The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-02
PERILS OF The DEEP.
A DISASTROUS sHIPWRECK OFF
THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA.
The Missing Steamer Alden Found by the
Vessel Searching for Her-The Survivors
of the Crew and Passengers Rescued
After Seventeen Days of Peril and Suffer.
ing-Twenty-Five Passengers and Many
of the Crew Lost.

of the Crew Lost.
Alden, June 29.-The Indian govern
ment's steamer Mayo, sent out in
search Of the missing steamer Aden
from Yokohama on April 2Sth, via Co
lombo and Alden for London, which was
last heard Of when leaving Colombo on
June 1st 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, on the
morning of June 9Th.
The Alden carried thirty -four passen
gers from China and japan.
The captain Of che wrecked steamer,
some Of her officers and crew and seven
white passengers were swept overheard
and drowned very soon after she ran
ashore. Eight lady passengers, nine
children, two officers and few Of the
Aden's crew succeeded in getting away
from the wreck in a boat, but they have
not been heard Of since.
The Mayo saved nine of the Aden's
thirty-three 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 include twenty-five passengers,
twenty European officers and thirty
three natives of the Aden's crew.
London, June 3O.-A dispatch to The
Daily Mail from Alden, Arabia, says:
1.-TWO days after leaving Colombo the
with squalls, violent and incessant.
Day by day the weather grew thicker
and the passengers became more and
more alarmed. At 3 o'clock on the
morning of June 9th the vessel struck
the RaSradreSa reef, on the eastern
coast Of the island Of SOcOtra. The en-
gine room was instantly flooded and ut
ter darkness ensued. Wild with panic,
the passengers rushed from their cab
ins and fled terrOr-strcken to the upper
deck in the scantiest clothing. 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 vessel and to in
spire 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
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 it would be pos
{ sible to launch the boats, the passen-
{ gers gladly accepted the assistance of
the crew to obtain more clothing.
The storm continued to increase in
violence. Great seas washed the ves
sci with terrific force. Daylight brought
no relief and only served to reveal still
further the awful situation. Misfortune
followed misfortune. A lifeboat was
lowered, only to be swept away imme-
diately with three Lascars and the first
officer, Mr.. Garden. The gig was dis
patched to the rescue with Mr.. Miller.
the second officer, but, to the despair
of all, both boats We're rapidly swept
away.
THE only remaining lifeboat 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 efforts,
the boat was righted and the women
and children were lowered into it, with
the exception Of the MeSdameS 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 out
of sight.
Vast waves still swept the wreck,
= dashing the people about and leaving
them almost prostrate 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 We're mo-
fat<
Among the first thus engulfed were
Mr.. and Mrs. Strain and their two
children: Misses Lloyd and Weller. the
missionaries; Mrs. Pearce'S baby with
it's Chinese nurse and then Captain
Hill, whose leg was broken, but who
had borne himself calmly and bravely.
He was washed overheard with several
of the native crew.
LAR day the victims We're picked off
one by one until O'Clock in the after
noon, when those who still survived,
retreaied 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
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
10 assert itsexf over more acute priva-
>rions. This proved a task of the great
est danger, as big seas were still
sweeping. the vessel The fourth en-
gineer, while trying to procure water
near the poop. was struck senseless
and almost washed overheard before
he could be dragged to a place of
safety.
THE search for food resulted in their
getting very little Of il, and this was
shared out equally and in very small
portions. All the time desperate nler
kept a sharp lookout. But no vessel
was sighted until the 18th, and even
then the distress signal was not seen.
On the Nth and again on the 20th 9TH
er vessels were sighted; but the sig
mails either were not seen or We're ig-
nOred. These unhappy episodes caus-
ed painful and half crazed scenes of
rage among those who had been pre-
viously self-controlled. Each day it
was necessary to curtail the allowance