New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-12
Arrival of the Ste0 mship Jamafcan-Loss
of Her First Officer, Carpenter and
One Seaman at Sea.

O0G seaman At sea.
The steamship Jamaican, Captain Wat
son, arrived at her wharf, head Of Jackson
street, Tuesday evening, at nine o'clock,
after long and tedious passage from Liv-
erpool, via Puerto Principe, Jamaica, Vera
Cruz, Tampico and Brazos Santiago.
The voyage was made unusually sad and
unpleasant by the loss of three men, and
the heavy weather that followed for sew
eral days after. The cause of the accident
was thus stated: On the fifth day out from
Liverpool, when about 400 miles northwest
of the Azores, the steamer deserted bark
to windward with all sail furled and riding
as lightly as a cotton loaded vessel. She
sgnaled and afterward hailed without re-
ply. Considering her abandoned, each Off
Ger and seaman was anxious to be one of
the party to beard her. The first officer,
bOatswain, carpenter and three seamen
comprised the boats crew selected. The
quarter boat was successfully lowered, and
the crew gave way with will for the aban-
doned vessel; but just before reaching her
a sea struck the boat and she capsized.
Captain Watson, seeing their condition.
with a sailors presence of mind, immedi-
ately launched the lifeboat, double manned,
and sent to their rescue, but owing to the
strong breeze and heavy sea the lifeboat
never reached them.
In the meantime the steamer had been
put in notion but, being a very long ship,
the first circle she made she fell short of the
waterlogged boat; the next she just reached
it. Those clinging to the boat being very
much exhausted, 50 much so that when
bowline was thrown to the first officer he
succeeded in getting it, but when the ship
raised on the sea and took him out of the
water he fell and went down and was not
seen afterward. The carpenter had been
washed away from the boat and clung 20
an oar until he sank exhausted, being una
BILE to swim. The third seaman was
drowned on the capsizing of the boat. The
three survivors were taken on board by
ropes being thrown to them, and in few
hours were able to return to duty.
The lifeboat and crew were soon picked
up, aud the steamship Jamaica headed for
her port of destination, while all hands
mourned bitterly the fate that shaped their
coul SO across that of the abandoned bark.
Captain Watson is of the opinion that
some foul play might have been going on
aboard of the bark, as her sails were all
furled as snugly as if in port; the only thing
ad rift was the lower part of the spanker.
There was no name or hailing port painted
on her. Her appearance and rig was that
Of German vessel.
While at Vera Cruz, changing berth un-
der steam, the Jamaican would not steer.
Upon examination it was found that the
rudder stock was hoisted off in the rudder
port. She came to an anchor and rigged up
permanent steering gear to perform the rest
of the voyage, consisting of two outriggers
over the stern, two straps on the back OF
the rudder, two chains leading from these
straps through blocks on the end OF the
outriggers, and to the wheel forward on the
bridge, with which arrangement the cap
tain brought the vessel safely into port.