The Republican journal., 1898-07-14

total loss near Port EllZaOetn, cape OF
Good Hope several weeks ago, Capt.
Horatio B. Hooper and the second officer
perlshlng. Lauritz Walla, the hrst mate.
arrived in New York June 18th, and TO
Elmer +. Hooper, son OF the Inflated
captain, narrated the sad particulars, as
embraced in the following letter.
Returning this morning from trip up
through New York State, learned that
the mate who had been with Capt Hooper
called to see me yesterday and would call
again this morning He has been here and
gives me the following particulars. He
came via Capetown and Southampton,
arriving here Saturday on the 5. S.
Chester.
The Smith lett Mauritius, April y, and
on May Sth encountered very heavy
weather. which by the 18th had increased
to the severity of a hurricane. The for
ward house was completely demolished by
the sea, and after the house was stove in
and flooded the big boat was lost, and
all of the decks We're stove Just back of
the mainmast, The big beams and car
lines broke 50 that the deck struck, let
ting large quantities Of water in the hold,
but not sufficient to cause her to founder.
In fact her hull with the exception of
the decks remained tight.
The gale lasted about eight days, dur
ing which time they lost sails, some of the
spans, the pinnacle being also stove and
the compass damaged, although they did
not know of the damage sustained by
the compass at that time The gale hav-
ing moderated somewhat, Capt Hooper
decided to make Port Elizabeth and made
Burnt Island Light, which is on the east
ern entrance to Algoa Bay, on the 1th of
May. Both Capt. Hooper and the mate
thought they had the correct bearings of
the light, and judged the vessel to be about
five miles off shore, but it being very dark
and rainy, they could see nothing except
the light and about O. clock on the morn
ing of the 11th, the vessel settled heavily
in the breakers about 500 feet from the
shore.
The crew were Immediately obliged to
take to the rigging until the morning,
when the 2nd mate and the two men made
the attempt to land in small boat in or
der that they might get assistance. The
boat, however, was iii mediately capsized,
resulting in the drowning of the 2nd mate,
the two men being able to swim ashore.
There appeared no help on shore at this
time, but during the following night after
having been in the rigging all day Capt.
Hooper remarked that he saw lights
ashore, and judged that the two men who
had landed had succeeded in obtaining
wrecking crew that would rescue them by
daylight.
The crew with the exception OF the
captain and the mate bad dashed them
selves in the rigging exhausted by loss OF
sleep. The mate was above the rest in
the rigging and Capt. Hooper was De
teen him and the men. 1t was very dark,
rainy and cold, and it was only occasional
ly that they would carry on any CONVERSE
ton, but after time the mate for some
purpose went to speak to Capt. Hooper
and found he was not there, and not being
able to find him thinks he must have
fallen to sleep and not being dashed fell
into the sea. They had been without
food two days, ami had hardly slept for
seven or eight days, so it was probably
owing to exhaustion that he fell asleep
aud in this condition did not make any
cutlery when lost.