The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-06
FOUR SURVIVED
Captain of the King James
Rescued.
THREE MEN WITH HIM.
Five Narrowing Days Without
Food or Drink.
ELEVEN OF THE CREW DIE.
A Tale of Almost Unparalleled Suf-
fering 1aster's Son Passes
Away in His Fathers Arms.
ELEVEN OF THE CREW DIE.
Special to THE MoRSIS5 CALL.

JOuH CplNeSs SURVIVORS OI the lOuT-H HdSltu
bark King James, are now aboard the
steamer Los Angeles and will he landed at
San Francisco Sunday night Few men
have gone through a more terrible ordeal
and lived to tell the story Of their horrible
sufferings.
Eleven of their comrades are at the
bottom of the deep and the fate OF one is in
suspense. These are those who are known
to have perished in the captains boat:
David Ireland. second mate.
William Drummond, the captains son,
third mate.
Alvin Robertson, carpenter.
James Christie. cook.
John Johnson, seaman.
Peter Peterson, seaman.
John Williams, seaman.
William Balze, seaman.
Stephen BTeezon, seaman.
Frank Kenyon, seaman.
Harry Bruce, seaman.
Il is supposed that an able seaman named
Spence was drowned while trying to swim
from the captains boat to one Of the Santa
Barbara Islands. Captain Drummond be-
lieyes. however, that Spence reached the
Island and is still alive.
Early this morning a whaleboat was seen
off the coast Of Hueneme by Charles Nc.
Cole as he was walking along the shore.
He called the attention Of his companions
to It, wandering why the strange-looking
boat should be out so early. INQUIRY was
made about the matter, as the boat ap-
peared to come TO the shore with the tide
and drift back again. The curious conduct
of The boat attracted so much attention
that spyglasses and ieldglasses were lev
eled at it, but it was out such a distance
that nothing could be definitely ascertained.
The matter was finally given up. Most
people were Of the opinion that it was
party out fishing, while others held that it
was the missing boat of the bark King
James, destroyed by fire.
When the steamer Los Angeles. bound
south, left Hueneme Mr.. Nicol related the
story Of this strange boat to the captain and
suggested that it might be the missing boat
Of the King James.
Scarcely had he finished his story when
the boat was sighted by the man on watch.
The passengers OF the Los Angeles rushed
to the sides Of the steamer and discovered a
man standing erect in the boat waving what
appeared to be handkerchief The steamer
gave whistle and the passengers beheld
the man fall suddenly into the bottom of the
boat
Captain Leland ordered the steamship to
put about and made for the strange craft.
Every passenger on the Los Angeles made
nse Of every available glass to see what the
strange boat contained. Even ope1a-glasses
were called into requisition.
When the Los Angeles slowly steamed
alongside narrowing sight met the gaze of
the onlookcrs. Lying in the bottom OF the
boat were four men, their clothing torn,
their hair matted, emaciated, too weak to
do anything but wave their arms in a feeble
manner; their faces scratched and bruised,
they appeared more like men who were
ready 10 gasp their last than those in whom
sufficient energy existed to restore life and
health again. 1t was n pitiabe spectacle,
and the women on the Los Angeles turned
their faces away and sobbed.
There was no mistaking the boat, the
words, king James," were painted on its
side The steps were lowered and two of
the crew went down and made fast the boat
TO the steamer The two men called on the
men In the boat to rise and be helped
aboard the steamer, but they were too weak
to do this and only waved their hands and
moaned in pitiful manner Then two
In ore men went down and each man was
hosted aboard the steamship. They we're
tenderly taken below and cared for by the
surgeon.
Captain Drummond was in the best con-
dition Of any Of the men rescued. After
being warmed and fed he began TO recover
strength, and when the steamer reached
Redondo he was able to tell his story,
Upon boarding the steamer at this port
THE CALL correspondent was escorted to
the stateroom where Captain Drummond
lay. The aged skipper is nearly 20 years
Old, but be stood the horror of being five
days and nights in an open boat without
water or food better than his three suryfy-
Ing comrades. Still he is very weak, show
ing many signs Of his great suffering. The
others were still too exhausted to talk and
somewhat delrious. Captain Drummond
slipped some milk and with considerable
difficulty told me the following thrilling
story:
THE King James was large four-masted
bark OF 2200 tons and was making her first
voyage. She was owned by John C. Walker
d Go. of Glasgow. and with her cargo was
valued at over 100000. We lef Newcastle.
n s. W.. December % with cargo Of coal
bound for San Francisco. We had fine
weather and light contrary winds for eighty
days. Being new ship and having made a
passage to Rio, where the water was foul.
her keel b7came still more clogged. After
leaving Newcastle we had delightful
weather. During the whole eighty davs tbe
upper tOpgallants never once lopped the
least head The vessel made little or no
progress.
"On March IS and during the three days
following we smelled gas, and at A. NJ. on
the 18Th vapor was seen rising from the
fourth hatchway. Upon making this dis
coyery took the second mate and TWO able
sealnen and went below with the thermom-
eter and took the temperature between
decks. Everything was found all right,
and there were no traces of fire. We put
the thermometer down the mzzen ventilato1,
the galley venllator and down the fore
hold, aud still all was correct. Most of the
forenoon we LETT the thermometer down.
Finally we found that the heat between
decks had increased from % degrees TO 100.
The heat increased, and we hoisted out all
coal We could.
Finally thought the situation was grow
ing rather serious. Calling the first and
second officers aft l asked for their opinions
without fear or favor if they thought it
L necessary TO pour water on the hot coal.
We agreed it was lime to food the cargo
and on March 20. at 1890 A. NJ, we began
10 pour water between the decks This was
continued every day. or at least whenever
heat or steam was observed, until the tenn
peTature cooled. Later on, forget the
date, we discharged more coal on deck, in
all about 1900 tons. These Goals were put
down at both ends of the vessel Until March
%. and the officers thought then that the
fire was out and stopped pumping water
Into the hold.
'The wind shifted from southeast aud
n northwest to north. This shifting OF the
wind had terrible effect on the burning
coal. Before we realized what had hap
pened volumes of smoke arose from the
batchways. The smoke was SO dense that