MAD CREW

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 233, 20 February 1913, Page 8

MAD CREW

DEATH OXE BY ONE IN OPEN BOAT. After three days and three nights in a small open boat, during which they saw comrades perish one after another —some I after becoming demented—during which they suffered agonies from starvation and thirst, two shipwrecked men were saved gallantly by fishermen and landed at Penzance on Saturday. January 24. - They were the captain and a sailor of the 2200 ton steamer Valrnar. of Copenhagen, which left Swansea on Christmas Eve with coal for Nice, and they were the only survivors of the seventeen. They were picked up fifteen miles southwest, of the Lizards bv the Ostend trawler Ibis Y. In Pezruice Hospital the captain said their plight; in the gale became so bad on Christmas Day that be ordered out one of (ho lifeboats. Eight hands got into it, but it was quickly smashed and the men were drowned. Nine then remained on the steamer. Becoming demented, the doiikeynian jumped overboard. Before he went, he siiid. "I cannot stand it any longer, and if anybody i> saved give my best wishes to my wife." The captain ordered the second lifeboat to be launched, and the seven hands got into her. leaving the captain on the bridge. While the small craft was alongside the ship the tackle holding il gave way, and the boat was swept, astern of the steamer. The captain, looking over the .side of the ship, saw the boat; capsize an 1 all the men clinging to the keel. Tie sprang overboard and swam to them, and by a supreme effort the craft was righted and all got into her. The steamer shortly afterwards foundered. RAINDROPS FOP THIRST. Then began a terrible ordeal. The first: engineer died and his body was cast | overboard. Then the chief officer lost his reason and tried io strangle the captain and throw him ov rboard. They lashed the demented man down, and his end came during the night as the result of exposure. Others died on Boxing .Day. and at last only the captain and the one sailor remained. They threw I the bodies ~f their comrades overboard. There was a little food in one of the boat's tanks, but most, of if -was washed away when they took it out. 'The worst trial of all was the awful one of thirst. Beneath a -ail they tried to shelter them- • selves, and when rain fell ihev put out; their hand, iu calvh il and moistened their paivhed lips. Nearly the whole time they were almost shoulder high in water. Several steamers passed! but the two men had not strength to hail them. On Saturday Hn-y abandoned bone. but presentiy (Li-.v saw a ''team trawler making for linen. The fishermen threw lines, and. managiicr to tie these about them, the two -urvivor- thing themselves into the sea and were hauled on board.