A Tale of the Sea.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 412, 4 February 1890, Page 2

A Tale of the Sea.

FEABFUL EXPERIENCES OF A FISHERMAN.

Melbourne, Jan. 22. A fisherman named Charles Bailey was recovered from a boat in Hobson’s Bay on Sunday after undergoing sufferings of a terrible description. He and his mate, named James Page, put off on Thursday about 2 p.m. in a half-decked sailing boat from a point two or three miles below Brighton. A good southerly breeza sprang up, and the spray broke over the boat. Bailey was steering, but having b ecome wet with the flying spray he handed the tiller over to Page, when quite unexpectedly two heavy seas in rapid succession struck the host and Immediately filled her. The boat became helplessly waterlogged and would not hold both mon at one time. They were nt first thrown out into the sea, but after a hard struggle they regained the boat. She would hold one safely enough, but as soon as both men attempted to get into her they would be again cast out. For nearly six hours this sort of struggle was continued. The poor fellows were terrib y distressed by their exertions and to add to their sufferings the eun beat down on their heads with almost overpowering effect. They felt that it was driving them mad. Taking turn by turn in tbs boat while the other clung on at the side, they managed to tear their clothing and by fastening some ot the strips together they made a covering for their heads, which acted as soma protection against the sun. They struggled on in thia way till about half-past eight o'clock without chancing upon any assistance or drifting any nearer the land. Page had been rapidly growing weaker and weaker, and at last remarked to his companion that he could hold on no longer, Three successive times he loosed his hold, and each time Bailey, although all but exhausted himself, got him back to the boat, and urged him to hold on and boon on, but soon afterwards a wave struck him, carried him away, and he was never seen again, Bsiley scrambled intn the water-logged boat, and there ha remained drifting aimlessly about, without food, With out water, and with no means of guiding his boat at all. Daylight came, and brought with it hope of speedy assistance, but all Friday passed and still ha was not rescued. His thirst became almost unbearable. Ha could not sleep, though ha was exhausted with ths long struggle he had gone through during the night, The strong southerly wind held through all this time, and the wreck was buffeted about in a wolul way, Friday night seemed even longer than the preceding one. and he scarcely hoped tn servivn it. He has no recollection of how he got through Saturday and Sunday, but with the terrible hast of the sun which has prevailed during the two days hia awful agonies can be imagined. Shortly after eleven o'clock on Sunday morning as the ketch The Swallow was coming up thejtsy she noticed something unusual In the water, and a boat was im mediately lowered to see wet it was. Asthay approached they saw Bailey, He waa 100 weak to call out; too weak almost to move a limb. He waa promptly taken on board the Swallow, when every attention was paid to him, and the wreck on which ha had spent three such dreadful days and nights was fastened astern and towed to Williamstown. The doctor found Bailey in a very bad way, owing mainly to the want of sleep and injuries to bis body, which he had received during the period of his privations. Ha is in a very critical condition. His experience is considered by nautical men as one of the most marvellous of the msny stirring incidents with which the bay is associated,