A Sad Tale of the Sea.

Manawatu Herald, 10 February 1894, Page 2

A Sad Tale of the Sea.

The Swansea correspondent of a London paper writes that the mats (Mr Whitehead) and several of thecrew of the Plymouth sailing vessel. Mendosa, have just arrived at Swansea from Martinique, and re.port having had a terrible experience while on a voyage from Dakar to Barbadoes. Dakar was reached safely, but while discharging coal in that port four of the men-^-Straw, the boatswain, Tresis, the cook, Nelson, a seaman, and Mbrley, a cabin boy, sickened from cholera and died. It was found impossible 'to ship more at Dakar, and so • ihe vessel left in ballast for Barbadoes. When a week out, the captain (H. R. Martin), of Plymouth, was taken ill with a terrible disease known as " black vomit," and died six days later. By this time such heavy storms were encountered that it was decided to alter the vessel's course for Martinique. Efforts were made to fumigate the captain's cabin, but without success, and it was found necessary to barricade it up. .But even this did not have the .desired effect, and so four men, who had been seized with cholera, together with the mate and the three remaining healthy men, lived on deck for a fortnight, when Martinique- /was made. Outside the port the vessel struck and foundered just after the sick men had been lowered into the boat. The men sufficiently recovered to proceed to Plymouth, but four of them— Whitehead, Owen, Markdal, and Morris— are still suffering from the effects of exposure and disease.