The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-06-30
THEWRECE ON THE ADM
It Resdltod in the Loss Of Seventy
eight Lives,
WHILE FORTY WE'RE RESCUED.

Ors, who For Seventeen DAYS Wero
Held Captive on Reef. with tho
Vessel Gradually BreakIng to Pieces.
Alden, June 30.-The Indian govern
ments steamer Mayor, sent out In
search of the missing steamer Alden,
which was last heard of whenl eavlng
Colombo on June / for this port, has
returned here, and reports that the
Alden was totally lost off the Island Of
Socotra. at the eastern extremity OF
Africa.
The captain of the wrecked steamer,
some Of her officers and crew and seven
white passengers were swept overheard
and drowned very soon after she ran
ashore.
Eight women passengers, nine chill
dren, two officers and a few of the
Aden's crew succeeded in getting away
from the wreck in a boat. but they
have not been heard of since, and At
tie hope is entertained Of their safety.
The Mayor saved nine OF the Adens
passengers and three Of the white and
50 Of the natives of the steamers crew.
All Of these persons were rescued just
as the Alden was breaking up.
In all the drowned and missing in
clude % passengers, 20 European Off
GERS and 33 natives OF the Aden's crew.
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 engineroom was instantly flood
ed, and utter darkness ensued. Wild
with panic the passengers rushed from
their cabins and fled terror stricken to
the upper decks in the scantiest cloth
ing The women and children screamed
in fright and confusion, but the men
retained their self possession and
courageously assisted the officers and
crew to do their best to save the ves-
sci and to inspire calmness.
But It was soon seen that the steamer
could not survive the shock, and that
| the only chance for safety lay in the
boats. Life belts were distributed, dis
tress 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 gladly
accepted the assistance Of the crew to
obtain more clothing.
The storm continued to increase In
! violence. The seas washed the vessel
with terrific force. Daylight brought nc
relief, and only served to reveal still
further the awful situation. Misfortune
followed misfortune. A lifeboat was
lowered, only to be swept away i'm
mediately, with three lascars and the
first officer, Mr.. Garden. The gig was
dispatched to the rescue, with Mr.
Miller. the second officer but both
boats were rapidly swept away.
The only remaining llfeboat was
then lowered amid a scene of intense
emotion. 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 eff.
forts the boat was righted and the wo-
men and children were lowered into It,
with the exception of Madames Gillett
Pearce and Strain, who heroically de-
cided to share the fate Of their hus-
bands, and Misses Lloyd and Weller
who remained on board. The boat
manned by a European crew, left in a
tremendous sea and drifted rapidly oui
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 re-
peated buffetings, were washed over
board In sight of those who were mo-
mentarlly expecting the same fate
Among the first thus engulfed were
Mr.. and Mrs. Strain and their two chill
dren; Misses Lloyd and Weller the
missionaries; Mrs Pearce's baby, with
its Chinese nurse, and then Captain
Hill, whose leg was broken, but who
had borne himself calmly and bravely
He was washed overheard with sew
eral OF the native crew.
All day the victims We're picked OF
one by one, until o'clock In the after
noon, when these who still survived re-
treated below. Many were badly hurt
and passed the night in suspense anG
bodily pain, huddled in the small cabin
which they expected would be theii
tomb. None Of the survivors care tC
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 fol
food, hunger, until then, having failed
to assert itself over more acute pri
vations. This proved q task of the
greatest danger. as big seas were still
sweeping the vessel. The fourth en-
gineer, while trying to procure water
near the poop, was struck senselesi
and almost washed overheard before
he could be dragged to q place o.
safety. Artificial respiration and simi
lar expedients were resorted to. but 4
was five hours before he was restored
to consciousness. Mr.. Pearce was only
! saved from being washed overheard
by the prompt action Of his dauntles
{ wife.
/. The search for food resulted in thei
getting very little OF It, and this wa
= shared out equally and In very smal
portions. All the time desperate mel
kept a sharp lookout But no vessel wa
sighted until the 18th. and even thel
the distress signal was not seen. On
the 17th, and again on the goth, othe
vessels were sighted, but the signal
either were not seen or were ignored.
These unhappy episodes caused pain
ful and half crazy scenes OF rag
among those who had previously beel
! self controlled. Each day II wa
necessary to curtail the allowance o
rations. Mrs. Gillett did the catering
, and contributed greatly to cheering u
tho oI,fnc pounpanU