The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-23
STEAMER ADRlFT
FOR MANY DAYS
Starvation Threatened Passengers of
the AthOs.
TRIED TO EAT SHARKS
ENENTFUL VOYAGE FROM IA.
MAiCA TO NEW YORK.

New York, Aug 22-The steamer
Athos. with eight passengers and a
cargo of rotted bananas and with the
bones Of half eaten sharks on board to
indicate the perils OF her voyage ar
rived off Scotland lightship last night.
On July the Donald Steamship COM
pany's steamer Athos left Port An
tonic. Jamaica, for New York, six
days voyage, with provisions in plenty
for this short period. Three hours out
OF port an eccentric rod broke and from
that hour until last Sunday, proceeding
sometimes only an hour a day under
her own steam, the Athos drifted at
the mercy OF storms, in constant dan
ser of famine, once without drinking
water, and receiving supplies from time
TO time off passing vessels until Aug
ust 20 the disabled steamer gave up
and signalled the steamer New York
Engine Was Useless.
The trouble was in the engine all
the time. From July so to August Z
one TO two breaks daily in the engine
were recorded. The log shows that the
delay was only thirty minutes long on
August 5th. Two days later the catch
Ing of sharks is recorded Cinnamon
or board attempted to eat the sharks,
but Che meat made them i'll and the
fish were thrown into the sea During
from the Athos in search Of food fish.
On August Sth the disabled steamer
sighted the Adirondack and signalled
AL well on board. but on the 10th
the last tank of water was opened
and was found to be tainted with the
juice OF rotting bananas
Some dolphin were caught two days
later and on August 18th the incipient
famine was further relieved by the
steamer Montevideo. which supplied
provisions.
Steamer Adrift.
For nearly a week. between August
10 and August i. the engine shaft
was useless. and not only was the
steamer forced to drift about while re-
pairs were under way. but for two
days of this period a great storm and
higha seas broke over the helpless
steamship. The log meanwhile indicates
THAT more dolphin we're caught. Fin
ally on August 18th the coupling flange
broke ana the Athos abandoned an at
tempt to reach New York under her
own steam, after twenty days of con-
tinuous accident 1t was decided to
accept the first offer of a tow. This
did not come for two days, during
which a second food famine was avert
ed by the steamer Allah which came
alongside the Athos supplying eat
ables and drinkablcs.
Worse than the dangers of the sea,
famine or thirst, the passengers say.
was the odor of the decaying banana
csr&o.
Tow Line Broke.
At Scotland lightship last night the
tow line broke as a last chapter in her
long series of accidents. and the Athos
could not repair the broken line in
The darkness, but anchored for the
night while the Allah brought her pas
sengers TO quarantine. Today tugs
were sent out to bring the Athos into
port.
The passengers were John Douglas
Donald, son Of the owner of the AthOs /:
Miss Julia Anna Demshee. the boys
aunt Mr.. and Mrs. MOrriss Lunn. of
Rosebank, Staten Island. and Keith
and Fred Saunders. of Bay Ridge. n.
J. The entire party We're guests of
John A Donald. president of the Don
aid Steamship company. who sent them
on the AthOs for a summer vacation
trip.
The Allah towed the AthOs two hun
dred and sixty-seven miles.
Passengers of the Athos on landing
today, reported that the famine caused
small mutinies among the ships crew
or eighteen Chinese. 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 Off
GERS and passengers were not seriously
menaced. At one time the only water
20 be had was ocean brine. which had
been boiled and condensed. One swal-
low a day to each person was all this
process furnished.