Terrible Sufferings at Sea

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 128, 26 April 1892, Page 4

Terrible Sufferings at Sea

At Plymouth, a few days ago, news was received of the arrival at Capetown of the Norwegian barque Margrethe, Captain Waalef, who related frightful suffering? undergone while on the voyage from Padan to New York.' Directly alter reaching the high seas the men were attacked by a deadly malaria which so Freely prevails in the Malay archipelago. The first and second « mates were laid low, and nearly all the others being overcome by ague and exhaustion, horrible scenes were daily witnessed on deck. Eight deaths occurred, and only a few hands were available to work the ship. Fine weather set in, but just before the ship reached Capetown the Margrethe was overtaken by a southeasterly gale. The master, wearied by long watches, and unable to muster the men for the rigging, let loose the sails, which were blown entirely cut and torn into shrcis. While entering Table Bay only four hands were at work, the remaining five lying helplessly about the deck. The port medical authorities boarded the ship, where they witnessed a terrible sight. Only the captain, the ship's boy, and two men could move about, while a poor dog was a veritable skeleton. Frequently the wat3h had beeo set with two menjworaout fello-ws, who crawled to their post with ghastly and excited fervour. The wheel was taken eight hours at a stretch, and the greater part of the ship's work abandoned ' to a kindly Providence for many weeks.