The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-27
LOST NINE WEEKS
LONG AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE OF
THE STRATHNKVIS.
Continuous Gales and Heavy Seas Beat
Upon the British Vessel, Which Reports
an Experience of Rare Hardship ana
Rare Good Fortune Mingled-'essei
Takes Very Little Water and the
Cargo is safe and Sound-Stranse Action
of the Miowera Causes Uneasiuess-Five
Meu of the StrathneyIs Missing.

Pert Tcwnser5, Wash, Dec 2s.-Ir-e
steamship Stra,thzevis, which sailed
from Tacoma Oct II, for the O1aene,
ana which WIS about given up for -ost,
arrived IN port at midnight in tow OF
the steamer Mi1eola. Her officers re-
po-t Z rema4 ka1ble voyage, filled with
danger and prtivar.ions. The ships shaft
bro ke eff N = gaze, rendering it almost
| helpless.
The arrival of the steamer StrathEe-
Wis after sic bad bene given up foe lost
excited surprise among shipping peo-
pie. but grave fears are entertained for
| tne safety of the Australian steamer
Miowera, which mad the Strathnevis in
TOW for five days
| On Edl,= cay before the StrathLevis
IVES token in tow Captain ParHie end
hts off GERS, after realizing how steadily
/ she was drifting to the southwark, &C.
cbde5 70 head for San Francisco or some
pont III California. On the next day tie
Aiiowera Cove in sight and the plan
was changed. Immediate,y after break
( ing down, imp-ovGseG yards were placed
o.. Hhe maists and all the spare canvas
/ awnings were utilized for sails, which
were used with more or iess success. AT
times when the gales were severe the
winds tore the sails ito shreds.
During the nine weeks The Strathne-
Wis w2s aJirift end disabled she en-
| counteTei continuous gales and teayy
SEAS. The vessel lay almost all the
time in Inc trough of the sea. She roll
ed frighitfGlly, but shipped very little
| water and her cargo was not damaged
in the least. The officers ard crew,
when tth=y arrived in port were thor
ough.y exhausted.
FIVE MEN MISSING.
Much uae2si-ess is felt for the safety
Of the boat containing PurSeT Mcdonald
end four mez, VITO left the steamer in
tending 10 lard on Destruction island
The coast irs particularly rough and
IS lir:=iS with jagged rocks, on WI ;cll
several verSse-s in recent years nave
bee- wrecked and a dozen or more lives
lost. Hope IS neli cut that he may
have landed at QlilayCte, an Indian
vii tage. II which event he would not ar
rive here for weeks, as travelling on the
COAST at this time Of the year is parffc-
Ilarly dangerous.
What enss become of tie Miowera IS
the serious question now confronting
shipping men. The officers and crew Of
the StIGlthn@vhS refuse TO believe that
she would wa-toqily abandon tlnem in
such periious condition, ten mics from
a dangerous coast and IL a gale from
the west. Inc captain OF the Ansu d.
ian steamer said he would have TO re
turn to the sound for fuel, as the sup
ply he la,l on hand would not last fer
the voyage 10 Austria. ia. The price of
coal IL Honolulu rs $40 per ton.
Another remarkable anG very strange
feature at5out 1.-THE Miowera IS that when
,ier ha;wssFs parted she did E.Ct blow
any danger signal blast. The whistle
On the StTafhIevis was blown coniinu-
ously at short Intervals, but no answer
came. The Miowera is valuable YES
sci, costing about s750,000 and IS sub
sidiZed by the British government to
carry mails. The terms OF tire contract
forbid Decays Of any nature, except TO
save lives. If the Miowera is lost, her
owners will be unable TO collect any
insurance owing to the dangerous work
she wes engaged in when trying to save
the S;ratnneyiS