New-York tribune., 1882-02-16
TWENTY LIVES LOST AT SEA.
FOUNDERING OF THE STEAMER BAHAMA.
THIRTEEN PERSONS RESCUED AND BROUGHT TO

wrecked persons, including John S. Scott, of New
York, and III. j. Fear, of Savannah, Ca, cabin pas
| sengers, all of whom were rescued Mt sea
| in an open boat after they had left the
| steamship Bahama. of the Quebec and Gulf Ports
| Steamship Company. from Porto Rico for New
| York. which was in sinking condition. Tho Ba-
hama foundered on Friday last, and was abandoned
early on the morning of that day by all but two of
those on board of her. The captain, +. Field Asst
wood, OF bermuda, and nineteen Others were lost.
Their names are as follows: Purser James Sutton,
OF Quebec; chief engineer Peter Hcyghton, of One
bec Robert Foster, fireman, of Quebec; Geo. Foster,
oiler Of Quebec, and Of Robert Foster; tiremen
Thomas George, Patrick Mccarthy and John
Chappels, of Quebec frcu,n John Mullcns, Of
Halifax. and a Swc1e name unknown; Charles
Smith, William O'l}rien and Paul Mataran.
Of Quebec James Farrell Of st. Johns y T.;
and John Petersen. of Sweden, all sailors; J. Blk
ner porter and II. DUDE, pantryman, OF Quebec;
the second cook, name unknown, and two second
class passengers one a whit, man from Mona on
the island of Porto Rico, and colored man, from
Ponce, Porto Rico.
The second cook and Paul Matarian remained on
board the vessel, saying that they preferred to go
down with it than to risk their chances in the
boats in such a tempestuOus sea. The white
second-cabin passenger, whose room was
on the starboard side of the vessel is supposed to
have been washed overheard The seventeen others
were in the captains boat, which was swampad al
most as soon as she left the vessels side. Two of
those in her. one Of whom was Charles Smith, were
seen to swim back TO the vessel and hauled on
board. A bark that was sighted at daylight head
ing for the wreck, it is thought possible. may have
reached her and rescued those on board but as the
steamer was rapidly sinking it is feared that she
must have fOundered before the bark got to her.
Those who were saved in the other boat and who
arrived here yesterday were : John :. Scott, of
Outerbridge & Co., Ncw-Yorl, and II. j. Fear. of
Savannah, Georgia, irst-cabn passeng II; ; First
Officer Robert Williams Second Officer Robert Ross
Zeper Samson, second engineer; Alfred Depric
third engineer; John Olsen and James w. Molloy,
seamen Emile Frank, fireman George Thitrault,
steward Edmund Larnois, waiter Donat Tramp
ley, first cook; Hubert Trumble, messman. These
men were twelve hours in an open boat, which was
filled with water several times and were so crowded
together that they could scarcely move. As the
bread and water in the boat were saturated
with salt wafer, had they been left to float
about on the ocean for several days
they would have pcrished from starvation.
Succor came to them at an opportune moment. That
they were able to keep afoat so long is due to the
knowledge and cXertions of the second officer, who
was formerly connected with the life saving ser
vice.
Nj. Scott and bis companions went TO the Office of
ship No. 30 Broadway, Immediately after
landing, where Mr.. Scott. robust and
nGokg a t2d s5mo 5he oGTgS ssg T6m St2T % dhn % fe
Porto Rico, on FEBRUARY 4, with the people on
board whose names have given you. We had no
cargo on deck. hut full cargo below decks This
consisted of $50 hogheads of moasses, 100 hogs
heads of sugar, 1850 bags of coffee. - casks of
bay rum and az 20 tong OF y'laed at be-
about $4,000 In specie in the purser5
SAFE, which, together with -, the mails.
able and moderate winds up TO noon Of last Thurs
day. Our noon observations on that day showed lis
to be SZG miles from Porto Rico and 5O7 miles from
New-Y0rk. In the afternoon the barometer began |
to fall, and everything was made ready to meet |
heavier weather. About p. m. II bcgnn TO blow |
hard from the southwest and the sea tegan to rise
At midnight il was blowing fresh gale, with the |
barometer still falling. and the sea rolling |
in mountainous waves, which broke over |
the vessel intervals. About o'clock he follow
ing morning we were struck by terrific squail
from the nOrth-nOTthwCst, which lasted about a |
quar- cr Of an hour, and was accompaned by heavy |
thunder and sharp ilghtIlng. Tins squaii was tpi- |
lowed by frightful hurricane with heavy cross |
seas. suddenly great aud unbrokcn green sea |
came over the vessel tearing away the starboard |
bulwarks carrying the two staTbOIId Hle-boatS |
(our best boats overheard and breaking them |
into splinters, sweeping the dcckhouses and sky |
lights clear from the decks, and hlllng the engine
and lire-rooms with water. The engines at this lme
were going 1T full speed, and set our head sails
to get the vessel OF before the seas but sac would
not pay or.
" The great waves continued to break over the |
vessel and soon the fires were put ont. The en- |
gines were run as long as the steam lasted,
water IN the vessel. When the engines stopped |
we were hclpIessly rolling in the trough of the sea,
and then the captain called everybody on deck. |
The vessel was soon thrown over on her starboard
side and as she was unmanageab!e and rapidly |
sinking the captain ordered the two port lfe-bOas
TO hc launched. Bread and water were put into |
them. Tie captain took charge of the larger boat
and called the majority of the People to
get into it, The white passenger. whose
TO his room on the stlrboard side possibly 10 get his
valuab!cs, as he supposed to have considerable
money and as we did not see him again, II is sup
posed that he was washed overheard. Then the
second cook and Paul Matdrian sald they would not
get into the boat, but would prefer 30 TAI le their
chances by remaining on board. The captain with |
sixteen others then pushed away from the side of
the vessel, and Second Mate Ross, who
had been in the llle-saylng service. and who
management Ot a boat IN a heavy sea, was given
charge OF the other boat. II was entirely due 10 his
ability that were not all lost IN our boat for 1t
was so crowded that none OF us could move in ii.
We pushed away from the steamer about 4 a. m.
on Friday morning, and the captain called out to MS
the directions and distances 10 Bermuda,
Savannah and New-York, SO that we might steer
We had only cot a few hundred feet from
in a heavy and swamp.d The same sea hlled
Our boat spelling oar bread and wafer, but we soon
ba ed the boat out with our hats. We then set
small piece of canvas in the bow of boat a. a SAIL
and kept rowing Is hard Is we COuld 10 Keep our
head up 10 the sea. We weIe very thankful Tor the
experience of Ross who managed the boat 50 well
that she rode the seas with comparative ease
After the captains boat was sNaihpcd we
saw one of Inc men swimming back to the |
stelmcr; he caught hold of the smoqds and
pulled himself on board. We then saw another man.
/ think Charles Smith, swim back to the steamer,
and he was hoisted on hoard. About a. IL. We
sighted bark in the distance, which appeared 10
be heading Tor the steamer IL IS po'>ipIe thLI olG
reached icr and rescued those on boaId but
GonLt if the stcImor renamed long above water IN
that sea. We pulled away hour after hour, with
rrirly eyery sea breaking over Us and threatening