TERRIBLE TALE OF THE SEA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 138, 29 October 1912, Page 3

TERRIBLE TALE OF THE SEA

SIX SAILORS DIE AFTER ENDURING AWFUL PRIVATIONS. On the Pacific liner Oropesa, which arrived at Liverpool recently, there came Captain Robert Thomas, his wife and child, and three sailors of the sailing ship Criccieth Castle, of London, which was abandoned off Cape Horn on July 15.

When it was decided to abandon the vessel, which was hopelessly water-log-ged, the captain, his wife, and their four-year-old son, the second officer, and thirteen of the crew left the ship in the large lifoboat, while the first and third officers and live of the crew left in a smaller boat.

The experience of the former party during the first night in the open boat was terrible, the captain describing it as the worst he had known during the twenty-two years of 'his seafaring life. That night, the captain thinks, the second boat must have been swamped, as nothing was seen of it afterwards. Captain Thomas was himself washed out of the lifeboat, but was saved by his wife, who caught him by his clothing, enabling two of the men to pull him aboard again. Three of the men died during the night, and they were followed by three others before the survivors reached land seven days later. Those who know anything of the icy region round Cape Horn in winter can imagine the sufferings of the unfortunate people who were for seven days in an open boat, which, moreover, was leaking badly as the result of striking the ship's side while it was being lowered. There was never less • than eighteen inches of water in it; although some of the men were continually baling it out. UNABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES. About 4 o'clock on the afternoon_ of July 22 the lifeboat was seen by Assist-ant-keeper Sully off Cape Pembroke lighthouse, Falkland Islands. He hoisted the British ensign to let those on board know that they had been seen, and afted a desperate effort the exhausted men managed to reach some outlying rocks, where the keepers were waiting for them with ropes ready to throw to them. The eleven survivors in the boat were in a state of exhaustion, and suffering terribly from frost-bite. Some of the men were quite helpless, and had to be dragged out of the boat. With f? 1 ® 8 ' difficulty they were carried to the lighthouse. A doctor was sent for, and food was given to the sufferers. Mrs. Thomas and her little boy were wrapped m blankets and put to bed. In most cases the clothing had to be cut off the men, especially their boots and oilskins, their feet and hands being frostbitten, i Later the patients were taken back to the boat on stretchers, and conveyed in the Government launch to the Victona Cottape Home, where the second officer died. It was at first feared hat some of the survivors would lose both feet but it is expected this will not be i■ case. Several of them, however, aie m a critical condition. _ . T Relating the experiences of those m the captain's boat, one of the crew who reached Liverpool said that on takin 0 to the boat thev were 150 .miles from the Falkland Islands. They had 80 me tinned food, biscuits and a little water, terrific sea w&s

DEAD MEN'S CLOTHES,

On the second day a Finn, a French cook and a Japanese died; on the third day a German and an Englishman died; and on the morning of the fourth da\ those who remained were horrified tn find that during the night another man, a Welshman, had died. Before the dead men were thrown overboard their clothes were taken to provide more protection for the others. By the fourth day nearly all who remained were frostbitten. All suffered

agonies. Then the water supply gave out. The biscuits were wet and were icarcely touched. So exhausted were they that no one seemed to eare what happened. A large sailing ship was sighted about two miles ofT. and'the, survivors hoisted a shawl at. the end of a spar in an endeavor to attract attention, but the sailing ship passed out of sight without seeing them. All hope of rescue seemed to vanish, but on the seventh day an outlying island in the Ealklands was sighted. A fire was lighted as soon as they landed, and the survivors were able to enjoy a drink of melted snow. But the relief afforded "br the islet was only shortlived. and the party put out to sea again in the hope of finding an inhabited island. This quest was attended by misfortunes, and the boat was blown out to sea and beyond sight of land. tjltimn.tely Port Stanley was reached. Altogether seventeen men have perished.