Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1876 — A Terrible Experience—Six Souths on a Barren Island. [ARTICLE]

A Terrible Experience—Six Souths on a Barren Island.

Tan following official Information respecting the loss of the Strathmore and the rescue of the survivor* from the barren island on which they remained more than six months, has been received at Lloyd’s, in London. It is dated Qalle, March 8: “ The Strathmore, of Dundee, reported by telegraph aa lost on one of the Crozet group on the Ist of July,lß7fi.3he-atruok at4:Bo in the moraing and become a wreck in a few minutes, the persons who were saved—one lady being among them —being almost in their night-dresses They subsisted on this barren island for six months and twenty-two days upon albatross, penguin and other birds. The master of the whaler who rescued them showed them every kindness; gave each a suit oi clothes ana * pair of boots. Those rescued were taken care of by the local authorities, and a subscription has been raised in the colony on behalf of the passengers.” Mr. Allan, the second mate of the Strathmore, says that a thick fog prevailed on June 80, and Capt. MacDonald ordered a sharp lookout to be kept for Crozet Island. The log was constantly thrown. At midnight there was a cry ot “ Breakers ahead!” and the ship struck on the Twelve Apostles group of rocks. She soon begap to settle down, and boats were made ready for launching. One boat, with eighteen persons In it, including Mrs. Wordsworth, was floated from the deck by a heavy wave, and rniracuously kept in an upright position. About twenty of the crew and passengers assembled in the mlzzentop. The fore part of the vessel was ctill above water and stuck on the rock, ami here the survivors clustered and waited till daylight, when it was found that the ship was wedged between perpendicular cliffs of rock hundreds of feet high, and other points standing up like so many needles. Seven or eight got into the gig under the charge of the second mate, who said he would return and take off the rest if he succeeded in finding a landing place. He found to his astonishment that the boat, with eighteen on board, which had been washed away during the night, was knocking about half full of water. The one boat took the other in tow and succeeded in reaching the rocks, up which the shipwrecked persons managed to scramble. Those left on board were saved in like manner, but two days elapsed before their rescue was accomplished, borne matches, spirits and biscuits were all that could be saved. The biscuits were given to Mrs. Wordsworth, as she could nQt eat the rank birds’ flesh. A case of confectionery was much prized, as the tins became handy for boiling birds in. After a few days on the island the boats were dashed to pieces and lost. This was a great misfortune, as no more visits could be paid to the wreck. The fire-wood lasted a month, after which a substitute was found in the bird’s skins. Five deaths took place on the island. The corpses were not stiff, but remained as pliable when buried as when in life. The first death was on July 2; the next, that of Thomas Henderson, in September; the next in October; the next, that of Will iam Husband, and the last a little child, on Christmas day. Death resulted from mortification following on frost-bites; toes and fingers rotted off. Four ships passed, but aid not notice the signals, till at last, on the 21st of January, the whaler Young Phcenix took all on board, and treated them with extreme kindness. To the credit of Capt. Giffard it must be said that he decided to sail for the Mauritius, although by so doing he knew that he would lose his season’s fishing. Thirty survivors from the Strathmore had arrived at Rangoon by the Childers, which received them from the American whaler Young Phcenix. Most of them were progressing favorably.