The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-25
Captain and Crew Of the
AndrOSa Rescued.
Crew Made a Long and Brave
Fight to Save the Ship.
furness Liner Ontario Came to
Rescue Just In Nick OF Tine.


Boston, March 25.-The Furness line
steamship ontario arrived yes
terday with Captain David Nor
gan and 26 shipwrecked seamen. from
the British ship Androsa, who were
taken from their sinking vessel on March
3. when about 800 miles from the Irish
coast The story of their experience
as told by Captain Morgan Is one of
thrilling adventure and suffering, and
an escape from death that was we'll
nigh miraculous. He said that the ves-
sci sailed from San Francisco for Liver
pool on oct. rs, and although several
heavy gales We're encountered the ship
passed through nothing more than tn
ordinary Cape Horn weather 5ntii
March l, yhen she was about 400 miles
from the Irish coast.
ION that date" he said, "a strong
northwesterly gale set in, accompanied
by a terrible sea. The wind steadily
increased in fury until the End 1t was
blowing a full-fiedged hurricane. The
fore and main lower topsails were blown
to pieces and shortly after this a noun
famous wave swept over the ship. burst
ing in the poop deck. carrying away
the three life boats and skids from the
forward house, and all the movables
from the deck. The bulwarks were
swept away as cleanly as II they had
been cut by an axe. All the chain plates
were torn off, and the huge volume of
water had hardly swept over US when
ALI the topmasts went by the board i
had previously ordered the crew below
and no one was on deck but myself and
the officers when this terrible wave
struck us.
we were then In a terrible plight; the
vessel was unmanageable. We could
not make our way about the vessel with
any degree of safety. but as II then be-
came a battle for life ordered the crew
on deck, and we began Jettisoning the
cargo to keep the ship afioat.
"All that night the crew was engaged
IN throwing over boxes OF salmon TO
tighten the ship. and they were worked
necessarily without food or drink until
the next day when the weather moder-
ated little but still blew a fearful gale.
on the morning Of the 3rd 1t was dis
covered that the ship was leaking, and
the crew struggled gallantly to keep her
on the surface of the water.
when the leak was discovered we
fastened the crew TO the pumps with
bowlines around each man. and as only
the weather handle Of the pump could
be utilized we attached bell-rope to
the handle so that more OF the men could
work at once. Part of the crew continued
Settisoning the cargo and. being unable
to leave their work for fear the vessel
would founder under them. they had no
nourishment for two days and nights.
THAT night the storm increased again
and blew furiously with no abatement
until the morning Of the 7th.
"As soon as the men became too ex-
hausted to work the pumps. they were
lifted below. given some nourishment.
and, upon their recovering sufficiently
they were lifted back to their position
at the pump. as most OF them were un-
able TO stand on their feet.
About o'clock the morning OF the
sth a steamer hove in sight. and those
sailors who could walk ran aft and
hoisted the British ensign union down
in the rigging to attract her attention.
The steamer proved to be the Ontario.
Promptly Captain Wise lowered
lifeboat in charge of Chief Officer w.
Saunders. who, with six men. came to
our rescue. Mate Saunders finally. with
great difficulty, succeeded in getting
alongside of our vessel. Seventeen of
the crew jumped or were assisted into
the lifeboat, which returned to the
steamer. and after transferring them to
the Ontario's deck. put off again 10 res
cue the remainder OF us. AS the lifeboat
came alongside for the second time the
heavy seas smashed the boat against
the wreck and her side was stove In.
Nevertheless the remaining 10 OF us got
into the boat and bailed until the
steamer was reached. where. after we
had been removed 10 the Ontario, the
lfeboat in which we were rescued filled
and went to the bottom"