DREADFUL CASE OF CANNIBALISM AT SEA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 88, 13 April 1875, Page 4

DREADFUL CASE OF CANNIBALISM AT SEA.

The Friend of India has received intelligence from Batavia regarding the sufferings of some of the survivors oi the British ship Euxine, bound from Shields to Aden, which caught fire aud was abandoned in the South Atlantic. Two boats, containing the captain and a number of the crew, reached St. Helena, but a third boat, containing the second mate and several men, remained for three weeks on the open sea, being ultimately sighted by a Dutch ship, but not before one of the sailors had been Bacrifioed to provide hia suffering companions with food:— "On the 12th of June last the iron ship Euxine sailed from Shields with a cargo of coal and a crew of 32 men and excellent provisions. Everything went well till ihe 3rd of August, on which date a storm tossed the vessel about so violently that her cargo was shifted to the starboard side, one mau was washed overboard, and considerabledamage done to the sails and rigging. All endeavors to right her were fruitless, and after large quantities of the. coal had been thrown overboard, traces of fire were discovered. Although every hatch and opening was closed as tightly as possible, the flames made such headway that on the Bth of the same month the captain decided on abandoning his ship, whose living freight left in three boats, the captain and 13 men in the long boat, the first mate and eight others in the second, and the second mate and seven seamen in the third. It was known that St. Helena was 850 miles distant, and it was determined to make for the island. During the first night the boat commanded by the second mate lost sight of the others, and at dawn was alone upon the wide ocean. The little vessel waß on the life-boat principle, about 30 feet long, her sides being protected with a bulwark of sailcloth. She bad ten air-tight cases, two masts, besides a foreboom, and carried a set of sails uud necessary cordage. The provisions comprised two cases of biscuits, a ham, a cheese, twelve tins of. meat, and two small casks of drinking water. By the 9th day the mate came to the conclusion that he had been steeriog too far to the westward, but as the wind and eea did not admit of any change being made, it was decided to go on as heretofore, and in the hope of meeting with a vessel or reaching the coast of South America. The rations were diminished to half a biscuit and a glass of water once a day, and thus the 241h August approached with no sign of rescue or land: On this date a stiff breeze sprang up as darkness drew on, and at midnight while a man named De Jnger was at the helm, and the rest were asleep, the boat suddenly capsized, and its occupants found themselves struggling for their lives. How the accident occurred is not known, but it is surmised that De Jager placed his charge against the wind, ns it is certain that he had already threatened to 'knock a bole in the craft to put an end to the misery of all ' Any way, he 'put an eid* to himself and another, named Reynolds, both sinking, notwithstanding help rendered to them by their more fortunate comrades, who had found safety on the upturned keel. In the morning the boat was righted, but all the food was gone. In order to prevent capsizing in future the masts were cut down, aud only a small sail set, so that the boat might be steered right before the wind. Hunger and thirst characterised the day — a Sunday — and twenty-four hours later it was agreed that lots should be cast to see which of the number could be sacrificed for the benefit of the remainder. Early on the same day, one Muller, after drinking large quantities of salt water, declared that he offered his body as food for the others, aud entreated them to kill him. 'After a time' — we quote from the affidavit nf James Archer, secoud mate — 'Manus Scbutt proposed that they should cast lots who should fall as a sacrifice for keeping thn others alive. To this we all consented. Having no other means to make a lottery, we hit upon using small sticks of different sizes, deciding that the smallest Bhould be the victim. After having made the sticks ready, I held them in my hand while the others drew. On comparing them together, I found that the Italian, Francis Shufus, held the smallest stick. Having also agreed that the lottery should be thrice repeated, and when it should then prove that either two or three of us had drawn the shortest Blicks, these should cast lots among themselves go that the victim might be singled ont, we found that the same man had for a second time picked out the same object. Francis Shufus, when his turn came, hesitated to join, and would not draw, upon which the man Sandßtrom proposed he would do it for him. This he did, and the shortest stick was found in his hand. Sbufus bore it with great calmnesß and showed the utmost resignation. He was left alone for some two houiß, while we now and then eagerly looked round the horizon to see whether a suit could be perceived or any help would come ; we stood upon the thwarts. Shufus prepared himself to meet his fate by praying aud speaking in Italian. He gave us no parting message to be sent to his friends, most probably, ac be hardly knew more English than to say •Yes' and 'No.' His bearing was that of a man whose mind wus made up. Seeing we were past help, and feeling that our hunger and thirst had grown beyond further endurance, we saw outselves driven to sacrifice Shulus. He laid himself down ; but before that August Muller had told him that he

would take his place, and die for him. This Shufus refused, and laying down in the bottom of the boat gave himself up to be tied. Then one man held an empty tin, so os to catch in it the blood. Muller, on saying that 'now some one most die for the others,' passed the knife round the man's throat. He did not struggle or scream. The blood was drank by us all. Muller then cut his out hia liver and heart. These we cut into small pieces, and ate them mixed with blood and water. At the last moments of Shufus I was at the helm. The head and feet were thrown away; the trunk and the limbs were put into one of the air-tight tins of our boat, which we had opened. We continued on our way. It might have been two o'clock in ihe afternoon when the man Shufus died. Some three hours after a ship was seen, which, perceiving the boat, made for us.' This vessel turned out to be the Java packet bound for Amsterdam, and her commander, Captain Trappen, did all in his power to relieve the misery of the five unfortunate waifs — James Archer, August Muller, Victor Sandstrom, Manus Schutt, and Alexander Vermenlen, who had been twenty-three days at sea in an open boat, and sailed fully 2000 milee."