The Monmouth inquirer., 1897-07-01
WRECK OF THE ADEN.
MANY LIVES LOST IN A MONSOON
IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.

The Vessel Forced on Reef In the Dead
Of Night--women and Children Washed
Overheard While Men Looked on Help
less.
London, June 3O.--The correspondent
of The Daily Mail at Alden, Arabia, has
sent the following graphic description
of the wreck Of the British steamship
Alden:
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 became more and
more alarmed. At o'clock on the
morning Of June the vessel struck
upon the Rasradresa reef, on the east
ern coast Of the island Of Socotra.
The engine room was instantly food
ed, and utter darkness ensued. Wild
with panic, the passengers rushed from
their cabins and fed terror stricken
to the upper deck in the scantiest cloth
ing. The women and children scream
ed in fright and confusion, but the men
retained their self possession and cour-
ageously assisted the officers and crew
to do their best to save the vessel and
to inspire ealmness
But it was soon seen that the steam
er could not survive the shock, and
that the only chance for safety lay in
the boats Lifebeits were distributed,
distress signals given and the boats on
the lee side prepared for launching
Those on the weather side had already
been washed away. In the meantime,
seeing that some hours were likely to
elapse before 1t would be possible to
launch the boats, the passengers glad
ly accepted the assistance Of the crew
to obtain more clothing.
The storm continued to increase in
violence. Huge seas washed the vessel
with terrible force Daylight brought
no relief and only served to reveal still
further the awfulness of the situation.
Lifeboats swept Away.
Misfortune followed misfortune. A
iifeboat was lowered, only to be swept
away Immediately with three Lascars
and the first officer Mr. Garden The
gig was dispatched to the rescue with
Mr. Miller. the second officer; but, to the
despair of all, both boats were rapidly
swept away.
The only remaining lifeboat was then
lowered. amid a scene of intense emo
tion. A cry of anguish broke from the
lips even of the men when this half
capsized, throwing the sailors and the
stores into the sea. After great efforts
the boat was righted, and the women
and children were lowered into it. with
the exception of Mines Gillett, Pearce
and Strain, who heroically decided to
share the fate of their husbands, and
Misses Lloyds and Weller, who remain
ed on board. The boat, manned by a
European crew, left in a tremendous
sea and drifted rapidly out Of sight.
Vast waves still swept the wreck.
dashing the people about and leaving
them almost PROSTATE on the deck. One
by one men, women and children,
grown too weak to withstand the repeat
ed buffetings, were washed overheard in
sight of those who were momentarily
expecting the same fate. Among the
first thus ingulfed were Mr.. and Mrs.
Strain and their two children, the
Misses Lloyd and Weller. the mission
aries: Mrs Pearce's baby, with it's Chi
nese nurse, and then Captain Hill
whose leg was broken, but who had
borne himself calmly and bravely. was
washed overheard with several of the
native crew.
Days Spent on the Wreck.
All day the victims were picked off
one by one, until O'Clock in the after
noon, when those who still survived
retreated below. Many were badly hurt
and passed the night in suspense and
bodily pain. huddled in the small cabin
which they expected would be their
tomb None of the survivors who were
seen cared to talk of this terrible night
The storm abated slightly on the
morning 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 priva-
tions. This proved a task of the great
est danger, as big seas were still sweep
ing the vessel. The fourth engineer.
while trying to procure water near the
poop. was struck senseless and almost
washed overheard before he could be
dragged to place of safety. Artificial
respiration and similar expedients were
resorted to, but it was FIVE hours be-
fore he was restored to consciousness
Mr. Pearce was only saved from being
washed overheard by the prompt ac
tion of his dauntless wife.
The search for food resulted in their
getting very little of it. and this was
SnareQ Oul equally anu III very sHldAA
portions. All the time the desperate
men kept a sharp lookout But no ves-
sci was sighted until the 18th, and even
then the distress signal was not seen.
On the 18th and again on the Goth other
vessels We're sighted. but the signals
either were not seen or were ignored.
These unhappy episodes caused pain
full and half crazy scenes of rage among
those who had previously been self con-
trolled. Each day it was necessary to
curtail the allowance of rations. Mrs
Gillett did the catering and contributed
greatly to cheering up the ships COM
pany.
Sea Thirty Feet High.
The weather usually moderated in the
morning. but aIN9 , increased in vio-
lence during the an aoon. Frequently
sea 80 feet high would sweep the
deck from stem to stern and carry
away portions of the vessel. On June
Is, when things were at their worst and
ttn faod Sunnfy was almost exhausted