ONE THOUSAND MILES IN AN OPEN BOAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

ONE THOUSAND MILES IN AN OPEN BOAT.

TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF A CREW. Tub Lara was a barque of GSO tons register, and left Hull on 4th May of last year, loaded witli 1430 tons of coal, consigned to Messrs. Rodgers, Meyer and Co., of San Francisco. On the voyage across the South Atlantic the Lara suffered so lmich from bad weather that she was compelled to put into Rio .Janeiro for repairs. This place was left in September, and all went well until'2oth October, when it was discovered that the cargo was on lire. Every effort was made to extinguish the flames, and for a time success attended the efforts of the crew. Holes were bored in the how, aud the llames seemed to have been mastered, and the water was pumped out. No sooner had this been accomplished, however, than dense volumes of smoke began to issue from the ventilator hatch, uad then it was attempted to smother the (ire. This uliuii". , of policy proved unsuccessful, and finalfy, on October, in lat. 11 N., long IMi \V., the Lara was left to her fate. She

v.-.is then about "2000 miles due south from San Francisco, the nearest point of land being AiMpulco, in Mexico, 1000 miles away. For this latter port the shipwrecked mariners steered. They were divided into three parties, and each party was provisioned for fiftv davs. The ship was not left until the heat anil gas from the burning coal rendered further stay on board unendurable. The crew all.! passengc-rs. -'1 all told, were distributed in three boats as follows :—ln the master's boat was Captain Curric, his wife, two children, the second ollicer, and six seamen ; another boat contained the mate and live sailors, whilst the third boat was occupied by the boatswain and three sailors. Kach boat carried a compass, aud a supply of water was proportionately served out. It was 10 o'clock on a .Sunday "night when the long journey from the ship to the shore was commenced. The nky was bright, but the only light was that afforded by the stars and the burning vessel. The Lara was soou lost sight ot. For two days the boats kept well together. The mate's boat, being a good sailer, towed the smaller craft, whilst the captain's boat sailed free. On the night of the second day a storm separated the boats, but two days later they all came in si-ht of one another. For another couple of days the three boats sailed in company, and then the parties separated, and from that time to the present nothing whatever lias been heard of the mate's or the boatswain's boats. Whether they have reached the shore in some desolate part, whether they hare been picked up by some passing vessel, or whether they have found their last home beneath the deep waters of the Pacific, it is now impossible to say. The party under the command of the captain sullere.l frightful agonies from thirst, tile heat of the sun's rays, and the ocean's reflection. The allowance of water for several days was but half a pint per person, but as the voyage neared its completion, this small quantity was increased. The captain's wile and children were tho greatest sulferers, and at one time it was thought that the former was dying from exposure. The two children were aged respectively seven and two years. Their sleep was troubled, aud as they lay in their mother's lap they would moan feebly for water. The only incident on the voyage was the capture of a turtle, which was torn from its shell, not for its llesh, but for its blood, which was eagerly drunk by the party. At last the coast of Tehuantepec was reached, and a running stream being encounteied rest and refreshment were obtained. It was not deemed safe, by Captain Currie to stay here, and he resolved to prosecute his vovatre to Acapulco, still some "200 miles to the north. But two of the sailors resolved to take their chance at that outlandish and inhospitable shore rather than f.ice further boat sailing. At last, after a voyage of i'i days, the remnant ot the the party safely reached Acapulco.