The evening world., 1894-02-09
SEAAND FIRE.
Kearsarge's Grew Had a Desperate
Struggle for Life.
Lieut.. Brainard's Full Story OF the
Old Ships Loss.
Sailors Left on an Islet to Await the
Coming of Relief.

PANAMA, Feb. 9-Lieut. Brainard's
full story OF the wreck of the old United
States steamship Kearsarge on Rom
cador Reef Feb. 2 Is a thrilling narra-
tive of IVA experience.
Lieut.. Brainard says that at 6.4
o'clock on the evening of Thursday,
+ eb. 2, while the Kearsarge was on her
way from Port au Prince, Hayti, to
Blewfields, Nicaragua. the lookout rails.
ed the cry of breakers ahead!" and
within a few minutes the vessel went
On the reefs with great force.
She was proceeding under sail at the
time and had. comparatively speaking.
no steam up. There was a terrific sea
IN and the ship heeled to such an
alarming extent that 1t was feared she
would capsize.
In order to ease her and to help her
back on an even keel the great u Of
Alabama fame was jettisoned. This
had no effect in the direction Of causing
the ship to stand up. The. next move
to save the vessel from going clear over
on her beam-ends was to cut away the
n asts, II being evident that 1t would
be impossible to furl the sails in season
w iNAi'Nt Nv nv ilOus pressure VI TIE
wiLd that was bearing down on the
tanvas with such weight, that 1t was
a question of only a few minutes before
the ship would capsize.
Cutting Away the Masts.
The men worked willingly and with all
the despatch possible under the circum-
stances, attacking the fore, main and
mizzen rigging at the same time. All
the time the axes were being welded
heavy seas were breaking over the
decks, and 1t was with the greatest diff
Guilty that the men at work prevented
themselves from being washed over
masts or bulwarks.
So nicely was the chopping timed that
the three masts went crashing by the
board at the same instant. and as soon
as the rattle was cleared away the ship
in a measure righted, but only to be
dashed further up on the reefs, where
she pounded and ground herself in a
way to convince everybody on board that
the man who could live to tell the story
must leave the ship and that speedily.
But the man who would attempt to
leave the ship while such a terrific sea
was running would simply commit sui
eide.
The Shin Afre.
When the Kearsarge went over after
striking the reef she went so far that
the banked fires in the furnaces were
thrown out, and, scattering in all direc,
tions, set fire to the ship, so that in ad,
dition to being exposed to the savage
waves, the merciless reef and the rip,
ping wind, the vessel was in danger o.
being burned and blown up.
Urged by the desperation OF the stu
alton, everybody on board that could b,
spared from IN deck, manfully attacked
the flames and, after a short, sharI
fight, succeeded in distinguishing tn,
blaze before 1t reached the magazine.
After the fire was e~xtinguished and tn,
masts were cut away, there was nothin,
to do but to await an opportunity to ge
ashore. At daylight the boats were low
cred and the short, but dangerous, tril
over the reefs and through a PREACHER
Gus surf was attempted. 1t was accom-
plished with the greatest imaginable DIFF
fculty, and after many narrow escapes
all lands eventually succeeded in reach
ing shore In safety.
Provisions were thrown overheard be
fore abandoning the ship, in the hop
that they would wash ashore to b
plucked from the surf. provided anybod.
got ashore alive.
As soon as the officers and crew wer
landed a camp was established on tn
islet of Roncador, and enough food I
last n month was picked UP. but no fires
water was procurable.
Lient. Brainard volunteered to select
crew and start for the island of Of
Providence. ninety miles southwest of tn
scene Of the wreck. He left on the morn
ing Of the 4th inst, and reached Oh
Providence on the morning of the 6tf
He Immediately sailed from Old Prov
dence on IL schooner for Colon, 23O mile
south. He arrived at Colon last night.
Lieut.. Brainard reported that at tn
time he left Roncador the Kearsarge wa
fast going to pieces. He reported tha
the Kearsarge's company could not reac
Old Providence, and hat they were
need of immediate assistance.