Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-12
lNHUMAN TREATMENT
OF the Survivors Of Ship Traveller, Wrecked on
'~ island Of Rodriguez.

Liverpool. July 9.-The correspond
crt of The Associated Press has had an
interview with Mrs. Andrew Christie
widow of Capt. Christie, of the wrecked
British ship Traveller. which went on
the reefs off the island of Rodriguez in
the Indian ocean, $50 miles northeast
OF Mauritius, on the 4th of February
last.
Mrs. Christie tells terrible story of
the sufferngs of the survivors, Almost
Immediately after the traveller left
Java for the Delaware Breakwater,
fever broke out and spread rapidly
Everybody on board was more or less
affected, including the Christie badly,
which died and was buried at sea.
Another victim leaped overheard and
was drowned. On Dec. IA, the chief
officer died, and on Dec rs, Capt
Christie, leaving only 10 men to man
the ship.
Second Mate Ritch then decided to
steer for Mauritus and when the
Traveller finally approached Rodriguez
island, only he and two seamen We're
able to work the ship A pilot who put
out from the island, on learning the
state of affairs. refused to go 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. fearing that the
Traveller would go ashore, launched a
boat and took the sick survivors with
him with view of landing them.
The Governor and inhabitants of the
island rushed down to the shore and
threatened to shoot them if they
landed. MIR. Ritch appealed to them,
imploring them. if they We're Chris
tians. not to behave inhumanly.
He asked for assistance to take the
Traveller out of her dangerous position
and begged for medicine. His appeals
were roughly ignored and he was
obliged to put about and go back to the
vessel. which they finely reached. al
most dead with exhaustion and despair.
The last man had scarcely quilted the
boat when it was swept away and lost.
No assistance came and that night
the Traveller was carried upon the
reefs and wrecked.
The next morning the Rodrigues sent
a pilot and brought off Mrs. Christie,
HeT SURVIVING CIlllu dIlU OtHeTS, anu
then, with the assistance of blacks
from the island, the survivors were
taken to a desolate sand island where
they We're kept for % days, living in
huts made of leaves.
So feal ful were the inha bitants Of
contact, that food was transferred from
boat to boat until it was finally left
upon the beach of the sand island.
Blacks were sent to cook it. but no
physician came for fortnight, and
even when he did come, according to
Mrs. Christie, he did not land, but ex-
amined the sick through a glass from
his boat.
Meanwhile two died and the second
mate was the only man strong enough
to dig their graves.
On the 22d day, realizing that the
monsoon would soon submerge the sand
island, the Rodriguers moved the un-
fortunates to Rodriguez, where they re-
manned two months and were well
treated. From that point they were
carried to Mauritius and then pro-
ceeded homewards.
Mrs Christie says that the behavior
of the Rodriguers is all the more in
explicable for the fact they allowed a
large part of the cargo Of the Traveller
to be salvaged.