The Portland daily press., 1897-03-16
HARBOR DRIFT.
Arrival of Long Delayed Steamships
Other Items.

~SNS DCieycu Cbo@AAeAAAPS
Other Items.
Ihe benjamin g. Cromwell arrived
yesterday with salt for Lord Brothers.
Inc cutter Woodbury. sailed yesterday
on cruise to the eastward.
Four coalers came in yesterday and
Will begin discharging today.
The only fish arrival yesterday was the
Oresa with 10000. The lobster arrivals
were the Della with 1000 and the Her.
mann Ressing with 4oOO.
Inc bark Golden Sheaf was signalled
outside late yesterday afternoon and was
lowed into the harbor late in the after
coon.
Ihe steamer Frank Jones will come of
tne railway today at high tide. The
schooner Nellie Burns will be put on to
be newly painted.
Ihe Lycia of the Elder empster line,
captain O. Jones, arrived off Portland
Head light ut IL O'Clock Sunday night.
The pilot brought her safely in and she
was docked before one clock yesterday
morning. A terrible passage was the
verdict of everyone on board. The Lycia
left Bristol on February 25th and has
literally fought every foot Of her way
against head winds. She brought light
cargo of about 600 tons which was not
sufficient to prevent her from rolling
terribly. Thereswere no local consigments
whatever, everything being marked for
Canadian points. In the rear hold, boxes
containing large sheets Of galvanized iron
give far better idea of the weather en-
countered than any that words can OK
press. There WAS not box that remained
intact. Great sheets Of iron were torn
and twisted into every conceivable shape,
while the wooden boxes were smashed IN
to kindling wood and added their quota
to the chaos in the hold. Many days the
vessel could not advance a mile and was
often blown far from her course. The
only passengers, with one exception, were
nine returning cattlamen. The exception
was stowaway who was discovered
when two days ont. He is German lad
named Lenas Mocha and can speak very
little English. Upon his arrival here, he
was questioned by the inspector of immi-
grafton and found to have no friends or
relatives in this country. The police
authorities were notified and he WAS
taken away in their charge. He will be
cared for until the Lydia sails, when he
will be returned. Officers and crew were
constantly on duty and everyone is very
tired after rheir long and strenuous ex-
ertions. Work commenced at once on dis
charging cargo.
The Tompson liner Iona, Captain
William Cummings, arrived at 7.30
yesterday morning. The Iona had a
terrible passage battling her way against
continuous head winds and was driven
far out of her course at times. She left
Leith on February 81, thus making
twenty-five days passage. In good
weather she would make the passage In
from twelve to fourteen days. She
brought no cargo, coming across in
water ballast. She was SO high out of the
water. that the waves rolled her about in
terrifying manner. For four days the
vessel made no Roadway whatever. The
Iona rollod SO that it brought the pipe
leads to the oondensing engine so high
out of water that she could get no fresh
supply for her engines. The machinery
consequently had to be stopped and for
forty eight hours the vessel was practical
ly at the mercy Of the waves. rolling and
tossing like an eggshell. All over the
deck signs of the force of the waves are
visible. A door on one of the hurricane
deck rooms was lifted from its hinges
and carried overheard, For hours at
time no one could stand on certain
portions of the deck. the water sweeping
over them in steady vnlume. Loose
planks were carried overheard right and
left. The crew worked night and day and
everyone on board felt very much ex-
hausted this morning. The Iona brought
twelve returning cattlemen. She is at
the Grand Trunk elevator, where she
will take her grain at once. The Iona
was nearer Portland on the 2Sth day of
February than she was On March 4. One
day she was literally blown back 1903
miles, which is going ahead slow with a
vengence.
The Laurentian arrived in Halifax yes
terday morning and will reach Portland
on Tuesday sometime.