Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-24
OH, FOR A SAIL,
Was the Wish of Those on
Board the Abyssinia
While the Fire Was Shoulder
ing in Her Hold.

Prompt Assistance Rendered by the
Spree When Made Aware of the Vessels
Danger-Only One Life Lost, and That
One of the Crew Who Jumped Over
board When the Fire Was Discovered.
LONDON, Dec. 23.-At midnight Tues
day the Spree landed the passengers and
crew of the Abyssinia at Southampton.
They were all in fair condition, having
recovered from the shock which their
rough experience had given many of
them, especially the women passengers.
Captain Murray, of the Abyssinia, spoke
highly of the humanity and courage
shown by the officers of the Spree in
their prompt assistance to the Abyssinia,
when made aware of the vessels danger
Signs of Fire Discovered.
The Abyssinias voyage was without
especial incident from the date of start
ing, Dec. 13, until last Friday, Dec. 1S.
1t was about noon when the signs of a
fire were discovered by the crew. Care
was taken not to alarm the passengers,
and Captain Murray bent every effort to
smother the fire. This had evidently
been smOldering in the cargo for some
time, and when an attempt was made to
ascertain its extent, volume Of smoke,
thick and suffocating, drove back the
explorers.
1t soon became evident that the vessel
was beyond saving, and the passengers
were quietly told to make preparations
to leave the crew laboring meanwhile
to retard the advance of the flames
which threatened to burst from the
hold.
All Well Behaved,
The passengers behaved well, even the
women showing wonderful courage un-
der the circumstances. All eyes were
strained for a sail, while the growing
heat of the deck told of increasing dan
ger. The flag of distress was hOisted
and the horizon anxiously scanned.
Relief at Last.
At length the Spree came in sight, and
the speed with which she directed her
course towards the burning vessel, car
ried joy to tie crew and passengers Of
the Abyssinia. Captain Willigrod, Of
the Spree, lost no time in questions. He
asked Captain Murray the condition of
his ship, and on receiving reply, in
stantly caused his boats to be lowered
and the German sailors quickly manned
them and made for the burning vessel.
The sea was not running high and trans
shipment was accomplished without
extraordinary danger.
Women First.
The first let down into the boats We're
the women, no distinction being made
of saloon or steerage. There were six or
seven of these and two children. A
sturdy sailor carried down each of the
children, their mothers following Then
came the male passengers. and the crew
last of all. Captain Murray went in the
last boat. All were safely put on board
the Spree.
The passengers were permitted to
take with them such belongings as they
could carry about their persons, other
baggage being sacrificed with the cargo.
The passengers were sixty-eight in num-
Der and the crew numbered about
eighty. Captain Willigrod gave Captain
Murray accommodations in his own
quarters, and the crew of the Spree
equally hospitable to their fellow-sea-
men, the crew of the Abyssinia, while
both cabin and steerage passengers
found sufficient accommodations, the
passenger list of the Spree being small.
After the Abyssinia had been aban-
doned the fire gained rapid headway, as
could be seen from the Spree, and must
have gone down soon after. The Spree
proceeded ON her course without delay.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but
Captain Murray expressed the opinion
that it originated spontaneously in the
cargo of cotton, Of which there was
over a thousand bales, destined for Liv-
erpool.
The passengers upon landing were at
once taken i'll charge by the agents of
the Guion line and were forwarded
without delay to their destinations. A
number of them We're bound for Nor
way and Sweden to spend the holidays,
the larger part, especially Of the cabin
passengers, being bound for Great Brit
ain and Ireland.
The British steamer Ionia, from Sun
derland for Baltimore, picked up the
dead body of one Of the crew of the
Abyssinia, who jumped overheard at the
time the fire was discovered.