The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-13
FACED DEATH FOR DAYS.
Terrible Voyage Of the Thirty-frst
Volunteers to Manila.
NARROW ESCAPE OF 400 SOLDIERS
Tho Transport Manauense sprang Leak
in Mid-Ocean-Pumps Gave Out and
Engines Co1lapsed-For Twelve Days
tho Soldiers Bailed Her With Buckets
In Total Darkness at Night.

tho Soldiers Bailed Her With Buckets
In Total Darkness at Night.
MANILA (By Cable).-The transport Ma
nauense, with Lieutenant Colonel Webb
Hayes and three companies Of the Thirty
arst Infantry on board, has arrived here.
She narrowly escaped disaster. The Of
flcers and soldiers were for eleven days
bailing with buckets. The steamer was
unseaworthy, undermanned and short Of
provisions. Her engines broke down and
she rolled three days in typhoon.
The Manauense isthirty-three days from
San Francisco. When she anchored In the
bay here there were several feet OF water
In her hold, and four hundred grimy,
greasy, hungry, exhausted soldiers and
sailors had been passing buckets OF water
since November II, night and day.
under arrest, and, according to Colonel
Hayes's official report, the chief engineer
would also have been under arrest II there
had been any one to replace him. The
Colopel's report also declares that the
captain of the vessel told him that the
only thing which brought them through
was the fact that the men were green
horns and failed to realize their danger.
while experienced seamen would have de-
serted the ship and taken to the boats in
mid-ocean.
The Manauense is chartered ship, flying
the British flag. She started from San
Francisco accompanied by the transport
Peking, which carried the remainder OF
the regiment, and encountered heavy seas
to Honolulu, without accident.
After starting, 1t developed that she was
undermanned, and soldiers had to be de-
tailed to act as fremen, coal passers and
walters, and to do other work. Before
reaching Honolulu, the crew concluded
that the ship was not safe, and the majority
agreed to desert. Though they were close
ly watched, many OF the crew succeeded in
getting away, and the Manauense LETT
Honolulu with less than half her crew.
The captain OF the transport, on Novem-
ber II, told Colonel Hayes that the vessel
had sprung leak, and an Investigation
resulted In finding several feet OF water In
her hold. The steam pumps were tried.
but failed to work, and there were no hand
pumps ON board. However, forty-si3
buckets were found, others were impro-
vised and the soldiers not employed In
working the ship were organized into five
shifts, tind. stripped and forming lines,
they began balllng, the officers working
with the men, passing the buckets, which
wero sent up to the deck by wlndlass.
The bailing continued until the shlp an
ehored here.
The came day the leak was discovered
the machinery collapsed and the electric
lighting plant and evaporating, d!stllling
and refrlgerating apparatus failed to
work. There were no lamps, and the few
candles found were exhausted after few
days. During the last week OF the passage
the Manauenss was In utter darkness at
night. o.. ,'.'" 80:
She had been rolling In heavy seas all the
way. but on November % she encountered
typhoon and pitched and tossed alarm
ingly. The water rose rapidly and the
bailing force was doubled. The fremsn
could only feed the fires by being lifted on
waist deep.
The typhoon lasted two days and halt
and In the midst OF 1t the engines stopped.
The officers then held council and found
that there were 420 persons on board, with
llfeboat accommodations for 213. The
heat was intense until the typhoon passed.
Throughout the remainder Of the voyage
the engines Of the Manauense failed IRE
quently, and the ship would roll for few
hours while, the engines were being re-.
paired. Then the steamer would proceed
again for few hours.
The meat and vegetables rotted because
Of the failure OF the reirlgerators, and
were thrown overheard. After the storm
the water supplied to the ship OF Honolulu
had to be used for the boilers, and there =
was little or none for drinking. In fact, 1t
Is asserted that during the last week OF the
voyage the men lived almost entirely on
whlskey, beer and hardtuck.
The officers and soldiers were utterly OK
hausted when they reached Manila. They
declare the engineers were grossly lncom-
petent. The officers also soy that the be-
havior OF the troops was beyond praise.
For days they worked in the dark, suf-
fccating hold, with water sometimes
up to their shoulders and plan ks washing
about In manner dangerous to life and
limb. The officers took the lead In bailing
and encouraged the men.
The regiment will proceed to Zamboanga
on the Peking to garrison several ports on
the island OF Mindanao.