January 27, 1926
Thirteen Days Adrift Before Rescue Came
Smith and Mitchell Subsided on Sandwiches and Jug of
Water Return Home After Being Carried Across
Thirteen days adrift with only a few sandwiches and a jug
of water between them and starvation, was the experience of Frank S.
Mitchell (Kitty Cat), of this city and Capt. Charles Smith of
Milton, who arrived home from Europe yesterday on the liner Regina
out of Liverpool.
The men, it will be remembered, left this port on the night
of December 6 for a point 25 miles East of Thacher’s island. The engine of the boat
went dead that night and the boat began to drift to sea on the wings of an easterly wind.
The craft , a 20-foot motor boat, was seaworthy and to this fact the men no doubt owe the
fact that they are alive today.
For 13 days the boat and the men drifted, and after their
supply of sandwiches, which had been carefully rationed, was gone, the men gave up all
hope.
They burned most of their clothing, in an effort to attract
passing ships at night. According to Smith a three master hove down to
them, but after speaking them, passed on without offering aid.
Hungry and thirsty after being five days without food of
any kind, along came the English tramp steamer Newby Hall, the
craft being out of the regular path of shipping, and picked them up.
After the men had been fed and warm clothing given them,
they soon regained their strength and told their story of being 13 days adrift in the
boat.
The Newby Hall landed them at
Gibraltar and the men made their way to Liverpool, after they claim, the American consul
refused to give them their passage home.
At Liverpool the men claim they were again refused aid by
the American Consul. But somehow or other they managed to pay for a third class ticket
from Liverpool to Boston and returned home in comfort. |
