The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1896-04-11
ON CRUSOE'S ISLAND,
TERRIBLE SUFFERING OF CREW OF
THE BURNED SHIP PARTHlA.

One steals Fresh Water. Leaves Out Plug
and Finally Dies From Drinking Brine.
Saved By Governor dc Rod-strHnEc Co
incidence of Fate.
The three masted ship Parthia Of
Bath, Me-, sailed from Liverpool for
San Francisco with cargo Of S,400
tons Of coal on June 20.
On her last trip Captain Charles G.
Carter, down east shipmaster, took
charge Of the Parthia, sailing with a
cargo of American wheat for Liverpool.
When the ship was about 1000 miles
out on the north Atlantic ON the voyage
to San Francisco, carrier pigeon, hun
cry and nearly exhausted, few into the
rigging. The bird was caught and fed
by the sailors. The pigeon bore no mes
sage, but around one leg was silver
ring.
1t was thought by the seamen that
the pigeon would bring good luck to
the Parthia. The crew christened the
bird Mike, and it became favorite.
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. 81, when sailor dis
covered smoke coming out Of the after
hold, near the mizzenmast. The ship
was then 400 miles west Of Chile.
Captain Carter said at once il must
be a case Of spontaneous combustion in
the coal, the beginning Of so many fires
ba
crew couldn't get at the blaze, for if
they opened the matches, the flames
would burst forth and every opening
would be a volcano.
Captain Carter called all hands aft
There were % men. He told them their
only hope lay in taking to the boats.
Three were at once provisioned and
equipped with sails and nautical instru-
ments Plenty of fresh water was stow
ed aboard. 1t was determined to stand
by the ship as long as possible, and she
was steered toward the land.
The next day the smoke, heat and gas
had become almost empowering. The
cabins were too hot to stay in. Nothing
could be done inside the ship, and the
water in the butts was so hot that il
had to be cooled before drinking.
A strong gale had sprung out of the
northwest and blew with fury for two
days. On the second day of the storm
the whole ship became so uncomforta
BILE and unsafe that Captain Carter gave
the command for all hands to take tC
the boats at 6 p. m. The doomed Par
thia was then 400 miles from the Chill
can coast.
Captain Carter and eight men tool
the longboat Chief Mate Nicolsor
and eight men had the second, and Sec
ond Mate r. A. Croker and eight sail
ors the third.
All night the crew, loyal to thei
ship, stood by to see the last inciden
in her brief, awful history. One hou
after quitting the Parthia flames burs
through the decks, the force of expand
ing gas hurting the matches skywar'
with a succession Of booms.
The pine spars and hempen lines wer
food for the flames, which crackle
from shrouds to yards. The ocean wa
lighted up fer miles about, and the hea
was so intense that the three boat crew
had to pull far away.
Circling round and round the blazin
ship all night was Mike. The pigeo
appeared fascinated by the fire. an
tried repeatedly to light ON tho spari
Captain Carter believes Mike finall
became victim to the flames. With
splurge and a prolonged hiss the Parthi
sank into the Pacific, leaving only fe'
suffering, charred embers tossing o
the waves.
On account of the direction of III
wind Captain Carter deemed it best
sail with il for Juan Fernandez, Robin
son Crusoe's island, 400 miles to IL
northward. The gale blew worse tina
ever, and the sky was black Capital
Carter lost sight of the other two boa
between 2 and 3 p. m. next day, al
did not sight them again.
The sailors had constantly to bail Il
longboat, and their belongings. exec
food. water, clothing and instrument
were thrown into the sea.
After lull of days and another stor
of "a hours, the captains longbo
landed at Juan Fernandez Oct 9, aft
eight days Of exposure. The boat Wi
the first mate and eight more sailors a
rived at the island the day after.
Alfred de Rod. man of German pa
entage, represents the Chilean Cover
ment ON Robinson Crusoe's island. ]
has the title of governor, and lords ov
the 40 or 40 persons now ON the islam
Captain Carter speaks gratefully