RESCUED FROM THE SEA

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1926, Page 12

RESCUED FROM THE SEA

FOUR MEN IN OPEN BOAT

BCHOONEB CAPSIZED IN HUBRICANE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, 23rd November. (A. ship's boat containing four men tais picked np by the steamer Colac the .clay before she arrived at Colon on her .voyage from Montreal to Auckland, which she completed to-day. The resened men were the captain and three able-seamen of the small schooner Joseph Whittaker, which had capsized in a huirieane when bound from Colon to Blneflelds. When taken on board the steamer the men reported that the mate and cook of the schooner had J>eon drowned when she capsized. "I was on duty on the bridge on the Sight of 20th October," said Mr. T. If. Jarvis, third officer of the Colac. The night was fairly dark and there was a heavy sea running. The ship was ane day's steam from Colon and was about ten knots. Suddenly, about 10.15 o'clock, I heard a cry on the port bow, but at first thought it |was the cry of a sea bird. Again the try came, however, and this time the man on the look-out in the bow also heard it, and I then noticed a dark object on the port bow. We heard an jßnswering hail, and I then called the captain. As soon as those on the Colac lighted the ship's boat the steamer's iengines were stopped, and when she Was again put under way she circled back to the where the cries had been heard. No diffienlty was experienced jbi locating t)/! small boat, and the steafcner was again stopped. When the Bmsll boat came within the glare of She lights from the steamer it was seen it contained four men, with two coats Bnd a piece of tarpaulin. The survivors yrete brought on board and given hot jfcea and food, foi they -were badly in peed of nourishment. The rescued men Were natives of Panama, but were able fc».*peak English fairly well." WORST ANTICIPATED. According to the men's story, their jftip, the Joseph Whittaker, a 50-ton. fdmoner, had left Colon, several days previously bound for Blaefields with a, general cargo, including machinery and. .Punning implements. Stormy weather jtad been, encountered and' on Satnrjjfey, 18th October, the wind had blown 'jmHk almost hurricane force. Fearing | the worst, the captain had the J8 boat provisioned, and warntod the mate and other members of the {grew to remain, on. deck. During the afternoon of the 20th fhe men Js worst fears had been realised, JBm) schooner having capsized. The mate lend cook, who had disregarded the masjbgr'g warning and had turned in, had ijK>«hanee of escaping, and were drowntA, before they eonld gain the deck. fortunately for other members of the >»bx>onor's crew, the lifeboat which had £kih got ready floated off when the gebooner capsized, and although all fhe provisions and drinking water were last the men succeeded in righting the boat and /scrambling aboard. From the hftenipon of the 18th October until the ISme they were picked up by the Colae jgnxing the night of 20th October, the fearvivors had had neither food nor ( \*3tot, and were' almost exhausted. {H»fflT efforts to make a sail with the fcaptain's tunic and a tarpaulin rigged tor two oars had been almost useless, PlKt the men had about given up hope {■tan the steamer's. lights -were sighted. ' Oneo on b^ard the • steamer the men tadckly revived, and when the CoJae grcrved at Colon on the following day Ebey had almost wscovered. They were {fended at Colon.