The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-23
VOYAGE OF TWELVE
DAYS LASTS MONTHS
Captain Troop and His Crew
Spend Whole Win.
ter at Sea

NEWsY DIRK, April 22-'I'n be with
you and the kiddies for Thanksgiving
dinner. Make it royal spread" wrote
Capt. John r. Troop of the three mast
ed schooner Laconia to his wife in
Brooklyn. just before he sailed from
Battswoodville, New Brunswick, on
NQX. l for New York
He had not been home for six weeks,
ana he looked forward to the coming
reunion with keenest anticipation. The
Laeonia reached port yesterday, having
been buffeted thousands of miles out of
her course, and Capt. Troop then saw
his wife and children for the first time
In seven months.
BattsMOodVille is 500 miles from New
York, and the Laconia generally makes
1t in twelve days, but the craft was
driven to the Barbados, 1000 miles
from her course, and was out from
Battswoodvile just 162 days.
During the intervening time he and
his crew of six men had battled with
an -unending series Of hurricanes.
Fell at the Pumps
Men worked at the pumps until they
fell exhausted, spars were carried
away. the compass went by the board,
and water, entering the cabin, Destroy
ed the charts in their racks.
The ships stores were spoiled and to
the other terrors that beset the crew
IL.
storm blew, driving them day by day
toward niidAtlantic.
During the worst of the storm, at
midnight of Dec. II, Mate Johnson was
at.sthes wheel Green water swept the
snip fren@ stem to stern. Her remain
ing shreds of canvas were driving her
uncertainty as she plunged and rolled
tothe seas. The crew were wearily
toliinS at the pumps, each man dashed
atshis post.
Suddenly the Laconia drove her nose
out of sight in green wall of water
that arose before her. The wave broke
with full force upon Jacobsen. His
powerful grip on the wheel was broken
ana he was slammed against the cabin.
The ship fell off her course. The mates
assistant sprang to his aid in time to
save him from going overheard
The storm struck the Laconia three
days out from Battswoodville. Hurri-
cane followed hurricane For weeks
ana weeks the vessel struggled
Christmas day broke clear. The
storm had somewhat abated but the
sea was running high. In the early
morning the lookout sighted a passen-
ger steamer. Signals of distress were
displayed and the liner hove to. She
was recognized as the British steamer
Indianapolis.
Bring us provisions and a chart"
stshaled the Laconia.
stan't launch boat in this sea-" was
the big liners signal. you send a
yaWl' @
a boat was lowered, but so complete
ly had the-sea wrecked it that the mo-
ment it-struck the water it opened out
IKE paper box in the pounding seas
and sank.
I've stand by to take off crew." sig
naled the. Indianapolis, when the fail
ure 70 launch boat was noted,
Capt Troop looked over his wearied
toH worn crew.
4 stay with the ship he said quiet
ly:~s f'Wfos wants to go?"
he called the roll of the fo'castle and
each man took his longing eyes from
thE liner long enough to nod his head.
All hands agree to stand by the
ship. he signaled back. Thanks lust
the same. Where are we?"
4he indianapolis directed their
course and on Jan. 10, thanks to i'm
proVised spars and mended sails, and
keeplng atieat by unending and pitiless
Work at the pumps, the Laconia limp-
edssnt o. Bfidgetown, Barbados. She had
travelled thousands of miles out of her
course and been seventy-five DAYS out
of-sigl1t of land
When the ship was moored fresh
men were brought on board from
BrldgetoWn to work the pumps, While
ala hands turned in and slept in the
ship that was all but in a sinking con-
ditfon. . The captain, nearly dead from
exhaustion, was taken to a hospital,
from Which he wrote of his safe en-
trance in, port to his wife,
The ship remained at Bridgetown
being repaired until March 25, when
she set sail> for New York, refitted with
new spaFs and sails. The voyage north
was uneventful.