The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-25

enacted. With a lifeboat the crew
would have been enabled to make Nor
folk island
The sydney interviewers found it diff
ficult to obtain definite or coherent
statements from the survivors of the
tragedy. They were all too weak to
speak plainly. The most they could do
was to tell in piecemeal. The emaciated
forms and lack luster eyes told wildly
OF their sufferings.
Sailors Tragic Tale
Patrick Palmer, able seaman, who
joined the vessel on the west coast of
South America before it started from
Coquimbo on her i'll fated voyage to
Newcastle, had the best recollection
OF the ID days of horror on
the reef. Were the last of
%" he said, that's including the
captains wife and the four poor
little Riddles Five of us got away
from the wreck on a raft. We went
all over the reef in search of water,
put found none, and one of the party
died on the reef. We had some diff
Guilty in building the raft, and the cap
tain and second mate both got drowned
IA doSlStiH5 at the task. Inc captain
wife stood within q few feet of him
watching him, and she saw him drown
as she stood there wringing her hands.
She had her four kids, from the baby
one year old to an eight year old girl,
standing beside her. We thought we
would be able to find water on the reef
and save the lives of those we had
left on the wreck. but those sailing d.
rections lie. They are all liars. They
said there was water there, water in
beaker, in q lifeboat, and food-but
there was no food There was no food,
/ tell you; no food and no lifeboat.
They lied and we had no chance. Ole.
he died. He fell down on the reef
and dropped his head on his chest He
was lucky.
There was another wreck on the
reef and we thought it was a store
ship. We boarded it. but found moth
ing to eat. 1t was musty, old, and all
it held was a bottle with about two
gills of water that must have been
there for years by the horrid taste of
it. Me and Carpenter drank that. We
afterward found some more water, and,
although it was bad, we drank It, We
then decided to build a punt from the
wreckage, and while we were working
at this we lived an shellfish."
Pleaded for Babies
Another survivor took up the story.
He said that when the sufferers were
sitting on the sand the captains wife
heard them discussing cannibalism,
and asked them not to eat her chill
dren. Her mind was gone. Suddenly
she ran into the sea and drowned her
four children, following them into the
waves, and the emaciated survivors
sat watching her. One of them began
laughing, His mind was gone, too.
sAf ~
but five, four men and boy, and these
We're so exhausted that three had to
be carried by the rescuers.
The officers of the steamer Tofua
next tell of the rescue. The steamer
was bound from the islands to Sydney,
and as she passed close to Middleton
island it was noticed by the aid of
powerful glasses that there were two
wrecks at the Middleton reef. 1t was
then noticed that the second wreck
must have been quite recent, as her
foremost was standing, and from the
cock billed yard hung the foresail,
much worn, but still intact. The ship
lay practically on her side, broken in
half amidships.
Distress Signals Seen
The powerful bridge telescope from
revealed something that caused a crisp
command of full speed ahead to be
issued. Two little pennants had been
seen fiuttering from the masthead of
the old wreck, which is lodged in
more stable position further round the
reef and upright. The Tofua quickly
steamed round to the only opening in
the horseshoe shaped reef. A boat was
lowered and sent speeding over the
calm waters of the lagoon inside the
reef roughly made punt. propelled
by means Of an old tarpaulin hoisted as
a sail and one large roughly fashioned
paddle was next seen. A wave of almost
hysterical excitement swept those
lining the rails of the steamer as the
boat and raft were seen to meet. A
Jug of strong beef tea and some weak
brandy and water had been taken by
the rescuing party.
A quarter of an hour later, as the
ships boat came alongside. a ringing
cheer burst spontaneously from half
hundred throats as the poor. haggard
specimens of humanity were hoisted on
board.
Two boats returned again to the
islands, taking with them spades.
When their crews returned to the I'M
patient steamer they moved as men
who had looked rnor untold horrors.