The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-28
A PLAGUE BARK.
Eventful Voyage of the
HoratiO.
IT'S STORY BY A SEAMAN.
Who Was on Board When the
Disease Broke Out.
BRAVE CAPTAIN DONALDSON.
He Risked His Life to Aid His
Suffering Men and Comfort
Them.

infected whaling bark Horatio to arrive il
this city since the vessel touched at II ono
lulu came in yesterday on the bark ". b
Dimond.
William Crowley is the seaman's name
and he worked his passage up from thu
islands.
Crowley says that the Honolulu paper!
did not any more than make mention o.
the fact that a plague of smallpox had
broken out on the Horatio during her stay
at Mexico and Central America. His
story sets at rest all conjecture regarding
the causes that led to the contracting o.
the disease by the whaler's crew, much Of
which has been INDUCED in by the press
and maritime public.
Under the most favorable circum
stances whaling Dark is by no means 8
floating palace. Any one who has been or
board one can cheerfully testify TO this. II
can be easily imagined the position in
which Captain Donaldson was placed
when on leaving Van Dorans Bay, Centra
America, be discovered that the dread
contagion had fastened Its loathsome
germs upon nearly half the members OF
the Horatio's crew.
Most strange to relate most of the mer
before the mast knew the nature of the
plague that had crept so stealthily upon
them. In the maintenance of perfect
secrecy as to the terrible truth in the mat
ter that a panic might be averted. Captain
Donaldson showed characteristic no
bility of nature that might well beit the
hero of Russell or a Kingsley.
Captain Donaldson virtually risked his
life for his men By going fear!essly among
them, administering TO their wants as ten
DERBY and with as much consideration as
could have been thought Of and bestowed
by woman.
The yarnspinner. who told his sim pie
tale TO the reporter, modestly requested
that Captain Donaldson be accorded some
little mention, coming offhand so to speak,
for his kindness.
The Horatio sailed from San Francisco
on the 22d of November, bound for the
usual southern cruise OF whaler. prior to
changing her course to the north. The
vessel did not reach Honolulu until the Sd
day of last month.
There were ihirty-fye men all told on
the ship, nearly all natlonalities being
represented.
The Aoratio touched at MaZatla when
II DAYS out for water. 1t was undoubtedly
at this port that the smallpox was con-
tracted.
Hardly had the craft been forty-eight
hours out of the Mexican port when the
disease broke QUO. Two men were taken
sick at first, then the centagion worked so
rapidly that fourteen of the sailors were
down with the disease before week had
passed.
Not man knew what was the matter
with himself" said Crowley. "The cap
tain kept his secret well.
From morning until night he worked
among Us. seeing that the sick received
proper food and medicine.
Il was one of the first men that was
stricken and was by far the sickest in
dividual of The lot. / rolled about in my
bunk in torture, suffering as l had never
suffered bsfore.
Captain Donaldson had cooptul of
chickens on board which were specially
reserved for the cabin mess. He had the
fowls killed to furnish broth for US until
the last one had been slaughtered and
devoured.
Death overlook one of my shipmates
on, l think, about the ninth day from
Mazatlan.
THE ship was headed south to the Cen.
trail American coast. but owing TO the con-
tinuation OF hot weather in that vicinity
her course was shaped for the west.
Another man was dead and the third
officer was aided to the list of the sick.
I'VE were frightened; yes. you know
edliOIS are supctstltlOus. duU TIE Iacl Lual
10 man knew what allied him startedal
manner of wild rumors as to the curse
which had overtaken US.
II grew worse as We neared Honolulu,
and every well man on board thought thai
| my lime for death was not very distant.
THE ships carpenter was quietly a.
work on long canvas sack in the aftel
part of the vessel, where / could not see
him. When he reached port and l va.
again a we'll man, he said &c me, Crowley
do you see this sack? Well, il was Il
have been your coffin; l had it all pre-
pared for you?
were still confined to their hunks. II wal
not until the land hove in sight that tn,
mystery about the nature of the disease OF
board was cleared up.
Ca plain Donaldson raised yellow flag
then we knew that we had been afflicted
with the smallpox.
I'VE were Quarantined for tweniy-an,
DAYS. the sick men were forced to stay o,
board for four weeks. The third office
was taken to the hospital, where he ex
pired.
"a number of the Horatio's crew stayet
by the ship but left her and took the frs
opportunity TO come back to San Francisco
! The Horatio sailed for the north just be
fore the Dimond left"
Captain Donaldson. of whom the sailo
speaks, is really the first officer of tn
Horatio. He took command of the vesss
at San Francisco, the agreement with tn.
real commander being that he would joil
her at Honolulu after she had made hel
/ southern cruise.
Sailor Crowley's story affords the frs
/ detailed account of the Horatio's awfu
voyage that has reached this city.