The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-30
1HEVRECE OF THEApEN
It Resulted in the Loss Of Seventy
eight Lives,
AND r0RTY-FIVE WERE RESCUED,


ors, Who yor Seventeen Days Were
Held Ca,tive on Reef. with the
Vessel Gradually Breaking to Pieces.
AV Alden, June 30.-The Indian govern
ment's steamer Mayor. sent out in
search of the missing steamer Alden,
which was last heard of when leaving
Colombo on June / for this port, has
returned here, and reports that the
Aden was totally lost off the Island of
Bocotra, at the eastern extremity of
Africa.
The captain of the wrecked steamer,
Some Of her officers and crew and seven
white passengers were swept overheard
and drowned very soon after she ran
ashore.
=. Eight women passengers, nine chill
dren, two officers and few of the
Aden's crew succeeced In getting away
from the wreck in a boat, but they
have not been heard of since, and lit
fle hore is entertained of their safety
Tho Iayor saved nine of the b.den's
pass ers and three Of the white and
B3 OF ; natives of the steamers crew.
All e Aese persons were rescued just
as tlt ien was breaking up.
I, In The drowned and missing in
I Jude Jassengers, 20 European Off
gers a natives of the Aden's crew.
Two = after leaving Colombo the
Alden .' struck by severe monsoon,
with Ills, violent and ineessant
Day ny the weather grew thicker,
and q assengers became more and
more med. At o'clock on the
morn' June 0 the vessel struck
ppon .asradresa Reef, on the east
Nrn { f the Island of Soeotra.
I The 'neroom was instantly flood
pa, tier darkness eusued. Wild
With ; the passengers rushed from
Hbeir rs and fed terror stricken to
fhe vi decks in the scantiest cloth
5ng. I -r women and children screamed
In frie..l and confusion. but the men
retaine theip self possession and
Gourag ously assisted the officers and
crew to do their best to save the ves-
BEL and to inspire calmness.
! But Il was soon seen that the steamer
could l. 1t survive the shock, and that
the taly chance for safety lay in the
boc,s. Life belts were distributed, dis
hres signals given and the boats on
tie lee side prepared for launching,
H. on the weather side had already
b. 4 washed away. In the meantime,
Be ng that some hours were likely to
elaDse before it would be possible to
launch the boats, the passengers gladly
accepted the assistance of the crew to
obtain more clothing.
hn CT
violence. The seas washed the vessel
with terrific force. Daylight brought no
relief. and only served to reveal still
Further the awful situation. Misfortune
followed misfortune A lfeboat was
lowered. only to be swept away i'm
mediately, with three lascars and the
FIRST officer. Mr.. Garden. The gig was
dispatched to the rescue, with Mr..
Miller, the second officer, but both
boats were rapidly swept away.
The only remaining lifeboat was
hhen lowered amid scene of intense
emotion. A cry of anguish broke from
ahe lips even of the men when this
half oapsized throwing the sailors and
the stores into the sea. After great ef-
Forts the boat was righted and the wo-
men and children we're lowered into it,
with the exception of Mada1nes Gillett,
Pearce and Strain, who heroically de-
eided to share the fate of their hus-
bands, and Misses Lloyd and Weller,
who remained on board The boat,
manned by European crew, left in a
tremendous sea and drifted rapidly out
bf sight ,-.
Vast waves still swept the wreck,
dashing the people about and leaving
them almost PROSTATE on the deck
One by one, men, women and children,
grown too weak to Withstand the re-
peated buffetings. were washed over
board in sight of those who were mo-
mentarily expecting the same fate.
Among the first thus engulCed were
Mr.. and Mrs. Strain and their two chill
dren Misses Lloyd and Weller, the
missionaries; Mrs. Pearce's baby. with
its Chinese nurse, and then Captain
Hill whose leg was broken, but who
had borne himself calmly and bravely.
He was washed overheard with sew
eral of the native crew.
All day the victims were picked off
one by one, until o'clock in the after
noon, when those who still survived re-
treated below. Many were badly hurt,
and passed the night in suspense and
bodily pain, huddled in the small cabin,
which they expected would be their
tomb. None of the survivors care to
talk of this terrible night.
The storm abated slightly on the
morning of the 10TH and those who
were able to move began to search for
h,p
to assert itself over more acute pri-
vations. This proved task of the
greatest danger, as big seas We're still |
sweeping the vessel The fourth en- |
gtneer, while trying to procure water |
near the poop, was struck senseless
and almost washed overheard before
he could be dragged to place of
safety. Artificial respiration and simi-
lar expedients were resorted to, but it
was five hours before he was restored
to consciousness. Mr.. Pearce was only
saved from being washed overheard
by the prompt action Of his dauntlcss
wife.
The search for food resulted In their
getting very little Of It, and this was
shared out equally and in very small
portions. All the time desperate men
kept sharp lookout. But ne4vessel was
sighted until the 18th, and even then
the distress signal was not seen. On
he nth and again on the Goth. other
vessels were sighted, but the signals
.ither were not seen or were ignored
These unhappy episodes caused pain
ful and half crazy scenes of rage
lfrong those who had previously been
self controlled. Each day 1t was
necessary to curtail the allowance of
-ations. Mrs. Gillett did the catering
md contributed greatly to cheering up
he ships company.
The weather usually moderated in the
morning but always increased in vio-
ence during the afternoon. Frequently
sea so feet high would sweep the deck
rom stem to stern and carry away
portions Of the vessel.
On June rs, when things were at