The Washington times., 1902-05-19
HOW CAPTAIN FREEMAN TOOK
THE RODDAM FROM ST. PIERRE

talking TO Mr. Plissoneu. the ships agent
who had just ccme aboard. when a huge,
black. sQuall-lke wall with patches of
fire in it, rose from the mountain and
came out toward us with terrific speed
and with an awful rumbling sound. Ii
swept before it a great tidal wave and
the air became as dark as midnight
There were forty-two persons or the
ship. including the crew. ] yelled to them
to stand clear as the ship was plunged
into total darkness. Then the darkness
filled with fame. Big balls of fire fell on
every part of the ship. setting her afre
in countless places.
The crew and laborers rushed about
frantically. The ship heeled and was
nearly capsized by the wave from the
beach. The water was boiling and was
as thick as mud Many of the laborers
jumped into the sea to avoid the show
ers of fire, red hot dust and heated stones.
The first shock lasted only few minutes,
but flaming matter kept falling more than
an hour.
Signaled to Go Ahead.
e Knowing that we had some steam u,
having been at anchor only a short time,
| signaled to the engineers to put the on
gines full speed astern. ! thought the an
swer was a long time coming. bat it NG5
really only a few seconds. Wlen the ship
began to move found that SIC would not
steer.
The gear had been iammed by the
falling lava / kept the engineers busy
working the engines first ahead and then
astern. hoping that might finally get her
headed out to sea. While she was maneuv-
ering she came near colliding with the
steamship RorGima, which was all aulaze.
We were so close to the Roraima we
could see men jumping from her into the
sea and others with clothing afre run
ming about the desk wringing their hanGs.
Those who jumped overheard must have
died instantly. because the water was
seething like a mass of boiling mud.
I'VE cleared the Roraima by less than
n ships length and then the steering gear
got in shipshape and We headed for the
open.
by this time there were only six
men, including myself who were able TO
work the ship, and every one of them, eX-
cept the third engineer, was injured.
large number had been swept overheard
by the first outpouring Of wind, flame,
lava. and gas. All hands except the third
engineer. the second engineer, the bo's'n,
and two sailors were either killed on
the ship or died of their injuries after
reaching St Lucia.
After ] had the steering gear partly
clear the sky became little brighter,
and ! could see about me. On the deck
my men were lying in heaps OF red hot
ashes writhing and screaming. / was IN
a sad way myself. When we reached Cas-
tries. st, Lucia, there were eighteen dead
bodies lying on the deck and human limbs
scattered about burned off the trunks.
q" The chief engineer escaped the first
shock from the volcano When we were
trying TO work the ship out after the
tidal wave / set her free by carrying
away her anchor chain. The chief came
on deck to look for men to help him in
the stokehold. a mass of burning lava hit
him like a red hot shot, tearing of one
side of his face and killing him instant
ly.''
Remarkable Performance.
Captain Cantell said:
Il think the performance of Captain |
Freeman. considering his pitiful condi /
ton, was remarkable. / do not under /
stand how he kept up through that ordeal. /