TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE ON A FLOATING WRECK. Surrounded by Sharks.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 381, 3 July 1889, Page 4

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE ON A FLOATING WRECK. Surrounded by Sharks.

The Ablas Line steamer, Olaribel, on her] last voyage to New York, saved part of the crew > of thie vessel J.S . Moulton,; while that vessel was a floating wreck and surrounded by sharks, which were!"6xpecting every moment to receive their preyl* The i J. S. Moultnn was going from Jamaica, and when 120 miles off" Cape Hatteras a terrific gale was encountered. The seas were running mountains high. The captain and mate were on deck whon the man at the wheel called to them to 'look out.' Just then a tremendous wave came over the ship, carrying away the only boat tho vessel „ then had, tho quarter-rail, and the steering-gear. Before the men could properly recover from the wave, another struck the vessel from the opposite direction, carrying overboard CaptaitiCole and a seaman named Thompson, who were nevei seen again. The mate was afterwards found with his head entangled in the rigging, where he had been hurled by the sea. A rope was then tightly round the poor fellow's neck, and he was being gradually strangled. The J. S. Moulton was left a floating wreck, and for four days she went drifting about. Mosb of the crew wore in an injured condition, but they could do nothing to modify their sufferings. The fresh water had gone, and the only food that the men had was a few biscuits soaked in the salt water. They had practically given up hope of ever reaching land alive whon the Cfaribel was seen bearing down to their help. Thb'Ularibel had herself been in the storm, and had lost all her ; boats. The captain, therefoie, took lm steamer as near to the floating wreck as he could with safety, and then sent lifebuoys attached to ropes. By these means the survivors —five in number — were rescued. The j shipwrecked people, befoie the abandonment, could see numerous sharks swimming about in the water. The decks at that time were awash, and the ferocious monsters threatened at any momentto go on the deck. The wreck, ib i 3 said, could not have lemained afloat more than twelve hours longer so that had the rescue not been effected the poor fellows would have been food for the sharks the next clay. The passengers and crew of the Claribel were most kind to the shipwrecked people, who were left ab Fortune Island. The Atlas Line steamer Alvena subsequently took them from the island to New York, landing them at the latter place on the 20th ult.