Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-23
DISABLED VESSEL ARRIVES
Fiuit Steamer Reaches New York Aftsr
Unfortunate Trip from jamaica.
ENGINES RSEAK DOWN IN MIDocEAS
Passengers and Crew short of Food
and water and Captain is
Forced 60 Call for
Help.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2-The steamer
| Athos, seventeen days late, with eight
passengers and cargo Of rotted bananas
and with the bones OF half eaten sharks
on board to indicate the perils or its
voyage, arrived of Scotland lightship last
| night.
On July 80 the Donald Steamship com
pany's steamer Athos left Port Antonio.
jamaica for New York, a six days voy-
age, with provisions in plenty for this
short period. Three hours out OF port
an eccentric rod on the engine broke and
from that hovr until last Sunday. pro-
ceeding sometimes only an hour a day
under its own steam. the Athos drifted at
the mercy Of storms. in constant danger OF
famine, once without drinking water. and
receiving supplies from time to tirpe from
passing vessels until on August 20 the
disabled steamer gave up and signalled
the steamer Altai for tow. This steamer
brought the Athos to New York.
The trouble was in the engine all Of the
time. From July 80 to August one to two
breaks daily In the engine were recorded
The log chronicles the fact that the daily
delay was only thirty minutes long on
August 8.
Two days later the catching Of sharks IL
recorded. Cinnamon on board attempted
to eat the sharks, but the meat made them
i'll and the FISH were thrown into the sea
During the next two days boats were
lowered from the Athos in search Of food
fish.
On August 8 the disabled steamer sighted
the steamship Adirondack and slgnalled
'all well on board" But August 10 the
last tank OF water was opened and was
found to be tainted with the Juice OF
rotting bananas.
Some dolphin we're caught two days later
and on August lS the incipient famine was
further relieved by the steamer Monte
video, which supplied provisions.
For nearly a week, between August 10 and
II, the engines shaft was useless. and not
only was the steamer forced to drift about
while repairs were under way, but for
two days of this period a great storm
and high seas broke over the helpless
steamship. The log meanwhile indicates
that more dolphin were caught Finally
on August IS, the coupling hange broke
and the Athos abandoned the attempt to
make New York under its own steam. after
twenty days OF continuous accidents II
was decided to accept the first offer OF
tow. This did not como for two days
during which a second food famine was
averted by the steamer Vera, which came
alongside the Athos supplying eatabies
and drnkables.
Worse even than the. dangers Of famine
and of thirst, the passengers say, was the
odor Of the decaying banana cargo
At Scotland lightship last night the tow
line broke as a last chapter to its long
series Of accidents and the Athos could
not repair the broken line in the dark. but
anchored for the night while the Altai
brought its passengers to quarantine To-
day tugs were sent out to bring the Athos
into port.
The passengers were John Douglas Don
aid, son Of the owner OF the Athos; Miss
Julia Anna Damshee, the boys aunt; Mr.
and Mrs. Morris Lunn OF Rosebank. g. l.,
and Keith and Fred Saunders ,of Bay.
bridge, boy friends OF young Donald, and
Henry Tamke. The whole party were
guests OF John A. Donald, president Of the
Donald Steamship company who sent them
on the Athos for a summer vacation trip
The Altai towed the Athos twenty-six miles
Passengers of the Athos on landing today
reported that the famine caused small
mutlnies among the ships crew OF eighteen
Cinnamon. Trouble first started among
the coolies over the dearth Of tobacco and
rice. A negro helper was stabbed during
the officers and passengers were not Sc
riousy menaced.
At one time the only water to be had
was ocean brine which had been boiled
and condensed. One swallow a day TO
each person was all that this process fur
nished.