Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-10-20
position, as we'll as the final outcome of
the charge, to be as fully known.
In a Ship Wreck.


In a Ship Wreck.
In addition to the sister and niece of a
jamestown man who were drowned in
the wreck of the trans Atlantic steamer
Scotsman, which went on the rocks at
Newfoundland in a fog, MI. and Mrs.
William Steele of Cavalier, Pembina
county, we're passengers on the boat and
had a thrilling experience. An account
of the disaster given by them to the
Bathgate Pink paper says that the ship
struck the rocks in the fog and no
sooner had the passengers left their
cabins and gone on deck than many of
the crew, composed principally Of the
stewards and stokers, ran below and
breaking into the cabins, took every
thing of value they could lay their hands
on. While this portion Of the crew
were pillaging and robbing, the remain
der had got five boats into the. water
and hustled the women into them, as it
was expected that the ship: would be
under water in about ten minutes. 1t
happened that they unfortunately for
got to put the plug into the firstsboat
launched, which sank soon after they
put away from the ship, and eleven
women and n little boy were drowned
within sight of the others. all efforts to
rescue them proving futile. 1t was
shortly discovered that the ship was
safely lodged on the rocks and in no i'm
mediate danger of sinking. Ladders
and a sea chair were rugged between
the ship and the shore and the party
Numbering about $50 in ally were safely
landed on the beach. Immediately on
landing they climed up on a plateau, at
an, elevation of about 200 feet above the
sea, where they remained Friday, Sat
urday, Sunday and until Monday morn
ing. The four boats which had put
away from the ship at the first moment
had got lost in the fog and were out
about ten hours before they were able
to land and all were then in a very ex-
hausted condition. The crew of the
ship acted very selfish with the provi.
sions, always helping themselves first
1t would have been different, however
had not the crew robbed the passengers
of all their firearms. Sunday morning
while some of the men were climbing
the side of the mountain to reach the
top of the island to look for a light
house (Which they discovered) a large
rock was loosened and came bounding
down the side. 1t struck another rocl
at the bottom and bounding struck Mr.
Steele On both legSknocking him forcib
ly backward. Had the rock not STRUCK
Mr.. Steele it would have undoubtedly
killed a lady who was just behind him
The doctor, on examining MI. Steele'
wound, declared he would be unable tx
move. Monday morning the Who'll,
party clambered up the side of the cliff
IA distance of about 1900 feet from
where they were, the total elevation be
ing about 1,5OJ feet above the sea) ant
walked about fifteen miles wei rock
and through moss in which one would
sink about six inches at every step. I
was a most trying journey, especial,
for the women, and when they did ar
rive at the lighthouse one of MIR. Steele
legs was black and it looked as though
modification had set in. The docto
declared it a wonder that he ever man
aged to reach there. The lighthous
and a few o%ut-buildings we're the onl
ones on the islands and the only peopl
there we're the keeper and his sister
who did everything within their limite'
means to make all comfortable. The
stayed there until Tuesday morning
when they managed to attract the atten
ton of the cargo steamer Montfort, Q
the Elder-D empster line, which hap
pened that way, and $50 of the passen
gers were taken on board.