The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-10
FEARED FEVER.
How Some ShipWreCked
People Were Treated.
Not Allowed to Land at Rod
rlgueZ Till Ship Struck.
Before This Many OF the Crew as
Well as the Captain Died.

Liverpool, July l0-The correspondent
OF the Associated Press has had an inter
view with Mrs. Andrew Christie, widow
of Captain Christie of the wrecked Brit
ish ship Traveller. which went on the
reefs of the island Of Rodriguez, In the
Indian ocean, $50 miles northeast OF
Mauritius on Feb. "a last.
Mrs Christie tells terrible story OF the
sufTerings OF the survivors. Almost I'M
mediately after the traveller leit Java
for the Delaware breakwater, fever oroke
out and spread rapidly. Everybody on
board was more or less affected, including
the Christie baby, which died ana was
buried aJ sea-
Another victim leaped overheard and
was drowned. On Dec IA tho ohiel oihcer
died, and Captain Christie died DEC. rs
leaving only 10 men 10 man tho 'essei.
Second Mate kitch then decided To steer
for Mauritius and when the traveller
finally approached Rodriguez island only
he ana two seamen were able To work the
ship.
n A pilot who put out from tie i'land, on
learning the state of affairs refused TO 20
on board and returned TO the shore, where
he spread the report that everybody on the
Traveller had the yellow jack.
Hours passed and no assistance came.
The second mate, hearing that the
Traveller would go ashore, launcheu u
boat and took the sick survivors with him
with n view of landing them.
Tho governor and inhabitants OF the
island rushed down To the shore ana
threatened TO shoot them II they landed.
Mr. Ritch appealed TO them, imDloring
them. If they were Christians not TO be-
have inhumanly. He said that his men
were too weak 20 pull back TO the ship.
and that If they succeeded In getting
there they would probably be drowned.
Asked for assistance 10 take the
Traveller out of her dangerous position,
anG begged for medicine
His appeals were roughly ignored, and
he was obliged TO put about and go back
to the vessel. which they finally reached
almost dead from exhaustion and despair.
The last man had scarcely quilted the
row boat when 1t was swept away and lost.
No assistance came. and that night the
Traveller was carried upon the reefs and
wrecked.
..The next morning tho Rodriguers sent
|. a pilot, and brought 20 Mrs. Christie, her
surviving child and others, and then,
with the assistance of blacks from the
island, the survivors were taken To desc
late sand island in the vicinity where they
were kept for % days, living in huts made
OF leaves, and with nothing but leaves to
lie upon.
SO fearful were the inhabitants of con-
tact that food was transferred from beat
to bosb until IL was finally left upon the
beach of the sand island. Blacks were
sent TO cook it, but no physician came
for "A fortnight and even when he did
come according 20 Mrs. Christie, he did
not land. but examined the sick through
a glass from his boat.
Meanwhile two had died and the second
mate was the only man strong enough &c
dig their graves. On the 22d day, renliz
h.. b,
merge the sand island, the Rodriguers
moved the nnfortunates TO Rodriguez,
where they remained two months and
were well treated. From that point they
were carried TO Mauritius and then pro
ceedcd bomeward.
Mrs. Christie says that the behavior OF
the kodriguers is all the more noxplioable
IN Wow of the fact that they allowed a
large part of the cargo of the Traveller to
be saved.