TERRIBLE ADVENTURES ON THE AFRICAN COAST.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1028, 26 January 1882, Page 4

TERRIBLE ADVENTURES ON THE AFRICAN COAST.

The Royal mail steamer Maletnba, of the British and African Steam Navigation Company, which arrived from the West Coast, brings news of a terrible adventure of five of the crew of the Liverpool vessel Guiding Star, four of whom were drowned after undergoing shocking hardships. It appears that on the 15th Nov. a number of natives brought two white men to a trading factory at Opobo. The poor fellows were in a sad state of exhaustion, and reported having gone through a most terrible adventure. One of the men was named Matthew Taylor, and the other Augusta Cerutti. According to the statement of the latter, a boat from the Guiding Star, containing four sailors and the mate, left the river Nun, in which their vessel was lying, for the purpose of obtaining a pilot. The pilot, Taylor, and the other five were .returning to the river Akassa, but found that there was a very dangerous surf breaking on the bar, and therefore decided to return. While the boat was being rounded, a large wave struck and capsized it, leaving the men struggling for their lives in the water. The whole of the men succeeded in reaching the boat, to which they clung. After being in this position some time two of the men named James Foster and Ned, swam for the shore, but were soon drowned. The boat, with the remaining four men clinging to it, was carried by the current in the direction of Bonny. The men had scarcely any clothes on, and the scorching sun caused their sufferings to become intense. On the following day one of the men went mad, and jumped into the sea, and was soon carried out of sight. The boat occasionally righted herself, but soon afterwards again capsized, increasing the danger of the sailors. Indeed, the only way the men could remain on the boat was by clasping each other’s arms over it. The mate, whose name was M‘Kay, and who was a man advanced in years, succumbed to his sufferings and died, suddenly dropping into the sea. No food or water had passed the lips of the unfortunate men since they left their vesssel, and the pangs of hunger and thirst were keenly felt. Not a word passed between the men, who stared at each other with ravenous eyes. Taylor, without uttering a word, dived after the body of the mate, but he was unsuccessful in obtaining it. Each man understood by looks that the body would have served to allay their pangs of hunger and thirst. On the fourth day a change in the current carried the boat ashore. The men by the most painful exertion crawled up the beach, where they dropped helplessly down. They slept for some time, and were awakened by being bitten by the Mangrove flies. These insects tormented the men so much that their bodies were covered with blood. The men then rose and walked along the beach, uncertain which way to go. They eventually came up to a buoy, which, being hollow at the top, contained some fresh rain water, of which they greedily drank. They then continued their march until Taylor fell down exhausted, and his comrade resumed the walk. Shortly afterwards Cerutti saw some natives coming towards him. They turned out to be followers of the Opobo chief Ja Ja, and gave Cerutti some biscuit and beef, but these he was unable to eat through weakness. By gestures Cerutti made them understand about his comrade, whom they fouud. Both men were then placed in a canoe and taken to the factory of a Mr Johnstone, an English merchant, where they were kindly treated. Taylor was perfectly nude, whilst Cerutti had nothing on but a shirt. Ja Ja called to see them very frequently, and sent them £26 in money to distribute amongst the widows and families of the men who were drowned. He also despatched a number of his followers down the coast in search of the missing boat, which they found, and sent up to Akassa.