The New York herald., 1879-09-06
LOSS OF THE ILLIMANI.

WRECK OF ONE OF rHE PACIFIC STEAM NAvIGA-
TroN ooMPANY's FINEST VESSELS STORY OF
A PAssENGER-LIsT OF THE PASSENGERS
VALPARAISO July 28. 1879.
The lmani, one of the finest and most powerful
vessels owned by the Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany. being registered at 4,o22 tons. wrecked on
the island of Mocha. in the Pacific latitude 3s deg.
"a min. 10 sec. south, longitude 73 deg 56 min.
so sec. west on the morning of July 49, She
had sailed from Liverpool June IL. and
nearing her destination when the disas-
ter took place. She had passed the Straits Of
Magellan just FIVE days. and during that period
had encountered nothing but unfavorable weather.
The current lunning two miles an
hour and the wind beatiug furously on the
vessels side She rolled terribly. The sky was
thick and cloudy, aud astronomical observation
out of the question. On the 18th of July the log
showed that the ulimani had made less than two
hundred and ten miles, the shortest distance trav
ersed during the voyage. The strength OF the
rent was sensibly augmented. the rocking of the
ship had grown intolerable. At midnight it
calculated that the coast of Valdivia twenty
hve miles to the starboard. and the captain,
for greater safety. made further allowance of
ten miles. Nevertheless. ut ten minutes past two
A. NJ great crash heard. The right side of the
vessel corresponding to the engine room. had been
pierced by hidden and jagged rock. She gave.
it were. one groan and then trelnbed all over. in
a death struggle A moment of sepulchral silence
followed. The writer rushed deck. and there
found Captain Leportier, who III bed when the
shock took place The captain was terribly pale.
He had hastily snatched up few clothes At the
sound of his trumpet all the hastened to their
posts and stood there calmly resoutely, undaunted
answering to their
DECK.
There was at first moment of confusion among
the passengers. There many ladies, many chill
dren many nvalids in their number. The captain 8
frmness soon reassured even the most tmorous
His orders were executed in perfect discipline. The
steamer. Immediately after the shock. had settled
down upon the rock and there remained mctionless
her steampipe had exploded; the fires had been ut
once extinguished. Dense clouds of vapor rose
into the night. The vessel trembled be-
meath the blows of the waves. Black
darkness covered deck and shrouds, and the
bowling wind and fierce driving rain added to the
terrors of the hour. The sleet chilled us to the
bone. There no lack Of boats. They caps
BILE of holding at least 400 persons and we were in
all more than 12o-the crew numbering "a. the
passengers 26. No more than eight boats were
launched. Each person provided with food and
drink for five days, and the embarkation at once
began. The first launch unlucky. The current
caught the boat. whirled it round upset it, and the
two sailors who were inside it were only taken out
the port side the process presented fewer
difficulties. Mr.. Howard. first officer. with
directed it very successfully, and at twenty
minutes Of three most of afoat.
However. just as We were starting Mr.. Agustin
Arroyo. Consul General Of the Argentine Republic
in Chile who travelling q diplomatic
mission for Buenos Ayres to Santiago. and also Mr.
rescued without dlffcultv. These n
accidents worth mentioning. But the night was
too dark and our whereabouts too uncertain
to let us venture near land We waited for
daylight. Our boats tossed ON the crest
OF the like nutshells, aud thence
mani lay like vast black motionless body upon
its granite bed, and round its stern. which had u
golden haired sea nymph for its figure head. the
waves seemed to dance sad and funereal
measure. Alone on the bridge could be traced the
outlines of the captain. stinding with his arms
crossed, pale as DEATH Once and again though
that our signals had been answered and that light
cleaned in the distance. We were in error. Dawn
broke feebly and dmy at half-past FIVE. There were
then eighteen feet of water in the steamers hold
her steerage was completely flooded.
Then. for the first time we could make out where
were. The land ahead OF to the northeast, .
little low strip, with fringe of peaked rocks,
the Island OF Mocha. one of the group of Chloe.
We reached it. on the southwest corner, at noon.
We had made up minds to pass least several
days of privation and mortal ennui. when chance
miles long and three broad, il owned by Don
Juan Alemparte. person OF much gen.
erosity. His manager, Mr.. Brewer, his fam
lily and his servants Immediately put them
selves at our disposition. or the Illimani had
saved nothing but her papers and chronometer
All the passengers luggage was lost. The ladies
in very scanty attire when they landed the
children we're perishing with cold At half past four
IN the afternoon the water began to flow rapidly
stem and stern of the vessel and the steam escaped
with deafenng uproar. The captain still renamed
board. Half hour later the funnel tottered
and tell with crash into the sea. Captain Lepor-
tier, with his last four men, ut length consented to
abandon the ship. and at seven p. NJ the nliman
plunged stem forward into the sea and disappeared
We had reached the island on July Is. On the 23d
boat was despatched to carry news of our shipwreck
and the stearaer Zena, speedily sent to res
cue. brought us. in conjunction with the Chile of
the Pacifc Steam Navigation Company, safe into
Valparaiso on July %.
LIST PASSENGERS.
The list of saloon passengers il as follows:-Mr
Brownel. Captain Atkinson, Mr.. Crawford, two sons
and daughter; Mr.. Bredt. Mr.. Moran Gonzalez
DR.. Portus, DR.. Agustin Arroyo, Mrs. Young. Mr.
Romolo Cuneo. Mr.. Matthew Pabor and family, Mr..
Marin and nine third class passenpers