SEALERS' DREADFUL FATE

Evening Star, Issue 15513, 8 June 1914, Page 7

SEALERS' DREADFUL FATE

CREW OVERTAKEN BY A BLIZZARD. SHIP AND 175 MEN GIVEN UP FOR LOST. One of the most appalling catastrophes in the- history of the Newfoundland sealing fleet occurred au rln K a fierce blizzard which raged off Cape Race. One of the ships of the fleet, the Southern Cross, has disappeared with her entire crew, who are believed to have been overwhelmed in disaster, whilst another vessel, the Newfoundland, had over half of Tier men killed and injured in a dreadful tragedy of the storm. Caught in the blizzard whilst at work on the ice, away from the fleet, the crews of several vessels had to race for their lives. With the exception of a party from the Newfoundland, which carried a crew of 189, all managed to regain their ships in safety. Through a misunderstanding the unfortunate men were believed to have been taken on board another vessel. Nearly 48 hours later, however, the terrible discovery was made that they had been wandering about on the ice," and that 77 of their number had perished miserably in the blizzard. Altogether 69 bodies were recovered, the other eight being lost amid the ice. Fifty survivors of the party were rescued by the Bellaventure, another vessel of the fleet, and were lan dec] at St. John's (Newfoundland). Captain Rendell, of the Bellaventure describing how the disaster occurred, said that when the storm began about noon most of the Newfoundland's men went on board the Stephano, which was the nearest vessel to her. The skipper advised them to join their own ship, as he was starting to recover his men. They started to return to the Newfoundland, while the Stephano went in the contrary dierction, where her men were working. Meanwhile the latter had gone on board the Florizel, which was lying behind them. The Florizel wirelessed to the Stephano that she had her men, and the Stephano returned so that the Newfoundland's crew might rejoin her if they were not on board their own ship. The crew of the Newfoundland had meanwhile wandered in the contrary direction in the blinding snowdrifts. The Newfoundland having no wireless, her skipper supposed that his crew were on board the Stephano. The latter was signalling frantically by whistle for hours, and, no men appearing, she concluded that they had rejoined the Newfoundland. Next day the blizzard raged all day, abating at night. At daylight on the third morning, when Captain liendell was preEaring to start his men over the ice oes again, he sighted strangers coming to his ship. The enfeebled movements of the nearest man caused forebodings, and these were confirmed when the man stated that 150 of the Newfoundland's men had been —Adrift for Two Days and Nights,— and he feared that the majority had perished. Captain Rendell promptly hurried *his entire crew with food, stimulants, blankets, and stretchers to the rescue. This work occupied the whole of that day. The last man to be saved had been 59 hours adrift without food or warmth, being rescued just before sundown. This man, however, was practically unscathed though he went blind the day after his rescue. Ihe physicians, however, say that he will recover his sight later. Harrowing stories were told by the survivors. Two had brothers who died m their arms. Many dead were frozen into the ice, and the bodies had to be chopped out with axes. Others were dead and floating in the water between the ice fragments. One man fell into the water in trying to reach the rescue party. They got him out, but he died within 20 minutes. Several others died between the time the rescuers reached them and before they could be got to the ship. Forty-three bodies were taken off three fragments of ice within a short radius. The rescuers piled the dead in groups on level sheets of ice, and planted flags above them for the steamer to collect them as she came behind, just as they would do with seals. Many of the dead had wandered long distances before they .succumbed, and they were found in frightful postures, the result, of the agonies, thev had experienced in fighting the cold before death. Many men went insane. Others battered their faces against the ice so that they were almost unrecognisable. Many men, in walking or jumping to keep the blood in circulation and to resist the ice stupor, stumbled over their dead comrades, and often were too enfeebled to rase again, and met the same fate. One jumped from an ice crag and killed himself. Terrible scenes attended the identification of the victims. Two bodies were found tightly clasped together. These proved to be father and son. Ihe latter had died in his father's arms. Another had the fingers on one hand severed. Later one survivor explained that the dead man, in the agony of frost bite, sliced off his fingers with a seaman's knife. Four bodies from one familv were also found. 1 tarty of the rescued men are in hospital and several of them will be maimed for life as the result of frost bite. Some of these men (says Reuter) saved themselves from death by cutting open seals and burying their heads and hands in the seals' stomachs, thus escaping the worst effects of frost. Others used dead bodies to shelter themselves.. A frightful experience befell a survivor named Michael Tobin. He was deceived by the steamer's whistle as to his whereabouts, went astray from his party, and was not rescued until 60 hours later. He will lose one ear, and probably both feet. The edges of all his teeth were broken off from, chewing chunks of ice to quench his thirst. He knew he must continue walking and keep his feet dry, .and despite the deadening fatigue and blinding . snow he was able to avoid many holes "J tne floes until the afternoon of the third day, when he made out the Stephano. Within a mile of her he sank into a pile of ice and slush, which chilled him through. Arousing himself, he stumbled onward, half blinded, only to walk mto a pool of water knee-deep. He was unable to extricate himself, but was seen by four men from the Stephano, who pulled him out. Upon reaching the ship's deck he collapsed, and remained unconscious for 24 hours. It was necessary to cut his clothing from his body. Both his feet wore frozen, and he had subsisted on ice and three biscuits. One of the Stephano's men asked him how he felt when he thought he was dying. Said Tobin: "I never thought of it." Unfortunately the disaster to the Newfoundland was not the only one caused by the terrific storm. The Southern Cross, which sailed from St. John's, Newfoundland, on March 10, for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on a fishing voyage, is missing, and all hope of her safety has been abandoned. She carried 175 men, all natives of Newfoundland, and mostly from Conception Bay, from which port her captam sailed She was particularly fortunate, and secured a full load of seals, about 20,000 in number, before starting on the return journey to St. John's. She was sighted off Channel, near Cape Ray, and was spoken oS Cape Pine shortly before the storm swept that coast. Experienced navigators, well acquainted with the course the vessel pursued, surmise that 6he attempted to push through the storm in order to arrive in j port first with her valuable cargo, and , get bi(f prices for the skins, and that | she was either swamped, turned turtle, ] or was crushed in the icefield, her entire crew perishing. The Southern Cross is the ship that took Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition to and from the Antarctic. Her loss is a crushing blow, as her crew consisted of members of nearly every family in the neighborhood from which she sailed. . —The King's Sympathy.— I

On receiving news of the disaster to the Newfoundland, the King despatched the following telegram to the Governor, St. John's, Newfoundland:— ; I have received with, profound xse-j,

gret the news of the terrible calamity which has befallen the crew of the steamer Newfoundland, and I deeply deplore the great suffering and loss of life -involved,- and wish to offer our sincere sympathy with the families of those who have perished.—George, R.I.