The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-07

the submerged boat, and when / would
get cold l would crawl down into the
water between the seats. Fortunately
the water was very warm and comforts
able. l was about twenty-three hours in
the water when picked up by the San
Juan. About an hour or two before sum
down the ocean was as calm as all inland
lake, all strewn with bits OF the lost
Colima.
''At one time l was close to the shore,
and could see the rocks distinctly but at
daylight next morning l found myself
drifting far out to sea, with only dim
outline of mountains where the coast
was. l saw the San Juan at S or 9 o'clock
In the morning, but was not picked up
until ii O'Clock. My boat was very low
in the water, almost under the surface,
and so it was long after [ sighted the San
Juan that their lookouts found me. The
Captain of the San Juan made circuit of
thirty miles and stated north about noon.
de might have picked up more if he had
kept cruising around all the afternoon. I
don't think l was two miles away from
the rest of the rats that he pick ed up"
WAS anybody to blame for the wreck
of the Colima?'
They have not got ship that would
have lasted five minutes in that hurri-
cane. 1t was beyond human skill to
maneuver ship through it successfully.
The hurricane, or whatever class of storm
it was that caught the Colima, could
crush the stoutest ship atiOat as it it were
tiny toy. Look at the terrible force OF
the waves. They tore every stitch of
clothing Oft of US before we were ten
minutes in the water. Men and women
alike were shorn OF covering by the wind
and sea.
when l saw Professor Whiting for the
last time all he had upon him was the
shoulders of his coat; the rest was torn
10 atoms and blown away. Poor fell
low, he had lost his mind. The ter
rble fate that fell upon his wife and
children-for he must have known
full we'll they were swept down to a
trightiul death in that churning wreck
age-It took his senses from him. L be-
lleve he could not realize his position
shortly before he went under the waves.
The Captain staid by his post to the
last. Just before the ex xplosion l saw him
cilnging TO the railing OF the bridge, and
as l was whirled away in the water be
gave two faint blows Of the whistle. But
he never left the bridge. He sank with
his ship"
The United States Inspectors Of Hulls
and Boilers will hold an investigation
into tue cause OF the sinking Of the CO.
lima. Messrs. Talbot and Phillops. the
Inspectors, have determined upon an of
ticial inquiry into the charge that the
cargo was not properly slowed. it was
Tor the purpose of this investigation that
the testimony of tho third officer, the
storekeeper and tho engineers store
keeper was taken by the officers of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
The investigation will be purely tech
nical in its character, and the witnesses
can only be experts. For this reason the
only testimony that will be of any prac-
tical value will be that OF Third Officer
Hansen. The testimony of the two res
cued store-keepers, they being neither
engineers nor navigators. will have but
little more weight than the statements of
the passengers. The three surviving
officers of the Colima have been sum-
moned to appear tomorrow and tell
their stories, in addition to the affidavits
that were made to the officials of the Pa
cific Mail