Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-30
STEAMER ADEN WRECKED OFF THE
COAST OF AFRICA.
DRIVEN ON ROCKS BY MONSOON
ONLY NINE OF THE THIRTY-FOUR
PASSENGERS WERE SAVED.
Many Were Swept Overheard and 9th
ers Were Drowned by the Cap
sizing of BOats-SuryivOrs
Rescued After Seven
teen Days.

| Alden, June 29.-The Indian governments
| steamer Mayo, sent out in search OF the
| missing steamer Alden, from Yokohama, on
| April p, via Colombo and Alden for London.
which was last heard of when leaving Col
| ombo on June l for this port, has returned
| here and reports that the Alden was totally
| lost off the island of SocOtra, at the east
| ern extremity of Africa, on the morning OF
| June 8. The Alden carried thirty-tour pas
| sengers from China and Japan. The cap
| tain OF the wrecked steamer, some OF her
| officers and crew and seven white paSsen-
| gers were swept overheard and drowned
| very soon after she ran ashore. Eight lady
| pa sSengers, nine children, two otnceTS ana
| few of the Alden crew succeeded IN get
| ting away from the wreck IN boat, but
| they have not been heard of since, ana
| little hope, owing to the bad weather whlch
| has since prevailed, is entertained OF their
| safety. The Mayo saved nine of the Alden
| passengers and three OF the white and thir-
| ty-three natives of the steamers crew. All
| these persons were rescued just as the Alden
| wrecked steamer were brought to this port
| by the Mayo and are being cared for by the
| missing include twenty-five passengers,
| twenty European officers and thirty-three
natives of the Aden's crew. ,-,-.
| Mail from Alden, Arabia, says: Two days
after leaving Colombo, the Alden was struck
/ by a severe monsoon, with squalls, violent
and incessant. Day by day the weather
| grew thicker, and the passengers grew
more and more alarmed. At . o'clock on on
upon the RasradreSa reef, on the eastern
| coast of the Island of SOcotra-
| THE engine room was instantly. HOODED
and utter darkness ensued, Wild with
| panic, the passengers rushed from lhelr
cabins and fled terror-stricken TO the upper
| deck in the scantiest clothing Inc women
and children screamed in fright ana con-
| fusion, but the men retained their SELF
possession and courageOusly assisted the
| officers and crew to do their best to save
| the vessel and to inspire calmness.
But it was soon seen that the steamer
/ Oafr1A ,nN fhn Gh N
| only chance for safety lay in the boats.
| Life belts were distributed. distress signals
| given and the boats on the lee, side pre-
pared for launching. Those on the wealth
| er side had already been washed away.
In the meantime, seeing that some hours
| were likely TO elapse before it would be
possible TO launch the boats, the passen-
| gers gladly accepted the assistance OF the
crew to obtain more clothing.
| The storm continued TO increase In vio-
| lence. Great seas washed the vessel with
terrific force. Daylight brought no relief
| and only served to reveal still further the
| awful situation.
| Misfortune followed misfortune. A life
| boat was lowered, only to be swept away
| Immediately, with three lascars and the
first officer, Mr.. Garden. The gig was dis
| patched to the rescue, with Mr.. Miller. the
| second office, but, to the despair of all,
| both boats were rapidly swept away.
| The only remaining lftboat was then
| low ered amid a scene of intense emotion.
| A cry of anguish broke from the lips of
even the men when this half capsized,
/
| the sea. After great efforts the boat was
| righted and the women and children were
| lowered into it, with the exception OF Mad
| ames Gillett, Pearce and Strain, who hero
| ically decided to share the fate OF their
| husbands and Misses Lloyd and Weller,
| who remained on board. The boat, manned
| by a European crew, left in tremendous
| sea and drifted rapidly out of sight
Vast waves still swept the wreck, dash
| ing the people about and leaving them al
| most PROSTATE on The deck. One by one,
| men, women and children, grown to weak
| to withstand the repeated bunetings, were
| washed overheard in sight of those who
were momentarily expecting the same fate.
| Among the first thus engulfed were Mr..
| and Mrs. Strain and their two children;
Mrs. Pearce's baby with its Chinese nurse.
| and then Captain Hill, whose leg was
broken, but who had borne himself calm
| ly and bravely: He was washed overheard
| with several of the native crew.
| "All day the victims were picked of one
| by one, until o'clock in the afternoon,
| when those who still survived retreated
| below. Many were badly hurt and passed
| the night in suspense and bodily pain, hud-
| died in the small cabin. which they eX
pected would be their tomb. None of the
| survivors whom l have seen cares to talk
| of this terrible night.
| 'The storm abated slightly on the morn
ing of the 10th, and those who were able to
| move began to search for food, hunger until
| then having failed TO assert itself over more
| acute privations- This proved a task of the
| greatest danger, as big seas were still
| sweeping the vessel. The fourth engineer.
WnllG Trying TO procure water near IuG
poop. was struck senseless and almost
| washed overheard before he could be
| dragged to place Of safety. Artificial res
piration and similar eXpedients We're resort
| ed to, but it was five hours before he was
| restored to consciousness. Mr.. Pearce was
| only saved from being washed overheard
by the prompe action of his wife.
THE search for food resulted in their get
| ting very little Of 1t, and this was shared
| out equally and In very small portions. All
| the time desperate men kept a sharp look
out. But no vessel was sighted until the
| 18th, and then the distress signal was not
| seen. on the nth and again on the 10th,
| other vessels were sighted, but the signals
| either were not seen or were ignored. These
| unhappy episodes caused painful and half
crazy scenes of rage among those who had
| been previously self-contrOlled. Each day
| 1t was necessary TO curtail the allowance
| of rations. Mrs. Gillett did the catering.
| and contributed greatly to cheering up the
| ships company.
'The weather usually moderated IN the
morning, but always increased in violence
| during the afternoon. Frequently a sea
| thirty feet high would sweep the deck from
| stem to stern and carry away portions of
on June 25. when things were at their
worst. and the food supply was almost
| exhausted. Messrs. White, Kelt. Cave and
Nalpy braVely Ventured across the deck
| to the storeroom and got a fresh supply.
| That evening two steamers were sighted.
One proceeded without paying any atten-
ton TO the distress signal. The other an
chored under the lee OF the island. As soon
| as she was. sighted a lascar mounted the
rigging and signaled her. In reply can
| dies burned at her portholes and at day.
break on the 26th, q suspense of seventeen
| days was relieved by the spectacle of the
| steamer rounding the point and heading
| towards the wreck. She dropped anchor
about a mile away.
| A very heavy sea was still running, but
! the wind had moderated slightly. With
| heartfelt Joy, mingled with tears of the
men and hysterical sobbing of the women,
| they saw the lifeboat lowered. 1t took her
| three-quarters of an hour to reach the
| wreck Every one rushed TO the broken
| side of the ship. 1 was the lifeboat of the
: Indian government steamer Mayo and in
| charge of Lieutenants Dobin and Gold
| smith.
They skillfully avoided the tremendous
| wash and secured all of the survivors in
| two trips. Every attention was paid TO
| them on board the Mayo. Their health is
| importing and they will sail homeward to-
morrow "wednesday on the steamer
| India"
| A