WRECK OF THE STRATHMORE

Globe, Volume V, Issue 574, 21 April 1876, Page 3

WRECK OF THE STRATHMORE

FURTHER PARTICOLiIiS. By the Second Matb. (Ofago Daily Times.) June SOth.—Thick fogey weather, with drizzly rain, and a moderate breeze from the S.W. Between the hours of four and six p.m., Captain M'Donald gave me orders to make fast all fore and aft canvas except the forctopmast staysail, and also to clew up and furl fore and mzen topgallant sails, which I accordingly did, at the same time seeing all braces and running gear clear for us■•. 6 p.m. —I hove the log and found ship to Ingoing six knots, which as soou as I waa relieved by the first mate I marked down on the log slate, along with the coursj which had been steered while I had been on deck S pm. —-I came on deck and relieved Mr Hair say, getting the course which 1 to steer, and stiiet injunctions to keep a sharp look out, as we getting into (lie prox imity of the Crozet Islands. I accordingly passed I ho word forward for the man on the look out to keep a sharp look out, and to report anything he saw or heard, and 1 also told the quartermaster to be very particular with his steeling. During the first watch, Captain M'Donald very seldom left the deck, the fog being so dense that we could not see the lrngth of the chip ahead. After a few questions which I a«ked him, be told me that the course we were now taking ought to take us well to tbe southward of the Crozet Islands, having hauled the s-hip half a point more to the southward since the last dogwatch. 10 p.m.—-Wind and weather the same, the fog being still ns dense. I hove the log and found ship to be going six knots. Midnight—Wind and weather still the same. Hove the log with the same result, and on being relieved by the first mate I gave him the course we were steering and then went below and marked up the log-slate. DuriDg my watch below, I was partly aroused by a cry of " Breakers ahead," but my berth being well in off the deck the cry did not reach me :listioctl.v enough for it to startle me, hut soon after, when I beard the sailmaker shout out " She'll clear it, boys, she'll clear it," I knew that there was something in the way which t oo;;

had further proof of by the ship striking on the rocks

The description, which follows, of the scene after the vessel struck and of the landing of ihe survivors by means of the ship's in.,iis, Cvrti cot vary much from the account given by Mr Crombie, which we published yesterday. The principal loss of life s;eras so have been caused by the heavy seas which came over the poop and washed away those who had remained there. A number, including the second maie, succeeded in reaching the top of the forward house by getting down the stays, but one, he says, who foolishly tried to rim along the deck from the mainmast, paid for his foolhardiness by being dashed against (he house and killed. After reaching the island for the second time with a boat load of the survivors, the mate continues:

During the time we had been away those that were ashore had built a wall before an overhanging ledge of rock, so that with the boats' covers for a roof we had a little better shelter than we had the night before, although the place was so small that we could only tit huddled together af? close as we could possibly pack. After serving out an allowance of spirits all round we tried to sleep, but owing to our camped condition and the bitterly co'.d weather we were unable to get repose. Daring the night we had the misfortune to our boats, which were moored'"in smooth water and a watch set ever them on the shore, but the wind chopping suddenly broke them adrift, ond we had the pleasure of seeing them floating about bottom up completely out of our reach. If there had been a beach anywhere on the island we might have saved them by hauling them up, but the island was so steep and rugged that we rould scarcely scramble ashore ourseive?, much less get I oats ashore. The losing of our boats was a great misfortune to no, as we were unable to pick up ar.v more firewood or go back to th-5 wreck, which I intended lo do in the hop 3 of picking up some provisions when eha broke up. During the day some of us walked over the island lo have a look at the wreck, but nothing was to be seen of her but a few small spars entauglei by eorae of the gear, and so kept floating over the side of the wreck, During the remainder of the time we were on the islaut we were miraculously provided with food. Though sometimes it f corned as if there was not another bird on the island, we alw y•; manag' d to catch a few to keep us alive until they go 1 moie plentiful. We also ate a sort of herb, the fop of which resembles carrot tops. Our firewood lasted a mouth. After that, we found a substitute for wood in the fhape of birds' skins, which answered pretty well. Five of our number died on the island, and I may mention as a curious incident that the corpses never got stiff, but were as pliable when we buried them as they were before they died. The first one that died was on July 2nd; the next was Thomas Henderson, who died on the 2nd September ; the next who died was William Husband, A. 8., who died on the 23rd October ; and the last was the little child, who died on Christmas Day. The first one that died I can't give any idea of the cause of his death, unless it was from the thick which the shipwreck had given his system. The next three that died were all troubled with sore feet, having got them frost bit'en the first night we were ashore, and for the wunt of proper shelter and care they mortified, purls of the toe 3 having rotted,clear away, and the little boy died for want of proper nourishment. Although four ships ha 3 passed pretty close to the island, none of them seemed to see our signals ; but on the 21st of January we had the satisfaction of seeing a ship heading in towards the island, which as soon as he had come under the lee of, the captain lowered two boats and pulled towards us, and on hearing our story, agreed to take us off, but could not do so that night, as it was then getting dark. However, he took Mrs Wordsworth and sou, and a few more of ua into the boat, and after passing so.se bread and pork ashore, pulled off to the ship, which turned out to be the American whaler Young Pbcenix, Captain D. L. Gifford. As soon as we got aboard we were treated with the greatest kindness, being supplied with new clothes, which we stood greatly in need of : and after having a good warm water bath, we went to bed, but were unable to sleep for thinking of our good fortune in falling in with such kind people. On the next, day, as soon as the ship was conveniently placed, boals were sent ashore for the remainder of the castaways, into one of which 1 got myself, taking with me cros es to plant at. tl,e heads of the graves of our less for unate shipmates; also a sealed bottle, into which [ had placed a short account of our vessel and hardships, which I planted under one uf the crosses. The rest of the crew were treated with the same kindness which we had received tl e night before, being all supplied with a warm bath and new clothes to put on, There ate now forty-four of us, all in pretty good health except the engineer, who is troubled with a sore chest, and Mrs Wordsworth, who is getting well rapidly under the kind hands of Mrs Gifford, the captain's wife, who waa fortunately on board. We are all provided with sleeping accommodation to the best of their ability, tobacco-beinjr also served out, which is a great treat to us smokers, after being over six months without it. The second mate adds that " when telling Captain Kennedy, master of the Siena Morena, of the loss of the StraUimorc, he gave it as his opinion that tbeCrczet Islands affected the compasses of iion ships coming into the proximity of them, for in bis experience in five different iron ships they hod been more or less affected when coming near that group of islands."