Lad eaten only two birds, four dying fltlr, and a few barnacles from the boat’s bottom, drinking only sea water. Every kindness was shown to them, an I in a few days the doctor and volunteer nurses soon brought them all round, though it was feared one or two mi Jit not rally.” The details were supplied by Mr "Webster, the second officer, whore steadiness and daring of character, under most trying circumstances, cannont be sufficiently admired :—“ The three boats kept together until Friday night, the 20th of February, when they lost the captain's boat. The following Monday night, the pinnace was stove by a heavy sea, so that they were obliged to throw over many things to lighten her. After this she would not go to windward, and they soon lost sight of the mate’s boat. They mended the boat’s side as well as they could ; but sdio continued to leak so badly that they had to keep one man constantly bating. Had it not been for tins necessity for constant work, MrWebsterthiiiksTie could not have hept the men from killing each other. One of the men accidentally broke the compass. They had no chart—only a sextant. Mr Webster kept the boat by tho wind, how vainly no did not know, to make tho Maidive Islands. March 9ho wrote : ‘Divided tho last morsel of bread an 1 water between us. All in good health, except the boy, and thankful to God for His mercies.’ Two days after, one of tho older sailors, Davis, proposed casting lots. The mate refused to have anything to do with it, and told them, as always afterwards, there should be no man-eating in that boat while ho lived. The same day, in the afternoon, while Mr Webster was asleep, the four cast lots, and the short lot fell to tho younger boy, Lilly Horner. Ho went apart to say his prayers ; but, as Davis was preparing his knife to kill him the mate awoke and prevented it. After that ho threw overboard all tho knives hut two, one for himself and one fur tho elder boy, and made Billy stay beside him in the stern of the boat all tho time. Tho two other sailors, Davis and Rayford, wore much displeased, aud plotted to kill the mate, and they tried to do so more than once, but the older boy, Francis Stoble, warned him. After that tho mate and boy kept alternate watches, so that tho men could do nothing unobserved. The heat was so intense that they spent the greater part of the day in water, regardless of sharks, which they saw constantly. They chewed lead to moisten their throats a little. They tried to cat their boot's, but these were too salt; also their oil-skins aud some jelly iisli, which they caught by diving, and dried, but £thoy wore too bitter, and devoid of nourishment. Mr Webster read to them from the Libia and Spurgeon’s ‘Morning bv Morning,’ raid prayed with them every day. This seemed to quiet the mm for a time, but they would grow disoouted aud mutinous again, with spells of delirium. One day Davis swore he would cither kill the boy or sink the boat within twelve hours. Ho had already tried to do both,besides repeatedly refusing to work. The mate felt that ho ought to shoot him. He raised his gun, and snapped it at him ; but it did not explode. Two minutes after, just as be had put a fresh cap on, a bird flew over tho boat, and ho shot it dead. The men rushed for it. It was quickly picked up, aud divided, and devoured—inwards and bones : all but the feathers. Davis then returned to his duty. The day before they wove rescued was the worst. Layford knocked oil’ work, and told Davis he would kill him when he was asleep. ‘ Very well,’ said Davis. A few minutes after, Davis struck him on the head with a marlinspike. Tho Mood gushed out, and Davis drank it eagerly, giving Stoble a little. A struggle ensued for the marlinspike : Layford got it at last and throw it overboard. Then they tried to kill each other, biting each other like

wild boasts. Both men wore too weak to succeed. When exhausted they would ask forgiveness, shake hands, and kiss each other. Soon the delirium would return, and they would begin again. The next day would have decided the fate of one or two probably, had they not been picked up. The boat was some live miles south of the steamer’s course, and was only recognised by its lug sail. The above statements are substantiated by all in the boat.”