File:An Incident during the Search for HMS Atalanta ILN-1880-0508-0014 (cropped).jpg

English: An Incident during the Search for HMS Atalanta. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 8 May 1880. Artist: staff

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THE SEARCH FOR H..M.S. ATALANTA. A singular incident occurred in the cruise of H.M.S. Wye, Staff Commander Sarratt, which was dispatched in search of the missing training-ship Atalanta. The Wye arrived in Plymouth Sound on Wednesday last week. Commander Sarratt started from Gibraltar on the 20th ult. in search of the Atalanta, and arrived at Vigo on the evening of the 23rd. He left Vigo on the morning of the 24th. When about six miles from that place a small fishing-boat, with a man in a crouching posture, was observed. It was blowing hard at the time from the north-east, with a heavy sea. A boat having been lowered, the fishing-boat was taken in tow, brought alongside the Wye, and hoisted on board. The occupant turned out to be an old fisherman, apparently about seventy years of age. lie was perfectly unconscious when brought on board, and only lived about twenty minutes, although every effort was made by the medical officer, Dr. Lyon, to restore animation. The Wye returned to Vigo and delivered the body to the Spanish authorities, who expressed their gratitude to the Commander for the attention shown. It is supposed the man was a Spaniard. The boat had only one oar, and had evidently drifted off the shore or out of one of the bays; the old man being unable, when he had lost an oar, to withstand the strong easterly gale. The Wye had been ordered to the Azores, but the Channel Fleet were dispatched in search of the Atalanta, and the Wye left Vigo the next morning for Plymouth. A look-out was kept from that port to Plymouth, but nothing of the Atalanta was seen. We are indebted to Lieutenant W. Verner, of the Rifle Brigade, who was on board H.M.S. Wye, for a sketch of this romantic, but rather melancholy, adventure at sea.