CROSSING THE ATLANTIC IN A SMALL BOAT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2603, 28 November 1867, Page 5

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC IN A SMALL BOAT.

[From the Eueopean Times.] The Mary Blake, from Antigua, Las arrived in the Thames with a seaman named Andrew ! Armstrong on board, the only survivor of a crew of four of a schooner- ringed boat, called the John T. Ford, which was lost while on a voyage from Baltimore to Paris via Havre. The John T. Ford was about two and a-half tons, and of loss size than the lied, White, and Blue, but, unlike her, she was not constructed on the lifeboat principle, being more of a whaleboat. Her dimensions we re— l9ft. length of keel, 22ft. 6in. over all, 7ft. beam, 2ft. 6in. depth of hold. She was the joint property of the master, Gould ; Armstrong, the survivor ; and two or three others ; and the citizens of Baltimore took great interest in the success of the cxpeditiou to Paris. The John T. Ford left Baltimore on the 22nd of June, but, getting short of water — one of her tanks being damaged — she put into Halifax on the Bth of July, and one of her hands leaving, Armstrong, who is a fisherman, joiued her, and on the morning of the 16th July she left Halifax, accompanied by several boats, which escorted her out to seat. On the 26th they sighted a French schooner at anchor on the banks of Newfoundland, and went alongside about 7 p.m., and left at <1 am. on the next day. They then experienced very heavy weather, the wind being from the north. The boat labored and shipped so much water that the crew were unable to keep their clothes dry, or have any rest. Indeed, there was only room for two below, and that in rather a cramped position, so that two of the hands were always on deck. On the 29fch, the boat being under a foresail, shipped a heavy sea and capsized. She righted in about a minute, but the water damaged the bread and wetted the stores and clothes. Armstrong states that their condition was then getting very miserable. On the 2nd of August, weather moderate and wind N., at one p.m. spoke a barque belonging to Shields, from Montreal for Cork, and asked for a little bread. They could not supply any, but gave them a bottle of rum and some tobacco. On the sth, at 4> p.m., the wind was strong, at S.W., and there was a heavy sea, which struck the boat, and she turned over again. She righted almost immediately, but, unfortunately, they lost all their stock of oil and the principal stock of their supply of water, which added much to their distress, suffering as they were severely from cramp and pains in their legs. On the Bth they spoke a ship belonging to Liverpool, bound to Quebec, and obtained a supply of bread and a little oil and tobacco. Shortly afterwards the} 1 " exhausted their small stock of oil, and had no light for the compass or the means to warm any food. They then cut up the boards that secured the ballast and all the internal fittings of the boat to burn and procure a light. On the 17th August they spoke a barque bound to Portsmouth from Quebec, and she furnished them with a little bread and a few candles. Then they encountered veiy heavy weather, wind from S.W. to E.N.E., with a cross sea. On Monday, the 19th, wind S.S.W., they bore up for Cork, Cape Clear, by their reckoning, being N.E., about thirty miles distant. At 10.30 p.m. a heavy sea struck the boat and turned her, and the ballast boards having being burned in order to obtain a liglifc, tlie ballast sliifted and all on board were thrown into the sea. The boat kept turning right over as the four hands struggled to get into her, until the lad (Murphy) got entangled between the rigging ana the mast, when she was so steadied that the other three of the crew mannged to keep a hold of her. The craft continued in this position, two of the hands being on her mast and two on the side of the keel. They remained in this position the whole of that night, frcquentl}' being washed offond on by the heavy seas, and at 11.30 a.m. on the following day they observed a brig bearing down towards them. Armstrong states that they were all cheered with the hope of speedy relief, but, instead of rendering them aid, she came close to them, hoisted Dutch colors, and stood away without offering the least assistance. About an hour after this, the mate, John Shanny, asked Armstrong to pray for him. They all prayed together for some time, but were often interrupted by the heavy seas washing one or the other of them off the bottom of the boat. The ears of the mate were then noticed to swell very much, and his eyes protruded ; he shook hands with his companions, and kissed his wife's likeness, which he had about him. He then became greatly excited, and bit the captain's thigh. The captain pushed him gently on one side, saying, " For God's sake, John, don't bite me." The mate then fell back into the water and sank immediately. About 7 p.m., the lad, Edward Murphy, asked Armstrong to make him in some way fast, and he was secured by his belt. He was not in that position long before a sea swept him away, and lie perished, and afterwards the captain and the survivor, Armstrong, were washed off. The captain cried out, "God help my poor wife and family," and then disappeared. After great exertion Armstrong succeeded in regaining the boat, but he was often swept off by the seas which dashed over the craft, the succeeding wave frequently washing him on again. lie continued clinging to the bottom of the boat until 4 a.m. of the 23rd, when the ship Aerolite, Captain Alleyne, of Liverpool, hove in sight, and seeing the piece of ragged canvas on the end of an oar, which he held up, bore down to his aid and picked him up. When taken on boai'd he was very much exhausted and almost insensible from the want of food and exposure. He was also much injured about the legs and other parts of his body through being dashed so often against the boat. As may be imagined, his sufferings were most severe during the long period lie was drifted about on the bottom of the boat. He suffered much from imbibing salt water. He kept chewing a piece of an old tobacco pouch, which, ho says, at times brought some moisture to his parched throat. He was fallen in with in hit. 49 5 N., and long. 653 W, On board the Aerolite he was treated with every kindness, but for which he believes he must have died. On the following day, the 2'lth, he was transferred to the schooner Mary Blake, Captain Brown, of Brixham, from Antigua, on board of which he was also treated with every attention. On being landed in the West India Dock the American consul provided the necessary accommodation for him at the Sailors' Home in Well street, and in a few days he will be forwarded to his native place in America.

CoAl/. — A party from Nelson lately visited "the Pakawau coalfield. The chief objects of their attention wero two out-cropping scums on tho soul-h side of the Gorge. One of those had been lately discovered on the hill side, at a short distance from the road, and shows a face of about 3 1 } feet of coal, which is of two qualities— one pure bright and highly bituminous ; tho other also serviceable, but dull and les9 pure. Tho first seam haß an excellent sandstone roof, and has been traced for a considerable distance. It is intended to work it.

The Intemob.— The Weekly Neios says:— Mr Monro and Captain Healo left Taupo on the 29th, and arriving at Tauranga, finding that there waa no immediate prospect of their being able to get away from that place, they undertook tho difficult and not very safe journey by Katikati to tho Upper Thames, coming out at Ohinoroa, nearly a days journey above Ohinemuria. From that place Mr Monro and Captian Heale canoed down tho river to Kauwaeranga, which they reached on Saturday. Mr Firth, Mr C. O. Davis and Mr J. W. Proeco were at Taupo. Mr Firth had some business before the Court, and also was anxious to get his cattle through to Waikato. There aro three aukatis across the country between Taupo and Waikato; at tho fivst all travellers, whether Europeans or friendly natives, are simply warned back; if they persist in going on they are stripped at the second, and if they still persist they are killed at the third. Tho natives guarding the third aukati aro such a lot of reprobates that little doubt is entertained but that they would fulfil their commission of murder if they had the chanco. It was the opinion of the people of Taupo that nothing would induce these people to permit a passage through.

More Economy. — In commenting upon tho fact that tho Government have imported from Sydney a largo supply of cavalry appointments for the use of the armed constabulary, tho Wanganui Times says : — " What has become of the equipments of the yeomanry cavalry and other mounted colonial troops now disbanded? Was there no other way of obtaining appointments for those men but by sending to Sydney for them ? The governments of other colonies are particularly careful, oven for their actual requirements, to keep the expenditure of money amongst their own tradesmen, but oar rulers create wants and pay other colonies to supply them."

Beer. — At a meeting of the Comniittoe of tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association of Canterbury, held at Chrisfcchurch lately, it was decided that a silver medal should bo given for tho best sample of beer made in New Zealand from barley grown and malted in the colony of New Zealand. An assurance will be required that such is tho case. Samples to consist of not less than twenty gallons. The cask not to bo branded.

Attempted Suicide. — A military settler, named Schumacher, shot himself at OpotiM on Sunday, the 9th instant. The man, who is a Gorman by birth, had been drinking heavily some days previously, and discharged his rifle at his head, blowing away part of his cheek and right eyo. Dr Oliver was called to attend him, and rendered every assistance which medical skill could devise, but no hope is entertained of tho unhappy man's recovery. No reason can be assigned for the rash act.

The Wanganut Flagstaff. — It seoins that the flagstaff on tho York Stockade, Wanganui, is without a signalman, and the soldiers having left there, the ropes and other property are likely to leave too. For some years past says the Wanganui Times t the military authorities kindly allowed one of the soldiers to act as signalman, but as that can no longer be the case, we trust tho Provincial Government ■will at one place a man in charge.