West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-02-14
A Pct Monkey Discovers n Ship on
FIrc aud Saves tho Crew.

f1rC anu raves tho NFcWs
With overy snil drawing. Nlott and allow,
even to her skysails, the British full-rigged
ship Stephen ID. Horton passed out OF the
harbor OF Calcutta, India, in n spanking
breeze bound for New York. One hundred
tons of s0ltpetre were stored in her hold, he
sides $500 tons of jute in bales. The store
room held provisions OF eVory sort, the
weather was fair and everything looked
favorable for the homeward voyage.
Now the charrel hull OF the ship lies
fathoms deep over four hundred mi.es east
OF Pernambuco, and with the ship pefshed
two OF her crow. The others reached land
after Terrible privation and on the steamship
Advance, lately arriving ut New York
from Brazilian ports were Captain
Lewis and his wife. They saved not
even change. OF clothing and were glad to
escape from tho burning vessel with their
lives Wi h them was MrS lewiss pot
monkey, who was tho first TO discover tho
fire ON the ill-fated Horton.
The voyage mp 20 Deceive ~ Maa vcry
aa'-.4tul Czy ,-ln Lewis said Tho ship
~9a touched aES Helena on December ID,
stM was at eleven O'clock of the 27th about
four hundred and twenty miles from
Pernambuco. The weather was almost dead
calm and the scorchng heat OF a tropical
sun boat upon the slowly NOV ing vessel
Suddenly Chief Mate William Coalheet'a
attention was attracted 10y the strange act
ions OF Jocko, the pet monkey, who was
ptI'utu ON one OF tue NentllatOrS leading
down below. The monkey would sniff at tho
opening, and then running along the deck,
chatter at great rate. The mate went over
to the ventilator. but before he reached IL
saw thin column OF smoke coming out The
truth flashed upon him at once that the ship
was on lire.
Picking up Jocko he went below and
quietly informed the Captain, who gave or.
ders 70 open one OF the after matches. 10
was done and deuge of water was poured
down by the laboring crew. The smoke in
creased and rolled upward in black cloud
Then square hole was cut through the
decks and water poured in upon the burning
cargo.
but it was OF no avail and Captain Lewis
had the hole closed again and the matches
sealed up tight, while all sail was crowded
on and the ships course laid for Pernam-
buco. The wind was light, and she made but
little progress
At half-past three in the afternoon the sx-
pected crisis came. With q dull report tho
matches flew upward, wrenchei from their
fastenings by the force of the explosion. The
fire had reached the saltpetre
a cloud OF smoke poured through the open
matches and enveloped the doomed vessel
Flames were now breaking out above tho
matches ana two boats hanging nt the davits
were at once lowered.
There was only time TO tumble n few cases
OF sea biscuit into each boat and n couple OF
casks OF water. Tho flames were rapidly
gathering headway when the boats struck
Nine or ten sailors jumped into the sea and
were hauled on board the boats but John
Davis SEAMAN, on striking the water threw
up his hands and disappeared lie was seen
no more The me nkey climbed down one OF
the davit ropes and nestled in Mrs Lewis's
arms.
The boats were rowed a way from the burn.
ing vessel. Then il wns discovered that
Henry Younger, the carpenter. was missing.
lie was seen few minutes before tie lower
ing OF the boats near the starboard rail. and
he IS supposed 10 have gone after his money
and % have perished.
Long tongues Of flame were running up tbo
Horizons taper masts, and soon the entire
ship was mass Of flames She burned like
tinder, and the blazing craft could be seen
by those in tho boats far into the night In
the morning she had disappeared.
The weather was intensely hot and the
sailors suffered terribly as they rowed. They
were 400 miles from land. and in order that
their provisions might hold out the ratlons
were made one biscuit per day each On the
forenoon OF the third day they hailed the
bark Twilight, bound from Cardin, England.
TO Valparaiso and we're rescued
Tho Stephen d. Horton was built at
Spencer Island, y. s., in August. 1893. The
fire Is supposed TO havo been caused bv
spontaneous combustion.