Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-03-31
The Missing Colima.

Inc COlOradO steam Navigation
Co.'s steamer Montana, Captain Nc
DonOugh, from the Gulf of California,
arrived off San Diego harbor at 3
o'clock this morning and sent boat
ashore. We are indebted to Wells,
Fargo d Co.'s messenger, David
Turner, for bringing to this office the
following important dispatches for the
Union, which will fully account for
the lack of tidings hitherto of the Pa
cific Mail steamer Colima, which
sailed from Panama six days ahead of
the Nevada, which arrived at this port
on Saturday last.
The following interesting statement
is furnished by Purser Green, of the
Montana:
STEAMSHIP MONTANA, offSan Diego, |
March 9th, 1874. {
Editor San Diego Union: The Colo
RADIO Steam Navigation Company's
steamer Montana, proceeding on her
voyage up the coast, when in latitude
81 degrees Is minutes north, longitude
116 degrees 46 minutes west, March
25th, 1890 A. NJ, discovered a boat
steering for the ship under signal OF
distress. Immediately the Montana
bore away for the boat, and upon near
ing her found her to be from the p. M.
S. S. Co.'s steamer Colima.
The officer in command reported the
Colima at anchor in the vicinity of
Cerros Island in a disabled condition,
with nearly three hundred passengers
on board and limited supply of pro-
visions on hand, nine days having
already elapsed since the departure of
the boat.
Capt. McDonough of the Montana
received the boat and crew on board,
and Immediately bore away for CerrOs
Island to secure the passengers or as
sist in any way the disabled steamer.
The following morning at $50 A. NJ,
the steamer Colima was discovered in
tow by the Arizona. At 10 A. NJ. the
Arizona stopped, and boats were dis
patched from the Montana to the CO.
lima asking if there were provisions
on board for them. Capt. McDonough
gave them all he could prudently
spare, and offered any assistance they
might need. At Ills all started
ahead and are now getting along
finely.
Capt. Hebron and Charles Ru-
dolp, the former, late agent of the p.
M. S. S. Co. in Acapulco, the latter
second officer of the steamer Colima,
were in charge of the boat picked up
by the Montana, having been dispatch
ed to seek assistance for the disabled
steamer and her passengers, with a
boat and crew of eight seamen. The
boat when picked up had been out
nine days and had made about 200
miles. The crew was very much eX-
hausted by loss of sleep, exposure and
constant eXertion, and their supply of
provisions had almost given out.
There remained only about ten pounds
hard bread, fifteen gallons of water
and few pounds of salt meat, conse-
quently much suffering was expert
enced from want of sufficient sus-
tenance. A stiff breeze was blowing
from the northwest all the time, which
rendered the progress Of the boat eX-
ceedingly slow; the sea was quite
rough and frequently broke over the
boat, causing all hands to be constant
ly drenched with water, and destroy
ing all the perishable articles of pro-
visions. 1t is but just to say that Cap
tain Heffron, Mr.. Rudolph and the
crew did their whole duty, and de-
serve much credit for the fortitude
with which they bore their privations
and sufferings.
The COlima broke three blades off
her propeller, fifteen miles south of
CerrOs Island, on the 18th of March,
and worked her way into san Angus
tin Bay where she was anchored in Is
fathoms of water. One boat was dis
patched for San Diego on the 18th, the
same that was picked up by the Mon
tana. Another was dispatched on the
Goth to the south to intercept the Ari-
iona, on her upward bonnd trip, in
which she succeeded on the 29d. The
Arizona arrived at the Colima on the
25th, and took her in tow.
March 9th, at 1880 A. NJ, steamer
Montana passed steamer Arizona and
Colima bearing w. S. W., 20 miles;
all well, bound up through the islands.
l.. P. GREEN, Purser Montana.
Il San Diego Union.