The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-02-04
A BATTLE WITH DEATH
The Eventful Voyage of the
Steamship India.
-FOUR OF HER BOW PLATES STOVE IN

There Being Danger That the ship Would
Sink the Crew Refused to WORK Unless
the Captain Altered His Course-He
Put in at bermuda, where Repairs
We're Made.
NEW YoRK, Feb. 4. Seldom is the
commander of a passenger carrying
steamship confronted with such varied
experiences on a single voyage as that
which befell Captain rait of the British
steamship India, during the trip across
the Atlantic, which has just ended with
her arrival in this port. Death, impend
ing shipwreck, constant battling with
the elements, panic among the 454 steer
age passengers, and last but not least,
mutiny on the part Of the crew, were the
features of the voyage.
The India sailed from Leghorn for this
port Dec II, passing 'The Rock Jan.
8. Some difficulty had been experienced
in securing a competent crew, as it was
known that the India had been patched
up" and sailormen did not regard her as
a seatworthy steamer.
This impression pervaded the fo'castle
when the India started westward, and
was intensified on the 18th, when terri
fic no'wester struck the broadside of the
steamer, careening her to port, and
swinging her around as though she were
a pine chip tossed on the broad Atlantic.
Big waves boarded her at all times,
One gigantic wall of blue water rolled
against the starboard bow, and in iiffy
stove in four Of the bow plates, making a
l,,1. l. tn, Nufxs nd sst
into.
The shock caused the vessel so recoil.
There was serious danger aat she would
sink.
The crew, as we'll as the 454 steeruge
passengers, were for a time pauic-strick-
en-. All order was thrown to the winds
Officers and captain had no more control
over the terrified people than school
ma'am would have over a flock of wild
geese.
Some were in favor of taking to the
small boats.
When another big wave washed aboard
and tore away the lifeboat the frightened
people began to realize that their only
safety lay in saving the ship, and all
hands, including some of the passengers,
then went to work to stop up tue big
hole in the bow. 1t was a mighty job,
as every wave which came aboard washed
partly through this aperture.
The vessel was then about 200 miles
southwest of Bermuda, and the crew
took it upon themselves to wait upon the
captain and demand that he put into
some convenient port.
All hands came aft when the demand
was made.
Captain TAFT received the men kindly,
told them that in acting for his own in.
terests he was acting for them, and,
while he refused to alter his course, he
partly reassured the men, and they went
forward to work.
The ship was saved from going down
by the ingenuity of the chief engineer,
who built wooden bulkhead abdfJ of
the rent, thus constructing water-tight
compartment and confning the seas,
which rushed inboard, to tke forward
| part of the vessel.
On the morning of the 21st the gale in
the mean time having increased in fury,
| the vessel began showing signs which in
dicated her unseaworthiness. rhe crew
again went aft and crowded into the cap
tain's cabin They plainly told him that
he must put into some port, as the vessel
was liable to 20 down.
He finally consented, and that after
noon bore down for Bermuda, arriving G
there Jan. "a. There the naval and loca
board of steamship inspectors pronounced
| the vessel unseaworthy and she was moi
again permitted to sail until she wal
thoroughly repaired.