Friday, December 15, 1876
Loss of Sch. Lancet
- One Man Drowned
The Crew Taken Off - A Hard Time of It
Sch. Carrie E. Sayward arrived
Wednesday evening having on board the crew of sch. Lancet of
this port, which was abandoned on Georges on Monday. From Capt. Patrick Eagan ,
her master, we glean the following particulars of the disaster:
The Lancet was at
anchor in deep water, Georges, Saturday, and at half-past six in the evening, during a
heavy blow, she broke adrift; lay to a drug all night. Sunday morning, at half-past eight
o'clock, a tremendous sea boarded the vessel, taking away her stem, starting the butts,
and leaving her in a sinking condition. Capt. Eagan and one of the crew, John
Kirby, were washed overboard, but succeeded in keeping on top of the tremendous
sea. The vessel drifted away from them but by swimming they managed to get alongside,
although their heavy clothing made their position a terrible struggle for life. Capt. Eagan
got one of his boots off, which relieved him somewhat, and as the vessel went past him, he
managed to catch the painter of the dory hanging to the stern, and was pulled on board in
an insensible condition. So tight was his grip, and so hard was the work of pulling him
in, that his arm was nearly pulled from the socket, and he is still suffering from the
effects. His companion, Kirby, was not so fortunate. he drifted past the
vessel, and no earthly efforts could help him, he sank beneath the waters. He was 42 years
of age, and leaves a widow and six children in this city, to mourn their sudden
bereavement.
The men stood by the vessel all night and on
Monday morning, when she was near sinking, they were taken off by the Carrie
E. Sayward. Before leaving the sinking craft they set fire to her in order
to the more speedily remove her from the track of other vessels. The Lancet was
56.76 tons, owned by Joseph O. Procter, valued at $3000, and insured in the Gloucester
Fire Insurance Office for $2,500. |
