The Portland daily press., 1900-02-26
Breaking of day was waited with impa-
thence
STORY OF THE BOATS CREW.

6IOh1 Op IhE QUA ChA"s
At $50 O'Clock yesterday morning
the second olticsr OF the Californian
reached shore In a life boat and hurried
nj once 10 the Falmouth hotsi where
he reported to Capt. Barclay. The officer
refused to talk to anyone rs he hurried
to Capt Barclays room. A few minutes
after bis arrival there PRESS reporter
attempted to secure an Interview WIZ
Cspt. barclay, who absolutely refused 70
talk With him at TINT time.
The reporters then hurried 70 the Grand
Trunk wharf where they found the
beats crew Of the Californian standing
by their beat. One OF the boats crew
told tao following story Of the accident;
He said that the Californian left the
harbor shortly after II O'Clock They
dropped Capt. Parsons. the pilot, of the
bell tripod on Ram Island ledge. A few
minutes after the pilot boat had left the
Californian Ii began to rain hard and
became very thick. suddenly the LOOKOUT
shouted "BreakeIs ahead" Quickly
the engines were reversed and the screw
turned iull spsed astern. This went on
for some minutes when the ship struck.
When ths Californian went ashore she
had lost her Roadway to a great extent
and the shock was not Q very heavy one,
but It was soon evident that she was
hard and fast. The sailor Deserted the
place where the ship lays rs In the blight
of Ram island, between that island and
Cush,ng's island He said that the ship
was headed towards the south AMI that at
this place size was on the leeward side OF
the island where 1t was not very rough.
At the time she went ashore the tide
was about half high by sounding 1t
was discovered that there were five faith
oms OF water under tins vessels stern
and che seemed to re In no immediate
danger Of breaking up. Ihs sailor said
that the passengers were awakened by the
striking OF the ship and came on dsok
in a hurry and in great alarm, but that
their fears were soon Quoted by tho
officers Of the ship. As soon as IL was
found that 1t was impossible TO back the
ship off the rocks preparations were made
for signslling for help
About this time the wind began TO
haul around further towards the eastward
and to blow great guns. The men on the
ship could see the lights on the Cape
shore but although they fired dozen or
more bombs and ns many rockets they
obtained no response from shore. 1t wns
than determined to launch a boat ana
send 1t ashore for help. The second
officer and ak men were sent in this big
lie boat as q crew. They found no dill
Guilty in launching the beat but as soon
as they had got beyond the protection OF
the island they encountered "a hsavy $50
which gave them all they could do to
keep e boat frJm oapsiziUg, The crew
made sail on the boat and aftsr an honr
or more succeeded IN reaching the rand
Trunk wharf.
This man, who seemed to be ve-y In
teiligent fellow, said that he did not he
1--we tire snip was IN very dangerous
position as she now lies. Should the
wind hGul around more to the east or
north and blow hard 1t might make some
difference as TO her chaDos OF getting on
the rocks. He said that he thought the
ship could hs pulled of the rocks at high
tide without much trouble II several
poysrfui tugs could be had. After some
further questioning by the newspaper
men the sailor said that he would net
wnnt to bet that the Californian would
ever get sfloat again and after look at
the veathez he said that he thought 1t
wculd be risky bet to make.
The sailor said that the captain evident
" did not feel that the ship WAS In any
imInediate danger or he would have made
scme PREPARATIONS to land the passsn
gers and wren the bost left the Caiifor-
MAN nothing of this kind had been done
Rs ssid that the ship did not seem to be
making water very fast and be did not
believe that she had knocked very big
hols IN her bottom.
From the description Of the men of the
boats crew 1t would seem That the CAL
fornian now lies In a sheltered blight oil
Ram islaEd and is protected from the
heavy SEA which ia running on the ct her
side of the island. They said that there
wans't very mHcn OF swell and that the
ship when they left her was as steady al
q rock and was not pounding at all.
None of the men in the boat knew how
the ship happened to run ashore in tn Is
place. One of them said that he had
heard the pilot give the course the ship
should follow when he left tine bridge and
that he had not teen gone very long be-
fore the breakers were discovered dead
ahead In going full speed astern the
ship swung with hsr nose 60 the south
but did not lose her Roadway enough &c
keap her off the rocks.
CAPT. BARCLAYS ACCOUNT.
Port Capt. Barclay at O'Clock Sunday
morning, after he had conferred will
the second officer Ct the ship, who CANT
ashore with the boats crew, gave to 1
PRESS man at the Falmouth hotel tn
information Of which he was possessed
"The ship struck at about half pas
one." said Cart. Barclay, "at poin
which the second officer judges to b'
about mile and half northeast of tn
bell buoy eff the Cusbjng's island shore