The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-12
STORY OF HIS ESCAPE.
ChiIberg's Experience in the
Wreck of the Colima.
THREE DAYS WITHOUT FOOD.
Afioat on Raft at the Mercy OF
the Storm. He Gets ashore at
J.ast-Mexicans Give Help.

letter has al last been received direct
from ]. r. ChlIberg telling his pertlous eX-
rerfences and happy escape from tns
wreck OF the steamer Colirna- i came yes
serday TO his wife from CoIima, Mexico.
dated May p. and Ia adiitlon 20 a nHrnher
OF private matters gives the following
brief but graphic account Of the wreck and
his escape:
Il have experienced shipwreck in rs
most terrible form. AZ We have just ar
rived here I shall not attempt 70 write OF
8 in full. but viii give you a short account
o. IL. Monday morning last we expert
enced heavy winds and seas. later Il be-
came worse and then dangerous A. about
j. - a. m. the steamer went down without
an attempt having been made on the part
Of the ships crew 30 save any lives At
the time she sank vas Oh the windward
sde % the UPPER deck saloon. People we're
struggling everywhere for life preservers.
and as I could not get 10 my room I took
of my coat and made ready for the strug-
gle, When the final plunge came / was
carried overheard with the others. ana
went down. down. down. until / almost
gave up. When under the water | was
struck on the head by wreckaee ard
thought / would 10 knocked seuseless. nut
5gst then the water seemed lighter and
struck out for the surface. came up
among a lot Of wreckage and climbed on
some boards. a life raft near By ans.
swan 20 that.
Including myself. there were eight men
on the raft. We tore the canvas from the
raft and commenced 10 look around for
something 10 rig a sail. when suddenly
the storm broke loose with redoubled fury
and we were hurled about roughly. being
turned over three times. and lost three
OF our companions. leaving but five. This
furious storm lasted nearly three hours
and we could do nothing but lie Fat on our
stomachs with our faces down ana cling
10 the raft. After this the weather clear
cd up and ne sighted land about fifteen
miles away We then got out some oars
which were securely fastened I'm the raft
and arranged them TO steer We found IA
door floating Ia the ocean and rugged IL
go to make "A saii OF IL.
we soon saw another raft and finally
succeeded in getting to them a pair of
oars dividing ours with them. Night came
or and we sailed and sailed all night in
the direction OF land and in the morning
found ourselves about six miles from
thore with no wind and the current set
ting out TO sea against us Then came
hard work. We rowed all day under the
hot sun without food or water and finally
reached shore Tuesday night.
I'VE found an Indian hut and got some
tortillas and water and slept on some logs
which had been hewed out Next day We
got TO a puedlipa Today we got mules
and came 10 the railroad. thirty miles. and
then 10 CoiIma The governor OF this state
ordered that all our needs be supplied He
was very kind. As the telegraph Office was
closed when we arrived cannot telegraph
until tomorrow. Tonight We had our first
meal, having had nothing since the wreck
excepting n few tortillas today. I am very
tired, so shall not write much more: how
ever will write You fully later. Take the
steamer Barracuda for Acajutla tomor-
row Lost everything except what ! had
on here Got money here so can III out
tomorrow. This has been r most terrible
experience. About $50 lives are lost and
some thirty saved"
with Characteristic pluck and energy
Mr.. chilberR was not daunted by the loss
OF ali he had with him. but is going right
on to Acaiutla. Salvador.