Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14

10 desert the snip, tne purSer having hfSt
secured all the ships papers and valuabfes
the passengers had deposited with him. The
first officer secured the ships and the chief
officers log book, the sextants and chro-
nometers and the last boat, containing the
captain, first officer and some of the crew.
left the ship. Just they were pulling
away the captain, taking a last look at
his noble ship rose to his feet and or
dered the boat to pull alongside but it was
conceded by those in the party that it was
dangerous to return They tried to induce
him not to, but he insisted, saying that
Old Glory shall not go down with the
ship and getting board he ran aft,
lowered the flag and took it ashore with
him.
AT t..is time it will be well for US to
deny one of the many reports made by our
contemporaries that the passengers were
indignant at the captain for deserving the
ship and leaving a crazy Chinaman on
board The facts are no passengers We're
present when the crew left the ship, and
Mr. Amman states that he himself placed a
crazy passenger in the boat carrying the
captain and himself.
-
shore Capt. Francke collapsed, but Mr..
Amman states that it is downright lie
that he either had attempted to commit
suicide q guard vas placed over him to
prevent his doing SO. Naturally he is
a heartbroken man over his great misfor-
tune, but he Is no coward and would not
try to escape responsibility by such an act.
The next morning at 9 o'clock the captain
and first officer wished to board the ship,
but on account Of it blowing hard with a
very heavy sea, the boats regular crew
refused to go, but on q volunteer crew
being called for, the two second officers,
one third and six engineers volunteered
and after a hard trip they reached the
ship. 1t has been said by some of the
press that no footing took place, but MI.
Amman informs US that on the night be-
fore his boat had hardly left the ship
before lanterns were seen to be moving ON
deck. At midnight he also saw q large
number of lanterns, and the next morning
before they reached the ship they saw a
party Of raen on board, but all left before
the boat reached the side Of the ship. An
investigation showed that the cabins had
not only been looted, but tools, locks and
many other articles had been taken. A
search for food resulted in finding six tur-
keys and dozens of woedcocks that had
been roasting for dinner, and these were
taken on shore by the officers and greatly
enjoyed by the hungry passengers, who
had not yet become accustomed to native
food.
1.-The village of Shirahama is hardly q
place for tourists, but the passengers of
the Inflated ship found some comfort in
the one hotel and neighboring farms. Dur
ing the time that assistance and food were
being sent from Yokohama the passengers
made the best Of the situation and what
edibles were procurable. Ships biscuits and
eggs were at first the extent Of the bill Of
fare, with the latter commodity rising In
price to 10 sen apiece. Fish and chickens
later gave a change, though the question Of
food did not concern them so much as did
that Of when they could start for Yoko-
llama. The N. Y. K. steamer Hakuai
Maru arrived OF Shirahama at $50 am.
on the 5th instant, but the sea was 50
rough that it was impossible to take on
passengers and the Hakuai was signaled
to proceed to Tateyama. Previous to this
time the local agents Of the Great North
ern and the police we're securing the serv-
ices of all available rickshaws for the ride
over the mountain to Tateyama, eight miles
distant. About thirty were procurable and
In these the ladies were seated, others on
fish carts covered with futons, the men
walking At Tateyama the passengers en-