Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-10-28
WRECKED IN A TYPHOON
The Steamship Bokhara Lost
I'm the China Sea.
Twenty-three Saved Out of a
Crew of Two Hundred.

The Peninsula and Oriental steamship
one OF the Pheng-Hoo or Pescadores grouG
between the island OF Formosa and the
Chinese mainland. Only twenty three per-
sons on board the Bokhara were saved the
lost including the commander Of the steam
ship and the greater part of her officers and
crew.
There were 201 persons aboard the steam
ship Or these 40 were drownai Twenty
passengers five oficsrs and three sergeanus
Of the Hong Kong garrison were among the
lost Among the saved were DR.. Lowson
and Lieutenant Markham.
The Bokhara sailed from Shanghai. China.
for Hong Kong. Soon after she sailed she
was Struck by a typhoon. The Bokhara's
matches were closely battened down, but the
seas that boarded her quickly tore the tar
paulins of and soon the matches themselves
were lifted and carried overheard Spare
sails were then lashe1 over the openings, but
these were OF little service in preventing the
seas from entering the hold, and soon tons
or water had entered the steamship. Water
began to pour into the f1reroom and. though
every effort was made to keep it out, it be-
gan to gain on the pumps. which were work
ing at their utmost capacity.
COnstel nation prevailed among the pas
sengers. None OF them was allowed on decg.
Those in the cabin, though they fully real
lied their danger, were far more calm than
the Storage passengers. Among the latter
pandemonium reigned. They were mostly
Chinese and had 1t not been for the fact
that they were locked below. many of them
would undoubtedly have thrown themselves
into the sea.
Soon the coal passers and firemen were
drowned out by the water rising in the fire.
room, apd h few minutes later the fires were
extin2uished. The donkey boiler on the
main deck were kept going, however, and
IA MN tInno0 work hA
water from gaining as rapidly as it other
wise would have done. Once the fires went
out the vessel became uumanageaOle. 1t
was impossible to set any canvas. In this
condition the vessel was driven on shore.
Everybody was ordered on deck. The pas
sengers had put on life preserves but these
we're of little use, as many of the people
were swept overheard and drowned by the
seas breaking over them.
1t was impossible to lower the boats
Those on the windward side OF the steamer
were smashed to pieces soon after she
stranded. while those on the lee side could
not be Apr cached because of the seas that
were sweeping the steamers decks. All
hands huddled under the lee of the deck
houses for what little shelter they afforded,
but every time surged over the vessel
their number grew less some Of them hav-
ing been carried away.
The twenty-three who were saved man
aged, by almost superhuman efforts, to hold
on until the storm subsidized Then they were
taken off in an exhausted condition
The Bokhara was three masted iron screw
steamship of 1855 gross tons. She was 36l
feet long, thirty-nine feet beam and twenty
nine feet deep. She was built in GreeBOck
in 1873 by Laird & Co., aud hailed from that
port. Her engines OF 500 horse power, were
Of the compound inverted type.
The cargo Of the Bokhara was very waltz
able. It comprised large amount Of specie
and a large consignment of silk.