THE STORY OF AN ENGLISH CANNIBAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3720, 18 June 1883, Page 4

THE STORY OF AN ENGLISH CANNIBAL.

The following vivid story of cannibalism nt sea is published by the Philadelphia Press as taken down from the lips of a "wolfish-looking English sailor," who the other day accosted v reporter with the remark, "I'm a lost man, sir; I'm an unfortunate man, and likewise a cannibal." On being questioned the sailor spoke as follows ;—My name is Arthur Gandclheart. I was born at Deal, on the south coast_ of En gland, and went first to sea in a fishing smack when only ten years old. I liked tho life, and when I was eighteen I shipped aboard au East Indiaman, and made several long voyages. I worked hard in my spare time to master navigation, and passed for a mate's certificate before I was twenty - tliree. Iv tho fall of 1876 I shipped as mate on board tho Whittlesca, an English barque, and sailed from Plymouth for Melbourne with a general cargo. We carried a crew of nineteen men alf told, and made a good run down as far as the Cape of Good Hope. After rounding the Capo the wind freshened, and a heavy gale continued for three days. Then tho gale culminated in a perfect hurricane. Ono Friday morning a huge wave made a clean sweep of the deck, carrying away the compass, the wheelhouse, and smashing up both the boats on the port side. The" captain who was on the poop, was washed overboard. In this extremity I took command, but as her steering-gear was damaged, and she would not answer to the newly-rigged wheel, I let her run before the wind. I never was on a vessel before or since when so much water came aboard. About midnight the wind died out with a remarkable suddenness. By four in the morning I found that under tho most fauourablo circumstances I could not hope to keep her above water for more than an hour. We had just time to get the last boat afloat when she heeled over to starboard. Four of the sailors and myself got into the boat and shoved her off, as the barque immediately went down with all the others on board. As the day dawned we found ourselves alone on tho ocean, without food or water. By midday tho sea was quite aim, and there was not a breath of wind on the water. We now prayed as heartily for a breeze as we had longed for fair Aveathor. We strained our eyes continually, hoping to sight a passing vessel, but no such welcome vision met our view. I rigged a jury-mast with a spare oar, divided the men into watches, and fell asleep. I was so thoroughly worn out that it was dark before I awoke. The men were complaining of hunger and thirst. Two nf thorn insisted on drinking salt water, although I tried hard to dissuade them. The next day thoy became delirious, and the following clay went raving mad, attacked mo with the greatest ferocity, and finally junibud overboard, and, although we tried to get them back into tho boat, they perished miserably. The three of us that wero left now suffered horribly from thirst and hunger. I had on a pair of long sea boots, and I cut the tops into strips, and we chewed the leather, but it afforded us no relief. Tho salt oily taste of the leather only aggravated my thirst. During the fourth night after leaving the barque one of the two sailors, a Swede, became very ill. Ho complained of cramps in the stomach, and his shrieks of agony were terrible to hear. We tried to make him as comfortable as we could, and wrapped him in tho sail and laid him in the bottom of the boat. When morning came tho poor follow I could see was dying : ho had no pain, but was so weak he could scarcely whisper. I was horrified to see the way that the other man glared at him as he lay in tho bottom of the boat breathing heavily, and deathly pale, and with his eyes closed. He edged over tome, and whispered iv my ear, "Ho will be dead in an hour, and then we won't bo hungry any longer." I shuddered, and pushed the human bruto away from mo with a threatening gesture. The sick man opened his eyes and motioned mo to approach him. I bent my car to his lips, and he faintly whispered, "You'll wait until I die, won't your" I hoard what he said. I took his hand in mine, and said while I lived he was safe. Tho sun was high in the heavens when ho breathed his last. I was now growing very weak myself, and I must havo fainted away, for it was growing dark when I was aroused by my companion shaking mo. "Go aud help yourself," lie said, pointing to the bow of the boat, where beneath the sail I could see tho outlines of the dead man's form. What was Itodo ? To roalise my position, you must havo been through a liko experience yourself. Our lives were saved, but at what cost ? Even now my flesh creeps when I think of our life during the next three days. The calm continued, and we drifted about aimlessly— two live men —cannibals—-adrift on the ocoan. [At this point Gendclheart passed his hand across his forehead, on which great beads of perspiration stood out liko drops of dew.] On tho morning of the seventh day after leaving the barque wo sighted a steamer bearing down upon us. An hour lator we wero safe on board, and before night I was in bed with brain f evev. Three weeks lator we wero put ashoro at Plymouth, and I lay ten weeks iv the hospital between life aud death. A Board of Trade inquiry as to the loss of the Whittlesca was held in England, and the facts became public property. Since then I have been in a dozen afferent ships, but once a Aveek, or oftoner, I go through the horrid experience in my sleep, and tell tho dread story far more realistically than I have given it to you. After that the men shun mo, and I cannot lead an endurable life iv any ship that sails. If I can get back to England I shall go back to Deal, and get in the fishing trade again. The folks all know mo there, and pity my misfortunes instead of conclemning mc for doing that -which I could not help.