, 1891-12-02

CO S-S
AT that time the Captain was on the fore part
of the starboard side. At about $50 Captain
Rowsell took off his shirt and waved IL to the
shore asking for assistance, but none could be
rendered. He then placed a l~ife-buoy around
his waist, and as the ship was beginning to
break up, came down her side by means of
aIrope. Unfortunately the current took him
to the reefs and three heavy seas broke over
him. He was seen struggling for a few mo-
ments and then all trace disappeared. 1t is
conlectured that he must have been dashed
against the reef and, losing Consciousness,
been taken by An under current; Next morn
ing the fifth officer and a pilot sailed round the
reef in a small boat for Q considerable time
in the hope of recovering the body Of the
unfortunate Commander. They were, how
ever, unsuccessful in their search and it is
generally believed, that the current must have
drifte d the body away to sea.
On Saturday about $40 pm, a few minutes
before the departure of the Yucatan from Colon
some Spaniards arrived in the town from the
scene of the wreck and reported that they had
found the Captain alive, floating ON q spar Of
the wreck. They had at once gone to his
rescue but by the time they got him ashore life
was extinct and they buried him. No oredence,
however, is given to this story, as it Is gener.
ally believed that they have oon0oOted it in the
hope Of obtaining peouniary reward.
Pilot Bryant also informed our reporter
that at the last moment before his departure
from the Inflated vessel the captain called him
and asked him if he would deliver q message
at the Office Of the Royal Mail Company.
This private communication Mr.. Bryant regards
as a sacred trust and be naturally would not
reveal it, except to the person named by the .
Captain. circumstances which have been
CLEANED in private conversation lead to the
belief that the captains request was that a full
and searching enquiry should be made into the
cause of the disaster, as he did not hold himself
responsible for anything which had occurred
and declared his inability to comprehend how
the vessel got into such straits,
Among the passengers who arrived by the
Yucatan yesterday were Alexander Rose, o
native of Monteeo Bay, and his wife, also
David Clayton, a native of Lucea, Hanover
They had all taken passage by the ill-fated
steamer from Port Limon.
In answer to our reporter, Alexander Rose
said he applied at the Office at Port Limoh.
for a through ticket to Kingston for himself
and wife but the Company would only issue
tickets to Colon. He purchased tickets for
Colon and left on Wednesday at 4.1Q. On
the morning of the disaster he was sleeping
on deck and had got up at 4 O'Clock. He
noticed that the ship was quite near lanh
He knew nothing about navigation but
thought they were very close in shore. He
went to lie down again and q little after
four O'Clock heard a man forward say. "Re
on your watch,'' and the officer on watch
replied e All right" A second. time. about5
minutes after he heard the man cal. out
again "Be on your watch" and again the same,
reply IAN right" He got up to look around
again and saw the bow Of the ship bearing
directly for the shore and then heard the
ships bottom grating on the land. He did.
not see the Captain but was told the Chief
Officer was on watch. He saw two men on
the bridge. From the time they had left Colon
the weather had been fair. There was a ground
swell causing the ship to pitch slightly bur
she did not roll at all.
After the ship struck there was a general
Commotion among the passengers especially
among the deck passengers. The Officers,
were immediately to be seen everywhere and
did their utmost to calm the passengers and
assure them there was noimmediate danger.
Two boats were then despatched from tho
ship to seek a landing place but must have
evidently been unsuccessful as when we were
rowing to Colon ] saw the wreck Of q boat or
two and some sailors on the shore and was
told they we're the men who had FIRST left the
ship.
Il was about 4.20 that the ship ssruek and
~ Ga0n r moe unconditional q nlaoo In tho