From The Evening Telegram, 13 January 1913, page 5.
The Evely Wreck
CAPTAIN BURKE AND CREW HERE
—A STORY OF PERIL AND SUFFERING—KINDNESS OF FISHERFOLK.
Captain Burke, of the wrecked schooner Evelyn, mate C. G. Edgecombe, bosun Jas. Rendell, steward George Wright, and able seamen Wm. Collins, Alex. Keefe and Jas. Healey, drove in here overland from Ferryland, yesterday morning. From Captain Burke the Telegram obtained the following interesting particulars of an eventful and disastrous voyage. The Evelyn left Pernambuco for this port on the 10th December, and from that till the 27th had fine weather, then being in the Gulf stream it became storm prevailed most of the rest of ed from S.W. to N.N.W., and
Blew Heavily.
Previous to this on the 22nd. the ship, in lat. 20.20 North; long. 50 West., spoke the Gaspe, Capt. Connors, from Maceio to St. John’s, all well. This stormy prevailed most of the rest of the voyage which came very near being the last for all on board. Saturday and Sunday week, the 4th and 5th insts., terrific weather prevailed, the wind blowing first from south later from the N.N.W:, with hurricane force, with a tremendous sea running and intense frost prevailing. At 4 p.m. Monday land was first sighted in the neighborhood of Cape Pine, when a blinding snow storm set in and the ship’s head was hove to sea. The ship received a fearful overhauling in the terrific sea which ran and which often broke on board, until 5.30 p.m. Tuesday when Cape Pine was passed. If possible the wind became more violent, the frost increased tenfold, and sea and spray freezing on the decks, hull and rigging to the depth of several inches, made it almost impossible to work the ship as the running gear could not be handled with any degree of facility and as she was continually sea-swept the crew held the decks only at
The Risk of Their Lives.
Tuesday night all on board spent a miserable and anxious time of it. Wednesday morning broke with little change in the weather, and at 2 p.m. that day the ship was 4 miles off the land and about 5 miles north of Bay Bulls. The ship’s house flag was then hoisted with the hope that it would be noticed either at Bay Bulls or Cape Spear and the assistance of a tug obtained from either place but nothing came of it, and at 7 p.m. a snow storm set in while the barometer began falling at an alarming rate until it reached 28.60. By midnight in the drift all lights on the coast were obscured and a terrific gale from the S. E. sprang up blowing dead on the land, and veering so that the vessel had to be hove round and headed south in order to try and clear the land. At 4 a.m. Thursday, the wind veered south again, with a
Blinding Snow-Storm Prevailing.
The Evelyn carried double reefed mainsail, foresail, and mizzen with boom jib and jumbo, and by 6 a.m. in the blast, the jib, mainsail and foresail were torn in ribbons and it looked then as if there was no redemption for ship and crew as the vessel was almost completely at the mercy of the elements. After great exertion the ship’s head was hove round so that she might lay more easily in the trough of the sea which time and again made clean breaches over her and took everything moveable off the decks, while both captain and sailors had narrow escapes from being swept into the surging waters. Badly iced up as she was, and filled with wet snow, the vessel was now almost out of hand when at 9 a.m. the welcome sight of a steamer in the distance gladdened the despairing hearts of the imperiled mariners. Distress signals were hoisted and the ship which proved to be the Bellaventure, Capt. Cross, bore down on them and hove up near enough for the captains to communicate. Captain Burke knew that in such weather it would be impossible for Capt. Cross to make an effort at rescue, in such a storm as no boat could live in such a sea, nevertheless Capt. Cross generously and gallantly made the offer as already told in the Telegram. Shortly after the Bellaventure had left for St. John’s, the snow cleared and Green Island was sighted and the ship held away south. Then Cape Broyle was discerned and as the vessel had been for hours practically under bare poles with all her canvas gone, if was deemed impossible to clear the land and she was run into Caplin Bay until the lead line recorded 13 fathoms of water and both anchors were let go bringing the ship up. She was checked for only a few minutes, however, for the port chain parted with the straining of the ship in the sea, the starboard anchor dragged and she was swept in on Isle au Bois,
Striking Stern foremost
with a crash. The ship grounded at \ pm., with a big sea running, fortunately she stranded on a narrow strip of beach and at low tide and at least for the present all hands were safe. However, the prospect was gloomy in the extreme as it looked like a forlorn hope to scale the cliff which rose above them and as no boat could be expected to weather the sea it looked as if inevitable doom was but postponed and that when the tide rose in a few hours, the angry waves I would claim their victims. But the poor seamen, now almost without hope had not weakened in the brave fishermen of Ferryland, who had witnessed their plight, and Captain Burke spoke in terms of the highest praise of their heroism. Soon a skiff manned by H. J. Barnable, Jno. Barnable, Wm. Barnable, Wm. Furlone, Ml Devereaux, Jno. Devereaux, Jas Walsh, Howard Morey and Ml. White appeared and disregarding the awful weather prevailing endeavored to reach the men by going through, what they termed the Y of the “gapes” in the Island. In the attempt all came near being drowned, as a big sea broke on the boat filling her and knocking a hole in her and they had to pull for their lives reaching the south side of the Island and effecting a landing. Disregarding wet apparel and the elements the men tramped over the Island and lowering away ropes over the cliff each man was hauled up to safety. Kindness and humanity were prominent characteristics with these fishermen as their bravery and hurrying the half-famished and frozen seamen to their homes the men and their families showed them every attention and treated them with such consideration that Capt. Burke says he can never forget the treatment received at their hands. He also wishes to convey to the venerable Parish Priest of the place Rev. Fr. Vereker, his thanks and the thanks of his men for the kind attention paid them. The men lost all their clothing and Captain Burke all his nautical instruments, charts, etc., and as certain things were saved from the vessel by people from the shore, he thinks that his property or some of it should be with them. The ship is now gone to pieces and Capt. Burke and crew left for here at 1 p.m. Friday but had to put up at Mrs. Scully’s, at Cape Broyle that night where also they wen treated with marked kindness. Considering their terrible experience the Captain and crew are in good health and spirits.
