A PERILOUS ATLANTIC VOYAGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5823, 27 November 1879, Page 3

A PERILOUS ATLANTIC VOYAGE.

Mr. Louis G. Goldsmith and his wife, said to be natives of Denmark, have narrowly escaped with their lives in attempting to circumnavigate the world in a small boat only 18ft. long, and 6ft. beam. On leaving Boston they sailed down the coast to Nova Scotia, and reached St. John’s, Newfoundland, early in August, where they were detained by stress of weather. As it was impossible for Mr. Goldsmith to attend to the boat without sleep, and as his wife was unable to leave her berth through sickness, he caught a few snatches of rest at intervals in the daylight, when the boat could lie to or could proceed under jibsail, the nights being always devoted to steering and keeping a strict watch. The indisposition of Mrs. Goldsmith, which at first was thought to arise from sea-sickness, assumed a far more serious aspect when they had been at sea a few days and led to the belief '.hat it was an attack of inflammation of the bowels. This circumstance added greatly to the difficulty of Mr. Goldsmith’s position, as he had to discharge the duty of a doctor and also to take charge of his craft. Nor had he any medicine which was adapted to the case of inflammation. As the

boat approached the banks of Newfoundland, a dense cold fog prevailed, which demanded additional watchfulness at the helm ; and, notwithstanding this, on the evening of August 1 4, the little craft was nearly n aQ down by a brigan tine, which was close upon them when discovered, and which did, cot blow any fog horn After this the captain of the boat blew his fo. horn during the whole time that the fog prevailed, until his lips were quite swollen front the task. Nothing further occurred of an' importance until the 10th, when the Uuoi3am entered upon au experience oi Atlanticweather. A gale of tremendous force suddenly prang up, and very soon Mr. Goldsmith wasitting up to his shoulders in water, and by dint of perseverance be baled most of it oub ind the boat righted, when he found that his drag rope had parted, and that he had Inst two drags and two oars to which they were lashed. This, however, was not the worst misfortune Upon examining the lockers which contained his food, Mr. Goldsmith found that the water had found its way in, and had destroyed all his bread and provisions, except tinned meats. His wife continued to grow worse, and at l r ' p.m. on the night of the 16th, when he took charge of the tiller, with nothing to be seen or heard around him but the raging of the angry waves, and the heavens as black as pitch, he began to contemplate the desirability of returning to the banks of Newfoundland (about 100 miles), where he hoped to be picked up by some fishing smack. The gale continued on the 17th and 18th. For forty-eight hours he had not slept, and his on’y food was some canned mutton, c-'l up to that time he had sighted no vessel du.k.g the continuance of the gale. About 3 p.m. on the 19th, after having been for seventy-two hours without rest, he lay down for a sleep, when a heavy sea struck the boat, aud upon rushing on deck to discover whether any mischief had been committed, he saw a large barque on the starboard bow, and after chasing it for an hour his little craft was observed, and measures were taken to rescue both him and his wife. The vessel proved to be the barque Queen of Nations, bound for Liverpool, and was reached iu lat. 47'36 N., long. 43'20 W. The woman was hauled on board with a bowline, and afterwards Mr. Goldsmith was rescued ; but in consequence of the heavy sea running he was not able to recover anything from the boat, and lost clothes, money, thermometers, barometer, and some valuable letters of introduction. The boat was afterwards scuttled. Under the kindly treatment which both parties received from Capt. Edwards and crew, Mrs. Goldsmith gradually recovered ; and except suffering from the effects of an accident which subsequently hefel him, Mr. Goldsmith was landed at Liverpool apparently not much the worse for his perilous adventure.