The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-11-01
MORNING. NOVEMBER |. 1870
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning, November l 1870.
Perils of the Deep.

fefis OF the Deep.
A LEAKY STEAMER PUTS TO sEA-suE
FOUNDERS, AND THE CREW TAKE TO TuE
BOATs-sUFFERINGs OF THE CREW.
Among other instances of sending ships t.
sea in an unworthy condition, one has jus
come to our notice. 1t appears that the 6tl
day of September the steamer Alexander Pet
ion, which had formerly belonged to the Hay
tian government, but which had been lately
sold to the mercantile firm of NJ. Riyere, left
Port-au-Princc Tor PERT Guave, a neighboring
port, where she was to be loaded with log
wood for Boston. On her arrival there it was
discovered that she was leaking, and this was
reported to Capt. Gordon, who gave orders
that donkey-ensine should be used in clear
ing her. The leak kept on for several days,
and no effort was made to stop it or ascertain
where it was situated, all that was done be-
ing to keep it as well down as possible. Dur
ing this time the loading OF the logwood by
the agent of Mr.. Rivere progressed rapidly,
but in the meantime seeing the mastery the
leak was gaining over the vessel, the officers
and crew protested against their taking any
more on board, but no heed was paid to the
remonstrances, and fifty more tons OF loswood
were taken on board. The leak kept on apace
and the sailors used to turn in ready to take
the boats at a moments notice. AT last the
cargo wascompleted, and the steamer sailed
Tor Port-au-PrInce, where she was to be coal
ed. On her voyage thither she encountered
uhfavorable weather, and the leak made ter
rIble headway. The donkey-engine was kept
gong and managed to fight against the water,
which poured into the vessel through open
seams, and to such an extent had the water
gained the ascendancy that no sooner bad she
taken IN her coal when she fonndered IN tour
1eet OF water. The quantity taken on board
was iully ZOO tons, she being IN LOO ton
steamer. The greatest difficulty was expert
enced In getting her afloat again, seeing that
She was SO heavily laden, but at last the task
was accomplished and the steamer floated but
still leaked, and as soon as the fires could be
Ilghted the same pumping out arrangements
had to be recommended. The next difficulty
TO be surmOunted Was the obtaining of "a
crew, some OF the hands having deserted, de
clarlng that they were not going to be crown
ed with their eyes wide open. At last, by
means of the Captain, some hands were ca
Jo!ed into coming on bound, on the assurance
that The run was to be only to Nassau. She
started, however, short-manned to such an ex-
tent that the cable was cut and the anchor
left behind. Seriously leaking and utterly un-
she put to sea on the 9th of Sep
tember, MIR. Rivere, her owner, being perfect
ly cognlzant OF her condition. When out at
sea the engaged hands found cut that they
were on their voyage to Boston, and hat Mas
sau was not their destination
II. the first four days all went, comparative
ly speaking, well, on account of the weather
being very fine, and the sea smooth. On the
morning of the fifth day the sea became very
rough and boisterOus, which was caused by
recent heavy gales. She labored heavily
stralnlng as ifshe were going down every mo-
ment, while the leak made terrible advance.
In this state Of things the Captain and the
officers held council, and determined to
head her off for Nassau, then about 500 miles
distant. The next day the leak had put out
the hres, so that the vessel was drifting before
the wind. Seeing that she was rapidly going
down by the head, the Captain ordered that
the boats be got ready and provisioned, and
leave the vessel to her fate. He, with four
teen men, entered one boat, while the chief
officer, James Watson, entered the second
one, accompanied by eleven men. When they
lett the steamer she hsd nine feet of water in
her hold. One hour after they bad left her
they saw her disappear. The two boats kept
together, signalizing each other every hall
hour during the night un Ill, about four o'clock
in the morning, the Captains boat disappear
ed. When they LETT the ship the understand
ing was that they were to make for Abaco,
the nearest point of land, and one of the lar
gest OF the Bahama group. The Captain had
discovered a sail, and made for it. In the
meantime the chief officers boat kept on
tor the Key, and was taken safely into Apa-
co by Captain Roberts, of small wreck
Key West, Nassau and New , York. s'sd The 9th, h.
er boats crew, with the Captain were not
nearly so fortunate, having deserted sail and
followed it away out TO sea, where they lost
sight OF the vessel. The sufferiDgs undergone
by both boats crew were very great. For ten
days before the steamer went ,down they had
no fresh water to drink, owing to the rising of
the water on board the Potion above the
tanks. and having to work night and day were
literally exhausted. On the third day the
men in the Captains boat suffered so much
from thirst that they swallowed large quanti-
ties OF salt water, which they scooped up in
their hats. The captain did all he could to
encourage the unfortunate men, but at last he
too lost all hope and said: Let he drift, boys,
we have done our best, we can't do no more;
We must either get help or die" When fully
resigned to their fate, and having abandoned
all hope, in the evening Of the fourth day
since the steamer went down, they were pick
ed up by schooner bound tor Texas, hailing
from New York, the Captain OF which, after
treating the exhausted men with the utmost
Kindness, further consented to deviate from
his voyage and put the men at Key Vest
Those that arrived at Nassau Were cared for
by the authorities in the absence of the Hay
tian Consul, and at Key West they were also
cared for by the authorities and sent to New
York to the Haytian Consulate where they
now are duly cared Tor, and are sent away as
thew daSira