The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-09-04 00:00:00

CREW.

The Bombay papers brought by the last mail contain the
following interesting narrative :

"The steamship Ash, the vessel chartered by Govern-
ment to go in search of the shipwrecked crew of the
Mahableshwur, which was wrecked on one of the Lac-
cadive Islands on June 15, arrived in Boinbay harbour
on Saturday morning, with the captain, the second
mate, and twelve of the shipwrecked crew.
"It will be remembered that the British India
Steam Navigation Company's ship Madura picked up
the mate and five men on the 17th ultimo, and
brought them on to Bombay. By means of the tele-
graph the intelligence of the wreck of the Mahable-
shwur and the probable danger to which the remainder
of the crew were exposed, were made known to the
general public, and a lively interest was excited as to
the fate of those who had failed to escape from the
islands upon which the ship struck, The Govern-
ment at once recognised the necessity for immediate
action, and with admirable promptitude chartered
and despatohed under the care of Captain Creagh,
one of their own officers, the s.s. Ash, with a view to
rescuing the unfortunate men and salving any pro-
perty which might be found in the vicinity of the
wreck.

"The Ash, which is an iron veasel of 919 tons burden,
and with engines of VO-liorse power, started on her
voyage on the 22nd instant. A fair voyage was made
to the Ilacc,adivez, and on arrival there measures were
immediately taken to discover the whereabouts of the
shipwrecked men. On the 26th ultimo the island of
Bingaroo was made, and a boat put off from the ship
in search of the men who were supposed to be on
the island. The approach of the boat and the
vicinity of the ship ho not been noticed by the
five men OP the island, and the occupants of the
Ash's boat landed without being observed. The ship-
wrecked men were at the time away in the jungle with
which the island is covered; but the two parties soon
discovered each other, and the joy of the five men at
being released from the enforced exile on the island
was very great. From their statements it would ap-
pear, however, that they were on the whole as com-
fortable as men in such a position could ressona,bly
expect to be. The island is uninhabited, but, during
the fair season, the occupants of neighbouring islands
in the group visit it fel'. the laurpose of collecting the
cocoanuts N‘yllicSl the trees on the island produce in
abundance. For their use during these visits a tem-
porary structure has been erected on a portion of the
island. This building afforded shelter from the ele-
ments and was utilised by the stranded men during
the greater portion of their stay. The waves washed up
a quantity of stores and wreckage from thstilfah.ccbtesh-
tour, including a number of caska, o. porter, and cases of
oatmeal and cornflour. As *Any of these as possible
were secured, and 'conveyed to dry ground ; and it was
well that'thi4 was done, for the island itself afforded
few means of subsistence; and with the exception of a
well which every ebb and flow of the tide affected,
there was no fresh water obtainable. The oatmeal
and tornilour secured from the sea kept the crew well
provided with food, whilst the porter i}Vverl to satisfy
the thirsty cravings of the n:\en, Which were aggravated
by exposure to Lhe intense 'heat of a tropical sun.
After' the'zilate and his party left the island, nothing
of importance occurred to mark the life of the remain-
inc five men until their rescue by the Ash.

"This part of the Ash's duty having been accom-
plished, it now remained for the offipers 64 the ship to
find the captain and his pc,rty who had left Bingaroo
on Juno 3A, intending to pull to Ancutta, a larger
island in the group, and had not been heard of since,
On July 28 the Ash made for -Underoo, an inlAa,bited
island bearing from the island of Ancntta almost
due east, and lying about 40 miles E. by N. of
Calicut. On landing at linderoo it was found that
the Captain and second mate and the Temainder of
the Crew and found an abicling--Plaut on this island,
and were on the whole iu -roe4 health.
"According to the statements made by the captain
and his men, it would appear that they left Bingaroa
intending to go to Ancutta, but a strong adyorre wind
and current prevented them frogi icaching the desired
destination, and:on d-1-11Y they xx.loe for Vrideroo,
and endep,voured Oland. The sea was rough, and the
lieltpf coral reef 4urronWing the island made it
dangerous to approach it. The native inhabitants of
the place, seeing the predicament the occupants of the
bipat were in, put off to their assistance, bringing cocoa-
nuts, which were very acceptable to the men after
many hours' exposure in an open boat. Two native
craft came off and tqhk the Mahableshwur's boat
in tow, piloting thorn safely across the reef on to
laxid. The natives seemed willing to render
every assistance in their power, and the ship-
wrecked mariners were at first provided with all that
they required in the way of food and drink. The
headman of the island met the party ooil after they
had landed, and demanded an ertpiauation as to where
they had cane from and the circumstances which had
lea up to their unexpected visit. One of the inhabi-
tants of the place who had formerly been employed
on English vessels spoke a little English, and with his
aid, and with the assistance of a chart of the islarAs
which the headman produced, the reauired iniorrnation
was given, and the whole party were o,6hauCted to a build-
ing used for olice piirpses by the little island com-
munity. When the Men had been on the island a few
days they found that the natives were not so willing to,
give them food as at first, and although they re-.
ceived no absolute refusal, it was evident that the
islanders regarded the visitors as Unwelcome guests,
whose PresenCo they could Very well dispense with.
The character of the food given to the meu was not
Very well milted to their co,mlitiou, it consisting prin-
eipall3i cury.'a;nd rice, and cocoanuts. Several at-
tempts were Made to leave the place, but they came to
nothing, it was found that the boat which had brought
thein ti the island had received such injuries as reu-
dered it unserviceable for the purpOse fi or which t was
, , , . .
required, and ni-gitiati us wcrc 9,b,nseTiently entered
lot L:. th'si .G 4144111 with the headman for conveyance
to the mainland. The headman at first agreed to land
the whole party at Calicut for 700 dole., but he
subsequently changed his mind and excused himself
from the bargain, on the ground that the boat could
not be launched. The men were, therefore, obliged
to make the best of their position, and to await s?xe.
favourable opportunity for leaving thesisland:'•As the
stay of the party became tmore. natives
hpomie loss .disposed to gNe the • men what food they
wanted, and they had to go round the island begging
for a little rice from one house and a little from an-
other. When they had been some time on the island
the headman heard the men singing in their quarters,
and he ordered that they should be brought un to his
house to sing for his amusement before they iedeiyM
any food. The party complied with he rleque4, and
henceforth during t. 4 reirraincie 'a tlieir stay they
wefe coniFielled to sing, and sometimes to dance, before
they had their food given them. In consequence of
the unwholesome and irregular nature of their diet,
the men suffered considerably. When the time came
for leaving the island many little acts of kirildnoss
were remembered, and the mariners divested them-
selves of all their slendci, possecsions—in'cluding their
kniveHn 3er to leave with their humble benefactois,
some token' Of theiegratitude.". •