THE WRECK OF THE ADEN.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1897, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE ADEN.

« DREADFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE SURVIVORS. SEVENTEEN DAYS' IMPRISONMENT ON THE VESSEL. NOBLE BEHAVIOUR OF THE WOMEN. [OTTB OWN COBBESPONDfINT.] London, 2nd July, Full particulars of the loss of the P. and O. s.s. Aden will have reached you long before this letter, so that it merely remains to me to chronicle the effect of the news in London. This was less than one could possibly have imagined considering the extent of the catastrophe. Ordinarily the papers would have obtained yards of " personal narratives," " harrowing details," and sage reflections. This week the event was barely noticed, succumbing, like everything else, to the all-devouring Jubilee. The best account of the disaster I have seen was that cabled to the Daily Mail. This " describes how, after several days' heavy weather, the Aden struck on a reef at 3 a.m. The correspondent says :— On 9th June, at three in the morning, the vessel struck the reef Ras Radressa, off the eastern part of the island of Socotra. The engine-room was instantly flooded, and, in consequence, utter darkness ensued. ' J ■ A TEBBIBLE PANIC. The scene which followed was one of the wildest description, and the utmost confusion prevailed. The passengers rushed from their cabins terror-stricken. They fled to the upper deck in the scantiest of clothing. Some of the women and children were screaming: the men were silent, but filled with horror at the scene which met their gaze. Officers and crew were doing their utmost for the Safety of the vessel, and doing it, too, with indomitable courage, endeavouring at the •ame time to inspire their comrades in adversity with something akin to their own comparative calmness. A DESPERATE SITUATION. It was seen that all hope of saving the steamer was gone, and that the only means of safety afforded was by the aid of the Ship's boats. The life-belts were ordered to be served out, and this was promptly done. Meanwhile, distress signals were being made in the hope that they would-be observed by some px«sing vessel. Nor wer* these the only preparations made. The boats on the lee side — those on the weather side had been washed away— •were prepared for launching, and while this ■was being done, others of the crew assisted the terror-stricken passengers to secure some more clothing from their cabins. When the fire-alarm was raised they had rushed helter-skelter on to the deck, regardless of ail consequences, but when it was found that some hours probably would elapse before it would be possible to launch a boat, and that in the meantime there was a possibility of the storm abating, they gladly accepted the assistance of members of the crew to obtain more clothing. Meanwhile, however THE STOBM INCREASED IN VIOLENCE. Huge seas dashed over the vessel witL terrific force, and as time went on the situation became worse and worse. . The lony lookedrfor daylight brought with it no relief, except that those on board were able to gauge more accurately the awf ulness of their position. DISASTEBS TO THE BOATS. And then misfortune followed misfortune. The .lifeboat was lowered only to be immediately swept away. There were three Lascars in it, together with the first officer, Mr. Carden. The second officer, Mr. Miller, was immediately despatched in the gig to the rescue, but to the utter despair of those on board, both boats were swept rapidly away by the cruel sea, now raging at its worst. Only one boat remained, and the intense emotions with which the lowering of this last hope was watched may be imagined. A cry of anguish broke from most lips, even of the men, when this last boat, directly it was lowered, was half capsized, the sailors find stores being cast into the sea. HEBOISM OF THE WOMBN. After great efforts by those engaged in the lowering operations, the boat was righted, and the ladies and children were lowered into it, with the exception of Mrs. Gillett, Mrs. Pearce, and Mrs. Strain, who heroically decided to remain on the wreck with their husbands. Miss Lloj'd and Miss "Weller also determined to remain on board. It was a European crew who manned the lifeboat, which left the ship in a tremendous sea, and drifted rapidly out of sight. As the morning advanced the angry ■waters still continued to sweep over the vessel, the force of the waves dashing many of these on board to the sides and other parts of the vessel, and leaving them almost prostrate on the deck. WASHED OVEBBOABD ONE BY ONE. The rage of the weather was indescribable, and one by one men, women, and children — grown too weak to withstand the repeated buffetings of the mighty seaswere washed overboard in the sight of those who were every moment expecting to meet a similar fate. Mr. Strain, from Tientsin, together with his wife and their two children, Miss Lloyd and Miss Weller - (two missionaries from Foochow), and the baby Of Mr. and Mm. Pearce, together with its Chinese nurse, were among the firat to be thus engulfed. Then Captain Hill, whose leg had been broken, but who, notwithstanding, had borne himself calmly and bravely, was the next to be claimed by the unrelenting waves, while several of the native crew were similarly lost. All day long had the sea been raging, picking off victim after victim, until at 5 o'clock in the evening those who yet survived retreated below. Many we*e badly hurt, and thus in bodily pain and tkc most intense mental suspense, all huddled together, they passed the night in the small cabin, which every moment threatened to be their tomb. It was a night which none of the survivors I have seen cares to think about, let alone talk of. PBIVATIONB OF THE BUBVIVOBS. The storm slightly abated towards the morning of the 10th, and those who were able to move commenced to search for provisions, for up to this time need for food had not asserted itself over the more acute privations which had been undergone. This search for food was done at expense of great pain to their bruised and stiffened limbs, but also at imminent risk, for big seas were still sweeping over the stranded vessel. Indeed, the fourth engineer, while trying to procure water from the vicinity of the poop, was struck senseless by a heavy sea, and was almost added to the already long list of the previous day's victims before he could be dragged into a plate of safety. Artificial respiration was employed, and every effort made, but it was five hours before he was restored to consciousness. Meanwhile Mr. Pearce, one of the passengers, had also had a very narrow encape, and was only laved from being washed overboard by the prompt action of bis dauntless wife. The search for rations, undertaken as it was at this great risk, was not very successful, but a little food was found, and was shared out. A T6BTUBINO VIGII. All the time a sharp look-out by desperate men was kept, but three days passed before the first vessel was sighted, on 13th June. The signals of the poor, despairing creatures were not seen, however. On the 17th asecond vowel wai sighted,

and again another on 20th June, but neither of them paid the slightest heed to the signals although it seemed to the survivors that their signs of distress could not fail to be seen. These unhappy episodes broke down many who had hitherto kept command of themselves, and the scenes of half-maddened rage on the part of some were painful in the extreme. THE HEBOIC "WOMEN AGAIN. During this time the conduct of both Mrs. Gillott and Mrs. Pearce was heroic in the extreme. Mrs. Gillott oatered always for the shipwrecked colony, and cheered the party, though the provisions were lessening daily. Rations were curtailed day by day. Mrs. Gillott's daughter, who was only seven years of age, shared equally with the others, who would not permit her to go hungry. The weather moderated gradually in the mornings, but always increased in violence during the afternoons, seas 30 feet high breaking over the wreck. Portions of the ship were continually being carried away. ANOTHEB SEARCH FOB STOBES. The anxiety of those on board increased daily. The rations had been reduced to the lowest limit, the time was reached when there was only sufficient at the then rate to last three days. When things were at their worst, Messrs. White, Kelt, Cave, and Valpy bravely ventured across the well-deck (the lowest in the ship) to search the storeroom. There they found sufficient provisions for another week. SUCCOrjB AT LAST. Returning with these on the evening of 25th June, they sighted two steamers. One proceeded on its way, the other anchored under Socotra Island. A Lascar mounted the rigging, making signals, while all on board watched with straining eyes. They burned lighted candles at the portholes, and at daybreak on the 26th June the 17 days' suspense was at last relieved. The steamer rounded the point, heading towards the wreck, and anchored within a mile. Heavy seas were still running, though the wind had slightly moderated, and it was with heartfelt joy, not unmingled with the tears of the men and the hysterical sobbing of the women on the wreck, that they saw the lifeboat being lowered. It took the boat 45 minutes to reach the wreck. Everyone, on board rushed to the broken side of the ship, and the lifeboat, by the exceeding skill of those controlling it, managed to avoid the tremendous wash, and so took off the European survivors and a portion of the native crew. These it conveyed with much difficulty to the rescuing ship Mayo, of the Royal Indian Marine, and returning afterwards to the wreck, took off the rest of the native' crew. The lifeboat was manned by Lieutenants Dobin and Goldsmith. The Mayo arrived safely in Aden harbour on the 28th June.