The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-13
YELLOW FEVER
Terrible Experience on the Brig
Anito Owens.
A PLUCKY MAINE CAPTAIN AND
HIS SON.

NEW YORK Sept. 1.-THE sailor who was taken
from the brig Anito Sens at lower quarantine on
Wednesday, sick with yellow fever, died that night
on the hospital ship Illinois. Yesterday the brig
came up to upper quarantine and today will go to
Robins Reef to discharge her cargo and be disin-
fected. The Anito o Aens sailed from St. Jago, a
port on the southern shore of Cuba, with five
sailors before the mast. OF these only one remains
alive, the rest having died from yellow fever. OF
the ten persons on board the vessel all except the
two mates and the cook had the fever In the
of the voyage. Today the master of the brig Cap
tain Murphy, got permission to leave the vessel and
come up TO the city. He was still worn and wasted
from his recent illness and the terrible voyage.
To Tribune reporter he said sit was terribly hot
in st. Jago when we were there, and there were
many Cases of yellow fever in the city and among
the shipping. The schooner Matilda Brooks was
there with a cargo for this city, and two of her
Grew were down with yellow fever. Some of nv
crew had in Jail and some prostrated with
the heat. My son, the first mate of the brig is a
young man Just turned 81. He was Obliged to
stand in the broiling and dump many tons of
coal which We took out OF the vessel. The second
mate aud sailor worked in the hold filling the
buckles which were hosted up to him. We then
loaded with sugar and started for this port. Be-
fore leaving ST. Jago one of the sailors, William
Conley, Was taken sick With yellow fever. One Of
the local doctors attended him and he was begin
ming TO get better when we sailed. OF all my crew
he is the only one alive today. When we sailed ON
August 18th there were on board the brig five men
before the mast, cook, two mates, myself and
wife. The first night out of the sailors was
taken sick with yellow fever, and in four days he
died. We buried him at sea. The second night
my wife was taken down with fever and was sick
We had been week out when two more of the
crew were taken sick, one died on August 31st and
one the following day. and we buried them in the
sea. This left one well man in the crew. and in a
few days he was also attacked with the fever Just
as my wife was beginning to get better the fever
tackled me, and Tor twelve days and twelve nights
my boy and the second mate worked The brig. The
cook is negro, and he was SO frightened that lie
was OF little use and imagined he had the fever all
the time. The second mate is Virginian. He ia
about six feet five in hes high, and l don't be-
lieye he weighs over 20 pounds. He didn't have
the yellow fever, because there amt enough flesh
on him TO have any disease. We had a pretty
tough time of it, but We had fair wind, and that
boy OF mine actually clapped the royals her so
that we came along humming. As soon as got out
OF my bunk nursed the sick sailor. This is the
third time 1--we had yellow fever and | know
something about It, The sailor was getting well
but he got the blankets off of him and had re-
lapse He, poor fellow, died in the hospital ship
Wednesday night. All my wife aud ate when we
were getting we'll was corn meal Cruel. made thin
we had salt meat on board, but did dare to eat
| it,
Captain Murphy, in spite of his name, is a thor.
ough Down Easter" and full Oh Yankee pluck and
endurance. He is native of Maine anG
he was for many years Engaged in Greenland trade
| and was captain of the barque Alumina which was
| lost on the coast of Labrador last spring.