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PARLLS OF THE GULP.

i

Arrival of the Missing Boats. |

taken for twenty-two men, and only two lucifer matches could be found after seareving the boats and pockets of the wh le numier. Not a laptern was even aitached to the boats. In faet there was no preparation whatever for the terrible

> i ss I passage we have undergone. Terrible Tale of Suffering. | rvot to mention that there Was le small, pocket compass in posses oo ‘ : } sion ot Capt Muneey living — Siatement of Mr. Fraser. , hich might or might not be accurate. | = On this ever memorable occasion,

three boats with twenty two men, includ lng seven passengers, lett Cape ‘Traverse for Cape Tormentine, at halt-past nine o'clock, W ednesday morning. They had a

small compasses, but no provisions, The | wind was blowing brisk from the east; } the ice was running west at the rate ot from three to four miles an hour. A snowstorm prevailed, and the ther-|

rmometer during the day averaged one aud one and a-balf degrees below zero As they proceeded iato the Gulf the

rm increased in violence. Soon they | lost their became exhausted, were carried up aud down the Straits by | wind, tide and currents. modersied,

way, and |

‘Towards | aud |

the evening the weather but the men were so completely } exhausted they could proceed further towards Cape Tormentine. They

ae nt . Ulstance

bot

then concluded to their boats in the Gulf. Ou Wedoes day at sundown the sleet and hai! pelted effect Tow ards

down with paintul

miduight the thermometer raised to six teen above zero, abd a raio storm set in and econtinued «a short time The wind changed after miduight and blew a_ north-west

hurricane, aud the

sixteen degrees below zero towards day

light on Thursday mo:ving. Then, i hurricane. The peltivg sleet and hail the darkness of the Gulf, with a few! Seti , is i ack y { , ‘Obsidered |

sparks of fire to wa m them and a few |} back slowly {0 . {me — ro drops of water to slake their thirst, | %@'* 10F the nighi. eee es The thi:d| {vo of the boats, placed their

their suffering commeuced, hoat had been consumed for tuel, aud ihe bewspapers io the mati with thei: were added. but teeble to warm famished with huoger and thirst, chilled with exposuie, und freezing. At dawu on Thursday Cape Traverse, they thought. could be seen, bat a wide stream of loliv, through which it impossible to pass, lay between them andthe Cape. The ice and men at osoor, had drified towards Crapaud. Occasionally a glimpse of the sbore could be obtained, aud hopes brightened. Then the snow commenced drifting, the cold bit fiercely, the shore was lost to sight, aud strong men lay’ dewn iv the boats to die. About three o clock, however, the drift cleared away, and the DeSable Presbyterian Kirk was sighted. With renewed hope, the men again made a last effort to reach the shore, and succeeded io striking io wear the farm-house of Angus McPhail. A thicket stood between the farm-house and the shore. Some men took refuge here, while Captain Muucey Irving went to the farm-house for assistauce. Going to the shore they found the men seattered in all directions, some in the thicket stood silent and motionless agaiost trees while others held them firm in their grasp. Others stood alove with arms extended in a comfortable and happy mood, while others lay prostrate iu the suow. Lt was late in the evening before they were conveyed to the honse of Mr. McPhail, where all human kiadness and attention was bestowed on them, and every eflort was made to relieve them from their terrible sufferings.

At noon to-day, Mr. James Fraser, druggist, Summerside, arrived iu this city. He was immediately driven to the Charlottetown Hospital, and was soon surrounded by a host of friends, Among the first callers were Dr Dodd, Post- master Brecken, and R. R. Fitz- gerald, E-q. Mr. Fraser did not appear to suffer by any means, as he chatted pleasantly to all around him, and auswered the volumes of iuterroga- tious which came from every mouth. He suffers from frozen toes and a frozen fioger, aud on the side of his face is a frost patch. Though he expects he will have te euffer the ampu- tation of a few toes, he is thauklul to Provideuee he escaped with so few injuries compared with the rest of his iellow-passengers aud the crew. ‘To a representative of THE Examiner he made the tollowiug statement : —

bags

bodies

Was

with the boats

We lett Cape Traverse board ice at 10.15 on Wedusesday morning. The crews were composed as follows :—-

Boat No. 1—Capt. Newton Matrart, Hector Campbell, Mout Campbell, Eph Bell, James A. Howatt.

Bout No. 2-Captain Muncy Irving, Alex. Muttart, Biuch Robertson, Win. Howat W m. Campbell.

Boat No. 3 -Capt. Hanford Allan, George Allan, Jobn Allan, Trev- holm, Daniel McGiashey,

The passengers were: Dr. Melatyre, M V., Souris; James A. Morrison, representative of J. S. McLean & Co., Hatifax; Asron Wilson, Iuterna- tional Hotel, Summerside ; Philip Far- rell, Messenger of the House of Com-

moos, Sturgeou, P. BE. J.; Mr Glyddon, |

clerk iu store of J. HL. Myrick, Tiguish, and Mr. Millet, belonging to the States, who has some fiends in Beltast....

A snowstorm was settiog in from the easi, aud the weither general'y looked threatening. at, I should say, from three to four miles au hour. The boats were all good apd well built for the service; bui Cquipm Was Thev were

ry ° it totally inuad« quate

without axe , without com-

passe *, a0 ] “ ith rut any P Ovisions, A |

suail keg of water was all that wig

‘Immediately on leaving the board ice,

| suffered | first hour, the ice was

| eourse was changed, and we, hour after

é « ‘ . Cape Tormentine light loomed up io the | without getting a sight of land.

remain all night by |

thermometer fell to |

the fire was too}

Phe ice was running west |

then |

‘ i

Mr. James A. Morrison, one of the pas- sevgers, fell through end got wet to the | knees, and again when we were two| hours on the passage, fell through and | got wet to the shonlders. His clothes |} immediately froze stiff, and he therefore from the start. During the fearfully rough, and we experienced great difficulty pull: ing the boats over it; but after that, we ‘t into large fields of smooth ice and managed to proceed comfortably. Our course was given by Capt. Irvieg, by the small compass, and we kept this | course for tour hours. Whether intentionally or not, | feel confident the

got

our tiresome journey Finally at 5.30 o'clock, p. m., as darkuess was spproachivg, we halted on a tongue- shaped pan of ice, which was surrounded 'on three sides by water. Capt. Irving then told us he did not know where we were. A consultation was theu held bet ween passengers and crews regardipg ithe best means of making ourselves leomfortable for the night, and it was | unanimously decided to retrace oul |steps a short distance from the open |water. We did so, and made ourselves | as comfortable as possible under the cir was bow blowing a ball

hour, continued

cumstances. It

this time

| horrors of the scene,

i move than

¥ <a ee Mee tert

-

v EXAMINER,

would be few remaining on Friday | morning to tell ‘the terrible tale. At few, ifany, ha -hojo o ever scoing land. Oveof the meu be- came quite delirous and thus added to the We were all then inside the camp, locking out at inter-

vals. The crew thought

move until they saw something to move | companied by Messrs.

ior. The passengers wished to move at |

‘all events, thinking it best to die on the)

like rats in a hole. About four o’clock we were all lying about | iuside the boats half asleep, Muncy Irving went out, iy sung out, * Land ho! away.’ Everyone at once scram ihe camp, and we all saw

Strange to say, the news appeared to be} taken very quietly. The men were| really half dezed from weakness, want)

° . > ! of food. and a sense of suffocation from} ber with so much force that the crew) Por Sale Low.

being so lovg confined in the smoky} camp. But all went to work willingly ,and we packed up everything in the two remaiving boats and started for the shore, which turned out to be nearer six or seven miles away than three. Some were only able to follow the boat, holding on, utterly without any strength, But all kept aloog until we struck the board | lt was a struggle for life over a hard road. The two crews would oftea have to combine to move one boat. We had to row through some 300 yards of lolly. We had only four oars between the two boats, and our way was mostly made by rocking the boats in the lolly, and one boat makivg way for the other. When we got to the board ice, we left the boats, after we got them twenty feet on it—the crews positively refusing to pull another inch. Almost simultaivously every man started ior the shore without bag or baggage.

ice.

| cunwales together, and placed the third |boat with baggage, etc., to wiudward, end thus completed a temporary cabin. Chen taking some tio off the bottom of ihe boats they constructed a fireplace and prepared a fuel of oars. When it was prepared, the fact became known that amoog the whole number of tweuty-(wo men uo more than two matches could be found. ‘The most was made of these and the fire was lit. The oars were soon consumed, and it was found neces sury to break up ove of the boats, but when we came to do this, we found there wes po axe. We therefore broke an oar in two, used the handle end and a boat hook, and with these broke up the boat for fuel. The work of breaking up the boat, considering it was strongly kneed and tinned over, was a difficult job. It was now about eight o clock. The hail and sleet were blinding and the cold was intense. Ju company with Jas. Morrison, | spent the night outside the

cabin. I ‘‘marked time’ from eight o clock on Wednesday evening, till five

o'clock ou Thursday morning. At times I would get down on a truvk with Morrison, and rest; but the biting frost would pever fail to keep me on the move. At five o'clock, ia the moruing, J went for a first time iuside the cabin to warm myself; and I mostearvestly pray to God I shall never witness the scene which was then presented to me. Strong mep lay around the fire, famished,shiver- ing, and ex!austed, while from the smoky cabin, came prayers for relief, aud biasphemies intermingled. Oc- casionally a man, almost overcome by

suffocation, would dash through the smoke out of the cabiv, and tall ex- hausted onthe ice. Revived by the piercing cold air, he would again return to the smoky cabin to obtain whaiever’ warmth it afforded,

Altogether, I thought the pigh@passedc quickly. At midvight the wiud shiited to the northwest and blew a hurricane, aud the weather became co'der thau ever aud thus added to eur sufferings. Durivg the night only one of the crew— James Howatt —bad his feet frozen, and he was gives preference at the fire until they were thawed out. As day dawned on Thursday I fancied | saw laud to the southeast, but it was drifting too thick aud blowius too hard to make a move. Afier this I saw land to the westward but they thought it was lolly, and de- cided it was betier not to work towards it <At8 o'clock we changed the comp because the fire had melted the ice so thiu that it was dangerous. After this was dove one of the passengers had a pound of small swect crackers ou which the whole number broke their fast — beinog served with ove cracker éich,— each cracker might possibly weigh a quarter of wu ounce, After thig light breaktast we heard a tremendous crash outside. All rished” otifside aud were amazed to find the ice had parted abcut fifteeeu feet trom the side of the eal.in. In lesstime, said Mr. Fraser, than it takés {o tell it, there was a space of cue- eighth of a mile between the pans which separated. The waves then dasiied on the pan where ve had our cabin and broke it up so rapidly that we had barely “time to } get up the boats and baggage and move towa'ds tle middla.of the pau before ihe site of the cabiu was destroyed. Ia the ceutre of the pan we pitched our tet again. Atnoon on Thursday the cold was beyond ‘eudarance, the fuel was nerrly covsumed, and we then looked shead tor fue! io last Thursday night. | We reckoved on the balance of the boat; three trunks, a quantity of mail news-| paper maiter, ete., to last us till Friday | morning. By this time most of the men | had given vp ell he pe of reaching land, and tor my part 1 thick if we had to

‘There was uo order of our going; the

was hard to face, and we had to move! strongest mon went to the front, and the

weaker followed. Morrisou and I trough up the rear, as | wanted to take my valises. Morrisou was pretty weak, but he shortly got ahead of me, as I was weighted by the valises. When I got about 2U0 yards from the shore, 1 was met by two young men who took my valises, avd helped me _ along. These men had been sent down by the first of our crew who had arrived at the shore. It was about 8 o'clock when | reached the house. It was a regular hospital, everyone being more or less frozev. it was then seen that three of our vumber was missivg, apd a party was sent out to search for them, They found Capt. Newton Muttart at a neigh bor’s house, aud Mr. Gly¢don was foynd ina barn, hands and feet badly frozen. He had followed Capt. Muttart, Lut had uot been able to keep up with him. The other man, Sandy Muttart, was found in the marsh perfectly speechless, with his face badly frozen. ‘The people sat the house (Angus McPhail’s) vied with one another in helping us. They spared themselves no trouble, avd many of the passengers owe their lives to their prompt aud kind attention, A motly- looking spectacle was twenty men sitting with their feet in dishes ot cold water, trying to draw out the frost from their frozen limbs. The walk from the board ice to the shore (about two miles) was a severe task for many of the crew. It was the last struggle for life, aud many of the men arrived at the shore with just power to move one limb in front of the other, aud barely conscious, Until the morning the men could not tell to what degree they were frozen. Some of them had kept their limbs in water five or six hours... It was then found that all the crew and passeagers, with the exception of Dr. Melutyre, the three Campbell brothers, Muucey Irving, Hanford Allan aud Blucher Robertson were more or less frozen. Those who were most severely frozen were Mr. Glyddon, Mr. Millett, James Mutturt and James Mor- risou. My own injuries are but triflivg

compared with mapy others. | am firmly of opinion that there was nonecessary delay jin starting. That

had they got away at 8 o'clock there would have been no difficulty in making the crossing. This delay should not have occurred, and the day was such when the start was made, that it was almost madness to make it. It was then begiviug a regular vorth-easter, and 1 hesitated about leaving. That boats should start so inefficiently equipped, is in my opivieu nothing b rt of criminal, will probably be investigated before the proper authorities. Mr. Fraser declived tor the present to give any expression of Cpizion. But weare informed sufficieat- ly trom other’ sourcés to say that’ no delay~ should be.. made iu mikivg a thorough examipatiop, The travelling public have now ap oppertun- ity of learning for themselves under what protection they crose-ihe straits, - Messrs. Irving aud Mutiart, ou behalf of themselves and boats’ crews, return their warmest thavuks to Mr. James Coleman, Superintendent of the P. E. Island Railway, Mr, Brecken, Post- muster, Mr. Lord, Agent Marine and Fisheries Departmeot, Mr. John Hughes, of Charlottetown, Mr. T.-C. James, Sup'. Anglo-AmePican ‘Telegraph Co., aod his operators at Capes Traverse. aud Tormeuiise end Charlottetown aud others for the interest manifested,and de- sire to do everything within thei? powe- thet might have led to the reseuing of the |

missing boats, crews, passengers | and = meils during — their

promptness in despatching medica! aid to | the suffer'ing on landing; also to the! people of Black Point, who assisted them | aod kindiy did everythiag! within their power tu alleviate their

on shore

speud Thursday aight iu the Gulf there

vera gy as tte gh

hes. TA See

ener rare

OI Do aN NE an

suifeviugs,

vot three miles | bout proceeded ou her way without en- bled out of / countering any unusual obstacle to her |

the land. |} ‘of the Cape Traverse shore, when a}

The conduct of the men!

perilous jealousy among the ice couriers, aud long | attempt to cross the straits, and for the|

re

The terrible experience of the men’

who landed at Argyle Shore, is oaly rivalled by -the .sad incident which oc-, curred inthe year 1855. They are, {ideed, two sad incidents in the history

of our winler mail communication. ln ithe year 1855, on 9 five Friday it it useless to| the iceboat carrying the mails,

Johnson, Dr. Richard Johnson of this city)

(now . ' rnd |

Henry Haszard, (son of the late James |:

D. Haszurd) two medical students on

| : meas their returu from college,and a Mr. Wier, |

when of Bangor, Me., os passengers, left Cape: and immediate |‘Tormentine for Cape ‘Traverse. The

progress Wntil she got within halfa mile |

violent :quall of whirlwind, charged with | a blinding svowfall, suddenly burst upon |

found themselves utterly noable to keep | their course or make the least headway. through the darkness and violence of the, storm which had so unexpectedly sur- ! rounded them. They could now do nothivg but try and shelter themselves as best they might from the fury of the) storm. For this purpose they turned up| their boat on a large cake of ice, and gave the passengers the tullest benefit of the shelter that could thea be afforded them. In this condition they drifted before the storm all night, and in the! morning found themselves driven far) out of their course into the middle of the wide part of the Gulf, and several miles from the nearest point of either shore. llere they were driven backwards and forwards by the tides and currents of the Gulf during the whole of Saturday and Sunday ovight, with- out being able to make the least hoadway towards landing. On Sunday morning Mr. Haszard became unable to walk, aud had to be hauled in the boat by his fellow sufferers, who gave him al! the aid and attendance they could bestow upon him, aud made efforts — which, under the circumstances, might weil be called heroic—to save his life, but in vain. The exposure of the three uights aud days proved too great a strain oo his somewhat delicate constitution, and op Monday eveuviug, in the iceboat out in the middle of the Gulf, he breathed his last. The survivors, after suffering the hardships of exposure in

with the boat, containing Mr. Haszard’s body and all the mails, at a point pear Wallace, Nova Scotia. Here they were most hospitably received, aud had all their wants most kindly attended to uatil they had recovered sufficient strength to stand the exposure of removal to their own homes with perfect safety.

N< tes.

The relief party returned to the city at midnight.

Dr’s. Taylor, Conroy, and Jeukins were in attendance onthe sufferers to- day. Dr. McLeod returned home at noon,

The boatmen who are suffering from frozen feet and hands will arrive in the city this evening, and will be placed in the Charlottetown Hospital.

Dr. Mclatyre arrived in the city th’s forenoon, and proceeded to his home in Souris this evening. He was ‘much exhausted, but was not otherwise injured.

Mr. Jas. Morrison, feet and one wrist frozen, and nose slightly frozen.

Mr. Gliddon, Tiguish, havds and feet badly frozen.

James Howatt, feet badly froze,

Newtou Muttart, feet badly frozen.

George Allan, one foot slightly frozen.

Bluch Robertson, eyes badly inflamed from smoke.

Mr. Treuholm, dangerously ijl from puemonia.

Hanford Allau , ill from pneumonia.

Others with the exception of Irving acd the Campbells suffering from fatiguer

One of the poets has said that the sad- dest words are, “It might have been.” The saying (is true; but true only in past ; for after an escape from a great peril or a terrible death, when we reflect upon the danger past, the words “It. might have been,” are very apt to rise to our lips to express feelings the reverse of sud—feelings of deep relief add hearttelt thavkiuloess.

We shall not now stop to think of what might have beeo had the fears of yesteiday been realized. know that the intrepid meu of the Cape, and the passengers id their Care, are saie. . The joy bells have been rung, and our thanks ascend to the merciful Preserver, coe & The extreme suffering which they en- dured, and the narrowness of their escape, wotwithetanding their great pluck and power of endurance, will, however, we trust, be lopg remembered, and long exercise @ restraining influence on those who may hereafier be tempted to cross the Siraits in ieeboats during storiny weather. lucreasing demands of the travejling and business public during winter, increasing competition and

exempiion from accident, fad no doubt combined to produce carelessness in uudertaking the hazardous crossing, There are two important points which will, no doubt, be borne in mind as a re-

JANUARY 81,

the Gult one night longer, at last suc-| ceeded, on Tuesday mornivg, in lauding |

Tt is epouh to}

1885.

Hal ricdatanes feces MS. JARLEY'S WAXWORES.

blowing from the east awd- northwest, and (2) That the boats shall not be put out unless there is a store of provisions

however coarse and hard, on board, I 1 March, | these points are attended to the event)

and ac-|may vot be without its benefits; and we THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5th,

must, at anyrate, be thankful that the result is not worse than it ‘s.

COAL. COAL.

EN STORE:

300 Tons AVCADIA NUT, 200 do do ROUND, INTERCOLONIAL FOUND, | OLD MINESYDNEY, SYDNEY SLACK,

; | ; j

100 do ibd) do 200 do

' ©. LYONS, Acadia Coal Depot, Peake’s No 2 Wharf. Civtown, Jan. 28, 18s5—6w whly !

A tee j

F you want tha latest local and foreiga news, bny veal the DAILY EX. AMI NYVD

2 na

—AT

Ch’town, Jan. 30, 1585.

THE LIVERPOOL & INSURANCE

Philip Farrell, ove foot slightly frozen .

Mr. Millet, both feet avd ears badly; Assets, Ist Jam., 884 frozen. Will probably loose feet and! Assets in Canada = ears,

Aarou Wilson,uot frozen. Yery much . fatigued.

LEONARD MORRIS,

Agent, Summerside. Ch’town, Jan. ), 1885—1mo

OANA © 6 6

Citown, Jan, 1a §

150 Barrels HERRING,

GROCERIES of the Best Quality. require, and at Low Prices.

sult of the trials, sufferings and escape hers recorded (1.) That crossings

Oh’ town, Jan, 23, 1885-—~4i cod her gi

—s =

Se ee

HEAD OFFICE— Montreal. HALIFAX BRANCH- J. Scoti Mitchell, Agent.

—j

Risks Taken on Most Favorable Terms A5¢NT FOR PRINCE EDWARD ISLANIT :

SS

AT THE FISH MARKE GRAFTON STREET.

— na ~o :

The Grocery Store, in connection with the Fish Market, is aleo » Families can be snpplied with

WILL BE

AT Fi BiIN A UM,

] LHIRITED Tr

~ ON

Further particulars later,

Ch’town, Jau. 26, 1885 29

ILL be received by the undersi

W to 12 o'clock, at of the oth Few ary neXt, for the ereetion of an addition to Prince Edward Island Hospital, Chariot town, according to plans and «pecitications “ be scen at the ofiice of Mesers. Phillips & Chappell, Architect.

The Trustees of the Hospital do not bing themselves to accept the lowest or any tender

Vor farther particulace apply to :

Db. R. MACLENNAN, “eore tary,

A nt ee a,

(h’town, Jan. 91, i886. DVERTISE in THE DAILY RXAMWI. 4% NER, if you want t# reach the mos

people fae the lnect monn +

—- —— ao - = —=

A...

LO\DON & GLOBI COMPARY.

ee

FIRE AND LIFH.

- “ $34,794,746.99 - : 759,201.79

Agent,

$2,000,000

%

F. H, ARNAUD,

Werchanta Rank of Malifar

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL: 400 Qaintals Large Bank CODFISH (choice), 300 Boxes Scaled HERRING,

, at ____ 10 Half Barrels Mess SHAD, SALMON, TONGUES and SOUNDS ; also PORK, HAMS, LARD, &c., Very Wo

) enpolied wilt nil Unet tbe

J. H. MYRICK.

oe

: ©

JAMES SHAND WILL SELL THE BALANCE OF HI3 STOCK OF i

COMFORTS & BLANKETS |

Reduction to Clear!

—ALSO—_

A Lot of Ladies’ MANTLES and WOOL GOODS”

—AT—

HATE PRICE.

Ea

Risks taken in the city and country. Rates Moderate. —

a

K.R. FITZGERALD, _

ROYAL CANADIAN INSURANCE 60,

FIRE.

cs

ee

,

or

es . *