The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-23
The Athos Comes in With
Broken Eccentric.
SEVENTEEN DAYS LATE
Bones OF HaIf-Eaten Sharks on Her
Decks and lntOIerabIe Stencil of
a Cargo OF Rotten Bananas In
dicate Suferings OF the
Grew.
(By the Associated Press.) }

New York, August 22.-The steam
er Athos, seventeen days late, with
eight passengers and a cargo of rotten
bananas and with the bones of half
eaten sharks on board to indicate the
perils of her voyage arrived off Scot
land Lightship last night.
On July 80, the Donald Steamship
Companys steamer Athos left Port
Antonio, Jamaica, for New York, as
six days voyage, with provisions in
plenty for this short period. Three
hours out of port an eccentric rod III
the engine broke and from that hour
until last Sunday, proceeding some
times only an hour a day under her
own steam the Athos drifted at the
mercy of storms IN constant danger
of famine, once without drinking wa
ter, and receiving supplies from time
to time off passing vessels until ON
August 90, the disabled steamer gave
up and signalled the steamer Altal
for a tow This steamer brought the
Athos to New York
The trouble was in the engine all
the time. From July 80 to August 9TH
one to two breaks daily in the en-
CINE were recorded. The log chroni-
cles the fact that the daily delay was
only thirty minutes long on August b.
Two days later the catching of the
sharks is recorded. cinnamon on
board attempted to eat the sharks.
but the next two days boats were
lowered from the, Athos in search of
food fish.
On August the disabled steamer
sighted the steamship Adirondack ana
signalled "All we'll on board" But
on the tenth the last tank of water
was opened and was found to be
tainted with the juice of rotting ba-
nanaS.
Some dolphins were caught two
days later and on August 13 the Incl
pient famine was further relieved by
the steamer Monteviedeo which sup
piled provisions.
The Shaft Useless.
For nearly a week between August
10 ard II the engines shaft was use
less: but not only was the steamer
forced to drift about while repairs
were under way bur FOR two days of
this period q great storm and hlgh
seas broke over the helpless steam
ship The log meanwhile indicates
that more dolphins We're caught.
Finally on August IS the coupling
nange broke and the Athos abandoned
the attempt to make New York under
her own steam dIler twenty udyS VI
continuous accidents. 1t was decided
TO accept the first offer of tow. rms
did not come for two days, during
which a second food famine was avert
ed by the steamer Vera, which came
alongside the AthoS, supplying eataples
and drinkables.
Worse even than the danger OF the
sea. of famine and of thirst, the pas
sengerS say was the odor of the de-
caYing banana cargo.
At Scotland Lightship last night the
tow line broke, as q last chapter III
her 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 her pas
sengers to quarantine. Today tugs
we're sent out to bring the Athos into
port.
Passengers of the Athos on landing
today, reported that the famine
caused small mutinies 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
one of the fights of the hungry crew,
but the officers and passengers were
NOT seriously menaced.
At one time the only water to De
had was ocean brine which had peeh
boiled and condensed. One swallow
a day to each person was all that this
process furnished.