The morning call., 1891-09-07
Terrible Voyage of the British
Bark Royal Tar.
Captain Franklin and Chief Officer Rogers
succumb at Sea - Terrible Suffering
From Fever and Scurvy


the only surviving officer on board her. The
Royal Tar, wooden vessel OF about 1900
tons, left Newcastle. New South Wales, on
March Both laden with coal for place called
Frederick Williams Haven, on the island of
Ne W Guinea, where the bark arrived aftera
passage of % days.
There is really no town there, and the IA
cilties for discharging cargo ere so poor
that the crew had to build wharf before
they could land the coal. The place is very
sickly aud wet, and half the time the men
were wet through while at work.
Evrything went along smoothly, however,
until May 10th, when j. McCol, the second
mate, took sick with malarial fever Cap
tain Franklin did everything he could to
stop the spread of the disease, but TO no
purpose. Two days later a seaman named
Parsons was also taken sick, and forced to
take to his bed.
Four days after Captain Franklin was
forced to go to bed. and then the crew Of
the fever-stricken bark became alarmed aud
sent for the only doctor in the place, Ger
man in the service of the Government.
This gentleman did all he could to relieve
the sufferngs of the sick men, but one by
one the poor fellows caught the terrible dis
ease, and by the 25th of the month only two
men out of the entire crew were fit to work.
The ship was now perfect pest-hOuse,
and so bad was the disease that not even
the natives would venture on board her.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN FRANKLIN.
Captain Franklin rapidly grew worse
until the night Of the 26th, when he died in
terrible agony. The next day party of
natives assisted the plague-stricken crew to
H. 80 4bn in in
sheltered nook close by the shore.
Mate Rogers then took command of the
vessel and Second Mate McColl was made
chief officer, one of the able seamen being
promoted TO fill the position Of second mate.
council of all hands was then held, at
which it was decided that the best thing
that could be done would be to get out OF
Fredrick Williams Haven rs soon AS posi-
ble as it was plain that If the vessel re-
mained there longer her entire crew would
soon be laid beside the captain.
Luckily the coal had nearly all been dis
charged, leaving only enough for ballast.
On June 9TH the vessel got under way and
stood out to sea, the crew heavng sigh OF
relief when they saw the shores OF the
feveI-stricken island fade away in the dis
tance. Captain Rogers headed his vessel
for Eureka, to which place the vessel was
bound, having been chartered 10 carry lunl-
Der back to Australia. After leaving port
the vessel experienced light, battling winds,
and although several of the crew were able
to move around, only four were tit to work.
MEDICINE GONE AND FOOD SCARCE.
To make matters worse, before the bark
reached the Marshall group the scant sup
ply of medicine on board ran out and most
of the men reapSed.
The supply of provisions also grew very
scarce, and, to add to the misery of the un-
fortunate men, scurvy broke out on broad.
Captain Rogers was stricken down with
the deadly fever on June 10th, and the en-
tire duty of navigating the vessel dey0lved
on Mate McColl. who mad only three men TO
assist him in the work OF handling the
vessel. Most of the time the weather was
sQualy. with heavy rains, and the men hao
to remain on deck night and day in order to
work the bark and attend to the wants OF
their sick shipmates.
As soon as McColl took command he de-
termined to put into Strongs Island, one OF
the Marshall group, and try to obtain as
sistance from the American mission there.
With great difficulty the w0rn-Out crew
managed to work the vessel up to the
island, but before any communication could
be had with the shore terrific gale sprang
up, and the fever-worn crew had to put to
sea again.
TERRIBLE SUFFERING.
BY this time everything in the shape of
food on board had given out except flour
and tea. The vessel now had only two men
in each watch, and with heavy gale blow
ing and the heavy sea breaking clean over
the decks, the bark was mere playthlng
for the elements.
McColl, in addition to the duties Of cap
tain, was also nurse, cook and quarter
master, and for the entire four days that the
gale lasted did not once close his eyes or
leave the deck, except to drink little tea
or eat a piece of half-baked bread, made
without either yeast or baking powder.
Captain Rogers rapidly sank, and died on
August Both. The body was sewed up in
canvas by his faithful companion, who was
now left with only two men to handle the
vessel and bring her into port.
The next day the wind blew strong
gale and the bark WAS almost on her beam
ends, when, after a short prayer, the body
of the second captain was consigned to the
deep. AS the body disappeared over the
bark's side the three men looked at each
other in silence and wondered who would
be the next to go.
Boys" said McColl, "while there is life
there is hope, and we may yet reach some
port and obtain assistance and food"
TEMPORARY RELIEF OBTAINED.
A few days before Rogers died the Danish
bark Heydra was spoken, and from her
small quantity of Quinine and few cans of
beef were Obtained, and these were at once
distributed smong the sick. Happily the
weather moderated, and the men we're able
to give more attention TO their sick ship
mates, several of whom were helpless and
their lltlDS WtIt So SWOitCu llOui VIC oNulfJ
that it seemed as if they would burst.
Light winds now prevailed, and on Sep
tember I'd Cape MendOcino was sighted.
Slowly and laboriousy the wOrn-out trio,
now reduced almost to skeletons, worked
the vessel to the northward in hopes of
reaching Eureka, but fate seemed to be
against them, as the wind shifted to the
northeast.
The next day a steamer was sighted three
miles off aud McCOll at once ran up signals
of distress, but to their dismay the stranger
gave no sign of having seen them and was
soon out of sight.
ASSISTANCE AT LAST
McColl then decided to head the vessel
tor San Francisco, but it took the scaat
crew fully three hours before they got the
ship headed for this port, ami to their great
Joy the wind did not head them off again.
Early yesterday morning the tug Reliance
was sighted, and in response to the signals
made was soon alongside.
1--WE have only three men able to work"
said McColl TO the captain OF the tug, "and
one of them is at the wheel. Can you
spare man or two to help US get the tow
alongside and the fever-stricken, starving
crew soon had the satisfaction OF seeing the
bark heading in for the Golden Gate. The
news was At once communicated to the sick
men and they gave glad shout OF joy, as
they knew help was at hand.
soon after DR.. Lawler, the quarantine Off
Ger, went on board. He at ouce made ar
rangements to have the sick men removed
from the vessel and taken to the Marine
Hospital, and liberal supply of fresh pro-
visions was sent off to the starving men.
REMOVED TO THE HOSPITAL.
At4 o'clock yesterday afternoon six OF
the sick men were taken ashore and placed
in the ambulance, which carried them out
to the hospital. DR.. Lawler will attend to
those on board, and to-day the vessel will
be thoroughly fumigated.
1t will be many days before the men will
be able to work again, and the only wonder
is how the vessel ever reached port at all.
Great praise is due McColl for his noble
efforts and untiring energy in attending to
the sick men and working the vessel into
port. Many man would have given up
the task as hopeless and sat down in des-
pair, but he never for an instant faltered in
his duty, and TO him the owners owe the
safety of the vessel and the crew their
lives.