The sun., 1893-10-01
THE DISABLED MAASDAM.
A Passenger Tells of tho Days She Was
Helpless In Mid-Ocean.

A Passenger Tells of tho Days She Was
Helpless In Mid.Ocean.
A passenger on the disabled steamer Mas
dam. which was towed into Plymouth. Eng
land on Sept. 81. with broken shaft. sends
to The Sun this account OF the mshap:
AT $3.50 A. NJ, Wednesday. Sept. 9. the
steamer Maasdsm moved down the wide Mas
River which broadens as it approaches the
ocean. The ocean appeared somewhat dis
turbed and continued moro or less out of
temper. On Monday. Sept. IL. about 1880
A. NJ. our ship stopped We did not start again
until the afternoon. and then only succeeded
In moving for few hours. We all began to
feel anxious as the chances appeared to be
against the possibility OF repairing the ma
chinery. which; we were toia: was out OF order,
mornne Of the 18th. which was cold and ID dark. s
ocean. our only hope being In the meeting OF q
steamer that would tow us to some port OF
"On Monday night Philadelphia steamer
came quite close to us and carried on q con-
versation with signal flags We informed the
ship could be repaired The passengers. Isl % I how o~.
ever. were not pleased to have the steamer
The passengers of the Maasdam will not
soon forget the 18th day Of Septsmber We
New YORK. where the OCEAN IS rsrsIy oaim Hna
The wind was blowing a hurricane the cold
rain was chilling and our ship was tossed
thrown away. Skylights portholes, and doors
were all securely closed and ioggy lamps were
Many Of the women and Children we're rf In
tears mothers olinging to their little ones to
prevent them from being thrown against the
side Of the ship. At dinner many Of the dishes
long day. and the night was black and stormy.
upal! night Others went to bed with their
clothing on. Ny roommate did not remove
his boots. thinking. no doubt. like the old Cali
fornians. that there was some glory in dying
We were somewhat cheered on the morn
rocking in the waves like a cradle. The little
steamer was the Winchester, and she was en-
light and had come to render assistance. BY
the use OF signal flags a long conversation was
ona 0a "a and bs & Ps were floating
towed to st. Johns; another to Queenstown.
and still another to Plymouth. The passengers
for somewhere. The sailors were climbing up
and down the masts; the racks were on the
The Door i'm migrants had crawleI from me their %
dark holes IN the steerage to the yet decks
Of them were seasick. and without proper
a small boat was lowered from the Winchester.
and a few sailors and an officer rowed across
cab IN sss 9ott S to
and the work was given up for the time.
To the 10Y OF all the next morning brought |
us q calm sea- 1t hardly seemed possible that |
1t was the same body of water that had pun
shed US so severely on the preceding days. |
Another pleasant surprise was the steamer p. |
ls. She belonged to our line. the Netherlands. |
1t was now rumored that the Winchester |
would try to tow us TO England. although she |
vas en- route to New York. such proved to be
he case. and the Winchester left in a few |
hours. taking our mall to the States.
At the second attempt lthe rope breaking |
he first timel tho large steel cable was at |
ached to the Caand and we began to move |
eastward. and had 4 Z safe and uneventful