A DISASTROUS VOYAGE

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 85, 12 April 1901, Page 2

A DISASTROUS VOYAGE

SICKNESS AND ACCIDENT AT SEA. [BY TELKGUAI'H. — PWK33 ASSOCIATION.] CHIUSTCHURCH, 11th April. The voyage of the barque Inverclyde, from Mauritius to Lyttelton, was made memorable by sickness, accident, and death. On 2&nd February the vessel left Port Louis with two of her crew sick with Mauritius or malarM fever. The disease spread rapidly, till half-a-dozen of the men were laid down at one time. They recovered, but as they became better others of the crew were stricken down, till at length twelve of the men had taken tke disease. The worst feature was that when apparently recovering they had relapses — some of -the men two and three. In only one case-, however, did death ensue. Tke violiiu was an A.B. named Samuel Couiings, aged 24, who died at 1 a.m. 'on Friday last. • Rather more than o. weok before Ooulir.gs's death an accident of a remarkable kind happened. Ad apprentice named Francis Morrison, while on the main royal yard assisting to loose the sail, fell to the deck, a distance of 170 ft. In his descent he b^noke sixteen ratlines of the main rigging, his body cutting through them in succession as he fell. They doubtless broke the force of his fall and saved his life. He alighted on a coil of rope, and lay insensible, his head covered with blood. He remained unconscious for three days, hut, wonderful to relate, broke no bones find sustained no internal injuries. He receive^ several severe bruises on liis neck ana body, and some j terrible cuts on his head.