, 1890-05-17
A HerOinc's adventures at
the loss of the Quetta.

By the Australian mail which arrived
yesterday additional interesting details Iave
been received of The circumstances attend
ing the wreck of the British India Compa-
nys steamer Quetta in Torres Straits,
while on her voyage from Queensland to
London The most remarkable narrative
is that OF the extraordinary swimming feat
and ultlnltp rescue Of MISS LLcy, one of
tire passengers, who spent twelve hours
On.a raft and twenty hours in the water
without lite belt or support OF any kind
whatsoever, until she was picked up By
til boat of the AlbatroSs. Miss Lacy has
herself rela,ed her story in the following
words:
"Hhortly after nine pm. | was sitting III
the saloon writing a letter to my mother.
Suddenly Il very remarkable noiSo was
heard / at once rushed on deck, and saw
all the passengers III a great sta Z of COM
motion. | rushed downstairs and dragged
my sister May out of bed. She came on
deck in her nightdresS. | then went to
my uncle and said, 'Is there any dangelP'
He said, a little; ont you both stick by
me-, We then went aft. 1t was like going
uphill-the ship was so high above where
We where going. When I'VE got att the
ship suddenly Went down. fOund myself
going down, aud ~ | WAS drinking the
salt water | thuNgnt ! was going t. be
drowned; hut | calne up again, surround
ii by ClIgaIeSe and sheep. | felt myself
beng pressed town by them. 1t was
terrible. Then | s1w "a raft a short dis.
tauce of. l SWAN for it, and was dragged
on to 1t by the pur>er, who was very kind
to inc. We were attached To Il bigger raft
crowded with CingaIeSe. We got away
some distance, as tie Cingalest became
very noisy. We cut our raft adrift, and I
remained on her with The purstr a long
tlnr, till we were aboul, as [ thought, two
miles from shore, aud as he told me he
could HOi swim | left him and swan for
shore. | did not reach il, however it Was
SO far sway. | went on swimming towards
the land, and saw another raft. on which
Were two CingaieSp, and TO winch | made
my way and GOT on to II but as they were
very excited and | thought they might be
drunk l left AND took 10 swimming again.
1t seemed so long. l remember nothing
till saw the steamer AlbatroSS, which [
took TO be the Quetta. When the boat
came along l did not want TO go into it, as
l thought 1t was no. going to take me to
oar ship. | thought you were the steward
when you waved your hat to me, when /
was in the water, but | knew YOU as well as
DR.. Salter when | came on board. Thought
| had been staying in a large hotel under
the water, and | think | must have been
unconscious from time 10 time"
Miss Lacy was most tenherly nu rsed and
attended on board the AlbatrOss by DR..
Salter, and was landed in the evening at
Thursday Island. Sic was carried to the
residence OF Mr.. Bowden, the Quetta'S
agent. Though weak and very much
burned by the sun she WAS able to eat
and sleep well. Her memory was "ery
vivid of the occurrences, and she related
distinctly the events from her first being
in the water. She undIesSed herself after
coming to The surface. She heard d voice
call "thc ladies'" She swan to it aud got
on to the raft with the purser Gray and
others. At noon next day she left the
raft, intending to swim ashore. When
tired she Hoated on her back. She had 10
fear of the sharks or Of death. She re.
memhered spending the night swimming
in The open ocean. She telt the heat of
the sun intensely next day, When the
AlbatroSs boat was near she raised her
hand and smiled. A man in the boat,
wrapped u garment round her. When
taken on the AlbatrosS she recognised the
Rev. Mr.. MLaren and DR.. Salter, but her
mind was wandering. Though rambling,
she remembered many Incidents. She spoke
in the highest terms OF the conduct of the
Ofdcers.-Ibid.