The Portland daily press., 1880-11-01
A BARK IN DISTRESS.
ON HER wAY.FROM PORTLAND TO
ENGLAND.
Unsuccessful Attempt TO Rescue the
Panic Stricken Crew.

The steamship California from London AZ
rived at New York Sunday and reported that
on Wednesday, the Goth, at about 2.3o o'clock
forging through tn immense seas caused by
continuous northeast winds, the lookout re-
ported a vessel off the starboard bow, flying
signal of distress. From the deck of the Cal
ifornia, through glasses, the vessel was found
to be bark, deeply settled and apparently
helpless in the waves. The signal stated that
it was the British bark Macedonia, Capt Par
ker, that she was water-logged and that the
crew wanted to abandon ber.
The California at once headed for the bark.
boat was lowered and second officer Hardie
and seven men succeeded in making their
way to within a short distance of the vessels
side. The heavy sea running rendered it inn
possible to get the small boat near enough for
the barks crew to get into it. A line was
thrown from the bark to the cutter, but the
force with which the sea tossed the boat about
snapped the rope. The bark's crew, II in num-
ber, seemed panic stricken, and none of them
tried to reach the boat In the gale that was
blowing little communication could be had
Will tuouy duO dill tudt OluCSI 11dTul0 ledrueQ
was the bark was leaking badly, having 10 feet
of water in the hold, and was unmanageable.
The boat was compelled to keep at some dis
tance for fear of being dashed against the YES
sells side and broken up.
The crew were called to throw another
line, and they would be hauled to the cutter
through the water. They either did not COM
prehend the directions or were afraid to make
the desperate attempt. Some of them had
H. -. L. e ~l.oI
it seemed to the cutters crew that they hesi-
tated on account of losing heir effects Officer
Hardie and his men kept near the bark, try
ing to make themselves understood and if pos
sible get the crew off, until it began to grow
dark. The sea was apparently increasing in
violence, and it became evident that, unless
the steamer was reached before night set in,
the boats crew would suffer the fate from
which they were striving to rescue the help
less sailors of the bark. Officer Hardie says
that in his long experience as seafaring man,
he never saw waves of such size as those run
ming at the time. The cutter had no light and
to save themselves it was necessary to get back
to the steamer. The difficulty in getting back
on board WAS so great, and the attempt attend
ed with SO much danger, that Hardie and his
men were on the point Of giving it up and 60
lug back to the bark. During the night the
California used only sufficient steam to keep
her bows to the sea, in hopes of sighting the
bark in the morning and making another at
tempt to rescue the crew. An about II o clock
signal light from the Macedonia was seen
from the California's deck. and was answered
by blue light. The steamer kept in what
was thought to be the vicinity of the bark all
night, and at the first signs of daybreak look
outs were sent to search the horizon, but she
was not in sight and was not again seen by the
California's people. After remaining hove to
until the middle of the afternoon, the steamer
was put upon her course for New York. Off
Ger Haruie says he thinks it probable that the
Macedonia could live out the wind and sea of
the storm, and that she will be heard from
again, she being we'll in the track of the trans
atlantic steamers and standing the best posi-
BILE chance of being fallen in with by some of
them. The Macedonia was under close-reefed
mainsail, and appeared to be in no immediate
danger of laundering. Whether her crew per-
ished during the night the California was in
her company, or have since been taken off,
will only be settled by later arrivals here or in
Europe. The bark was from Portland, Me-,
bound for Rerwick, Eng, was built in 1916 at
Bath, Me-, is 476 tons, and belongs to M,
Thompson of Newcastle.
A PRESS reporter visited Vice Consul Starr
last night, who said he thought there must be
some mistake. He did not remember any
Macedonia sailing from this port 1t is posi-
BILE the California may have got the wrong
name.