NIGHTMARE VOYAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1936, Page 7

NIGHTMARE VOYAGE

MURDER AND WILD BULL

A murder committed far out to sea at the dead of night; the ship, due to its steering gear being broken, rolling helplessly in the teeth of a gale; a bullock running amuck in one of the holds and nearly goring several of tne crew; and anxious days off the coast of Eritrea, where she was discharging her cargo—that, in brief, is the history of the last voyage of the Cape St. Andrew which arrived in Durban, South Africa, recently. , She was direct from Aden and had called at Durban for a complete overhaul and survey before loading a cargo of coal for Mombasa. "This has been our. most eventful voyage," said an officer, "and I am glad that it is over at last. The murder was a most unnerving experience. At about midnight one night, when we were on our way to Aden from Merka, a Lascar bos'un was walking from the stern to the peak of the ship. He heard a muffled thud, then a form dashed past him towards the crew's accommodation.

"In the alleyway he 4ound a stoker lying dead with eleven stab wounds in his body. Thebos'un had seen the face of the man who had run past mm and arrested him immediately. He was clapped in irons and brought before the Courts at Aden, where he was convicted of murder."

"We came with a light ship to Durban from Aden," said one of the officers, "and although we encountered bad weather we made good time. OfT Savora Point our steering gear jammed. High seas were running and a terrific gale was blowing. "We were tossed all over the place and had to drift with currents as our engines were stopped. At one time we only covered thirtytwo miles in. twenty-four hours."