The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-10
A TERRIBLE VOYAGE
Story Of a Survivor Of the Wrecked
British Ship Traveller.
THE VESSEL PLAGUE STRICKEN.
Because Java Fever Had Decimated
the Crew the Inhabitants of Rodri-
gnez Island Mt First Refused to Per-
mIt the Survivors to Land.

Vue SreW ING lnHaUttuHtS OI lNOuTls
gnez Island ut First Refused to Per.
mIt the Survivors to Land.
Liverpool, July 10.--A correspondent
has had an interview with Mrs. An-
drew Christie widow of Captain Chris
tie of the wrecked British ship Trav-
eler. which went on the reefs off the
Island of 1sodrigues, in the Indian
ocean. $50 miles sshortheast Of Manritius,
on Feb. last. Mrs. Christie tells a
terrible story Of the sufferings of the
survivors.
Almost Immediately after the Trav-
eler left Java for the Delaware Break
water the Java fever broke out and
spread rapidly. Everyboard on board
was more or less affected, including the
Christie baby, which died ai)1 was
buried at sea. Another victim leaped
overheard and was drowned On Dec.
IA the chief officer died. and on Dec.
2S Captain Christie, leaving only ten
men to man the ship.
Second Mate Ritch then decided to
steer the Mauritius and when the
Traveller finally approached Rodrigues
Island only he and two seamen were
able to work the ship.
A pilot who put out from the island,
on learning the state of affairs, re-
fused 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 sur
vivors with him with view of land
Ing them.
The governor and inhabitants of the
island rushed down to the shore and
threatened to shoot them If they land
ed. Mr. Fitch appealed to them, i'm
ploring them if they were Christians
not to behave inhumany. He said that
his men were too weak to pull back to
the ship, and that if they succeeded in
getting there they would probably be
drowned. He asked for assistance to
take the Traveller out Of her danger
Gus position, and begged for medicine.
His appeals were roughly ignored,
and he was Obliged to put about and
60 back to the vessel. which they final
ly reached almost dead with exhaustion
and dispair. The last man had scarcely
quilted the rowboat 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
Rodriguers sent a pilot and brought off
Mrs. Christie, her surviving child and
others. and then, with the assistance
of blacks from the island, the surviv-
ors were taken to desolate sand isl
and 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 We're the Rodriguers of
contact that the food for the survivors
fore 1t was finally left upon the beach
of the sand island. Blacks were seEt
to cook 1t, but no physician came for
fortnight and even when he did
come, according to Mrs. Christie, he
did not land, but examined the sick
through glass from his boat
Meanwhile two had died, and the sec.
ond mate wcs the only man strong
enough to dig their graves. On the
22d dav, realizing that the monsoon
would soon submerge the sand island,
the Rodriguers moved the unfortunates
to Rodrigues, where they remained two
months, and were well treated. From
that point they were carried to >Mauri-
thus and then proceeded homeward.