Evening journal., 1897-07-10
ATALE OF SUFFERING
Fever Breaks Out on Board a Brig
Soon After Leaving Port
PILOT REFUSED TO CONE ON BOARD.
Forbidden 10 Land on Rodriguez Island
and Assistance Refused - Physician
Would Not Treat the Sufferers.
The vesNel Finally Wrecked.

Liverpool, July 1O.--1n an interview
with Mrs. Andrew Christie. widow OF
Captain Christie Of the wrecked British
ship Traveller. which went on the reefs
on the island Of Rodrisues. in the In
dian ocean, 800 miles northeast OF Maui
ritius on Feb. last. Mrs. Christie tells
terrible story OF the sufferings Of the
survivors.
Almost Immediately after the Traveller
left Java for the Delaware breakwater.
the Java river fever broke out and
spread rapidly. Everybody on board
was more or less affected. Including the
Christie baby, which died and was
buried at sea. Another victim leaped
overheard and was drowned. on Dec.
II the chief officer died and on Dec. 2S
Captain Christie, leaving only ten men
to work the ship.
Second Mate Ritch then decided 70
steer for Maurtius. and when the Tray
eler finally approached Rodrigues is
land only he and two seamen were able
90 work.
A pilot who put out from the island
on learning the state of affairs, refused
20 go on board and returned to the
shore. where he spread the report that
everybody on the Traveller had the yell
| low fever.
Hours passed. and no assistance came.
The second mate, fearing that the Trav-
eler would go ashore. launched a boat
and took the sick survivors with him
with view Of landing them.
Forbidden to Land.
The governor and inhabitants rushed
down to the shore and threatened to
shoot them If they landed. Mr.. Bitch
appealed to them. imporng them IL
they were Christians not to behave in
humanity. He said that his men were
too weak to pull back and that If they
succeeded in getting there they would
| probably be drowned. He asked for as
sistance 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 10 the vessel. which they finally
reached almost dead from exhaustion
and despair. The last man had scarce
" quilted the rowboat when IL was
swept away and lost.
No assistance came. and that night
the Traveller was carried upon the reefs
and wrecked
The next morning the islanders semi
pilot and brought off Mrs Chris
tie, her surviving child and others, anc
then. with the assistance Of blacks from
the island, the survivors were taken t'
desolate sand island in the vicinity
where they were kept for p days living
in huts made OF leaves and with moth
ing but leaves to lie upon.
Physician Refused to Go on Board.
So fearful were the islanders Of con
tact that the food for the survivors
was transferred from boat to boat be
fore it was finally left upon the beacl
OF the sand island. Blacks were sen
to cook il, but no physician came for I
fortnight, and even when he did come
according to Mrs. Christie, he did no
land, but examined the sick through
glass from his boat.
Meanwhile two had died, and th'
second mate was the only man stroni
enough to dig their graves. on th'
twenty-second day, realizing that thu
monsoon would soon submerge the Sane
island. the inhabitants moved the un
fortunates to Rodrigues, where they re
mained two months and were wei
treated.
From that point they were carried t.
Mauritius and then proceeded home
ward.
Mrs. Christie says that the behavio
Of the islanders is all the more mex
plioable in view Of the fact that they al
/ lowed large part Of the cargo Of tn
Traveller TO be saved.