The daily gazette., 1879-10-24
SECOND EDITION
FIRE AT SEA.
Destruction of the Spanish
Steamer PardjG del Oce0ssO.
A MIDNIGHT HORROR.

FHOM ChUEL FLAMEb TO MEnCi'Goo
wAvEs-FoRTY PERSONS BELIEVED TO
HAVE PEkIsHkD.
New ORLEANS, Oct. %, 1879.
The English steamer Louise H., Cap
tain Voss, just arrived from Aigiers,
Africa; brings seventeen unfortunate
men, picked up al sea, who are the sole
survivors of the Spanish steamer Nuevo
Psjaro del Oceano, which was burned at
sea early in the morning OF Saturday,
October 1S. -... H
IN PERILoUS PLIGHT. t.
Captain Voss reports thai At about
nine o'clock Of the evening of that day,
as his vessel was passing through the
old Bahama Channel, hail was heard,
and on its being repeated the engine on
the Louise II. was stopped and the
wa ch Oh deck endeavored to discover
from whence the voice proceeded. On
lowering the boat they found five men
clinging to kind OF raft, made by LASH
ing hen coop on two planks. The men
were In terrible state of destitution
aud spoke but little English. On being
asked if any more of their comrades
were in the water stated that there had
been originally been fifty seven in the
| ships company, and that it was supposed
that number of them we're still afiOat
in the neighborhood of the raft from
which the survivors were taken.
SEARCHING FOR OTHER SURVIVORS,.
| The steamer was at once put about,
and, after going mile and watching as
| we'll as they sould, they again heard
| faint cries. Fortunately the sea was not
| running high at tho time aud there was
no difficulty in rescuing all the persons
they were able to find. Cruising around
up to IL O'clock. Captain Vess was able
to pick up seventeen unfortunate beings,
who were cGnging to oars and bits OF
wood, or anything else that they could
hope would sustain them in the water.
| which every moment threatened. to
sweep them to their death. 1t IL sup
posed, from the sound of the voices
which hailed the Louise H., that there
were more persons in the water than
we're afterward rescued, but In the dis
tress which surrounded them the survi
vors whether all their companions suC-
oeeded In getting on board. Captaiu
VoSs continued to cruise in the neigh
borhood until morning dawned, but was
unable to rescue any more than those
discovered the night previous. ~
A TERRIBLE MIDNIGHT. %
The story Of the disaster, as far al il
can be gathered from the captain Of the
| lost steamer, is as follows:-"The unfOr
tunate vessel which he commanded wa
wooden sidewheel steamer, which a
J one time was used as a transport fo
troops. She left Havanna bound TO
Nuevitas on the 10th of October, and ol
the morning of the 18th of October, al
about four O'clock in the morning, th'
alarm of fire was given. The Captaiu
reaching the deck, discovered that the
steamer was completely enveloped Ii
flames. In the terror and confusion
which ensued every one on board jump
ed into the sea in whatever clothing
they happened to have on, graspipf
whatever they might lay their hands OF
that they supposed might keep them
atioat.
AN INFLAMMABLE CARGO.
The vessel, it ssaid, had large guam
tity of Intiammable matter aboard OF hel
both coal oil and gunpowder. The fir,
so that 1t was impossible TO get the boat:
af1oat or to save any thing.
/ Nothing is known as to the origin o
the fire.
DEATH IN THE FLAMEs. .i
The vessel was soon burned to the wa
ter, and some of those who were abroad
IL is supposed, must have perlshed In tn
flames.
l.. STRUGGLING FOR LIFE.
The rest Of these unfortunate wer
left struggling in the water. They saw
in the afternoon of the blazing hot day
which folio wed small Spanish gunboa
steam by, but too far distant to be hailed
One woman, q stewardess, was sustain l
ell on the raft for some time, but fnall
>he relinquished her hold and droppe
into the water. q. 1. ..-..! ..,
Il ,rr11t ESCAPING THE SHARKS.
The second mate ana companion ha
marrow escape from sharks, whic
were seen in great numbers all aroun
them. "'