Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-12-10
ON CRyTSOES ISLAND.
TERRIBLE SUFFERING OF CREW OF
 @ THE BURNED SHIP PARTHtA.

The three masted ship Partllia Of Bath, Me, sailed from Liverpool for San Francisco with "a cargo of 3,400 tons of coal on June 25
 On her last trip Captain Charles G. Garter. down east shipmaster, took charge of the Parthia, sailing with cargo of American wheat for Liverpool
 When the ship was about l 1000 miles sout on the north Atlantic on the voyage to San Francisco, a carrier pigeon, hun gry and nearly exhausted. flew into the rigging. The bird was caught and fed by the sailors. The pigeon bore no mes sage, but around one leg was a silver ring.
 It was thought by the seamen that the pigeon would bring good luck to the Parthia. The crew ehristened the bird Mike, and it became fayorite. The coming of the pigeon was the only incident to break the monotony of # the long voyage around the Horn until #the noon of Sept. 21, when sailor dis Seoyered smoke coming out of the after hold, near the mizze nmast The ship was then 450 miles west of Chile Captain Carter said at once 1t must 3 be case of spontaneous combustion in S the coal, the beginning of so many fires that have destroyed great ships. The #erew couldn't get at the blaze, for if 8they opened the matches, the flames would burst forth and every opening would be I volcano
 Captain Carter called all hands aft. There were 27 men, He told them their only hope lay ill taking to the boats Three were at once proyisioned and #equipped with sails and nautical instrn- ments. Plenty of fresh water was stow Fed aboard It was determined 10 stand @by the ship as long as possible, and she was steered toward the land.
 The next day the smoke, heat and gas s shad become almost oVerpowering. The eabins were too hot 10 stay in. Nothing gould be done inside the ship, and the water in= the butts was so hot that 1t had 10 be cooled before drinking.
 A strong gale had sprung out of the Northwest and blew with fury for two days. On tho second day of the storm the whole ship became so uneomforta- ble and unsafe that Captain Carter gave the command for all hands to take to the boats at 6 ?. h. The doomed Par thia was then 400 miles from the Ghil- can coast.
 Captain Carter and eight men took the longboat Chief Mate Nieolsen and eight men had the second, and Sec bnd Mate R. 4. Grpcker and eight sail ors the third.
 All night the crew. loyal to their ship. stood by 10 see the last incident after quitting the Palthia flames burst Through the decks, the force of expand ing gas hurling the hatehes skyward with succession of booms.
 The pine spars and hempen lines were food for the flames, which cracked from shrouds to yards. The ocean was lighted up for miles about, and the heat was so intense that the three boat crews had to pull far away.
 Gircling round and round the blazing ship all night was Mike. The pigeon appeared fascinated by the fire, and fried repeatedly to light on the spars. Eaptain Carter believes Mike finally became victim to the flames. With splurge and prolonged hiss the Parthia sank into the Pacific, leaving only few sputtering, charred embers tossing on the waves.
 On account of the direction of the wind Captain Carter deemed it best to sail with it for Juan Fernandez, Robin .ts, nIa 1o- 3r &l,a northward. The gale blew worse than eper, and the sky was black. Captain Garter lost sight of the other two boats Between 3 and 3 p. m. next day, and did not sight them again.
 The sailors had constantly to bail the lengboat, and their belongings, except food, water, clothing and instruments, Were thrown into the sea.
 After q hull of days and another storm of 24 hours, the captains longboat landed at Juan Fernandez Oct 8, after eight days of exposure The boat with the first mate and eight more sailors ar rived at the island the day after. 8 Alfred de Rod, man of German par entage, represents the Chilean govern ment on Robinson Crusoe's island. He has the title of governor, and lords over the 40 or 45 persons now on the island.
 Captain Carter speaks gratefully of the governors s treatment of the Parthia's distressed seamen. Governor de Rod, Eaptain Carter says, has for years be- friended from 30 to B shipwrecked American seanen a season, and has nev- er received the slightest recognition from the government of the United States. On Oct. l9 q Chilean man-of- War put in from Valparaiso 10 inquire After Captain Carter and the men. The Commander brought tale of suffering From Second Mate Crocker's boatload of sailors more .hrilling than that of the others Mate Crocker had become scared during the first blow after leav- ing the Parthia, and had steered due east for the Chilean coast The water 5 in the cask got low, and his men were put on short allowance. There was splenty of salt pork, but they could not aeat it without drink. On the sixth day out David Jones, a Welsh seaman, who could not speak English, thinking no- body was looking stole long drink out of the cask. He forgot to put back the plug, and all the water ran out of the cask. Next day tho nine men had not a drop of water to drink.
 The lad confessed, and the sailors 7Eere for cutting his throat and throw