New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
LOOKED LIKE A COFFIN.

,oo she mort Of the English metropolis. bound for
Melbourne ak the end of December She had los
passengers and Of 50 men 1t was only her
third VOYAGE Entering the Channel. the snip De-
ts,,a5 ta5fv hut this was attributed over
load Of coal and cargo. and it was thought she
would ride better when the coal was partly USED
IN Bets were made that IT would be a siNty-day
,.ovage 10 Nelbourne-a rapid trip by the oio route
around the Cape Of Good Hope one passenger
hot she vould never get there. He said she looked
like coffin. and. in fact, her lines were rather
,,offirlke. on Monday, January S the snip entered
me Fav OF F8iscay in rough weather. She lay low
and rolled heavily shipping that escaped
SLOWLY, through the small deck scuppers. These
were choked with coal that had been piled in bags
upon her deck.
That night the water began 10 pour through the
second cabin hatchway, which was badly fitted
Women screamed. -'0h. we are snking- ana old
travellers rretended it was a trife- The men had
TO carry out OF their stateTooms IN buckets
As soon as they cleared the rooms more came
down Most Of the women stayed up all night. AT
daylight on Tuesday the weather was bad and the
shin made slow progress though using both sail
and steam Two masts were broken down ana
carried away The gale increased toward night
A nfeboat lifted out of its davits and apPro-
p-iated by the hungry sea
The water still came in through the closeu
matches and by 3 o'clock says survivor, all was
confusion and terror in second cabin-ladles
cIinging you and beseecning you TO stay pesioe
them and some in their rooms. reading and pray
every roll Of the ship the water would shoot down
TIE hatchEyay first one side, then the other-then
wash TO and fro, the Same as Oh the upper deck
Then, worst Of ALL the steam produced by
water that went down the engine hatch on to the
hot machinery This steam came forward ana
lodged in our cabin which very su1ocating-
During any luu of the we lifted the lid TO get
scme fresh air. but most Of the time we could net
see each other five feet apart Most Of the pas
sengers were sitting the tables That night was
--ifa b7rft he mex
this tine hove TO, and she would roll on her
SIDE until you were in doubts of her ever coming
up again. Then up she would come with a jerk,
and when she dill rise there general displace-
rnent OF boxes. trunks, chairs. buckets and other
movable articles Fear not confined to the
women: We ali experienced It more or less OF
course we endeavored 30 disguise our real feel
:ngs from them. going from room TO the other,
cheering them up best could.
"Wednesday morning the ship was turned go
hack 10 Plymouth The worked at the wreck
of a BOOM finally lashing 1t alongside the engine
room skylight. which proved fatal error 1t got
loose afterward and smashed the skylight which
was the beginning OF the end Every one was quite
cheered that morning by the news that the London
was honleward bound. Some said they would never
30 10 sea again; others were ready TO re-embark on
the same vessel when she should be properly
equipped. A good hot dinner served to put the
passengers good spirits 1t was the last meal
aboard the London
at length nignt in. Hatcnes were closed
down and fastened en- the inside TO prevent the
water from floating them up; Dut =tin the water
came in with every roll BY or o'clock were
IN as great a state Of terror the previous
night, and with cause for the gale more
violent The storm was so troublesome that
could open the liGs for moment let in air
The sensation in the cabin then really awful
/ never shall be able convey any idea Of it, ex-
pecting every moment to meet death. Add to that
the dismal sound OF rushing in. You could
not see il through the cloud of steam and dim
shriefed- BY g O'Clock We In than
ever. When the ship rolled there would be nearly
two feet Of water in the cabin. IL would come in
with a rush, then back again to The other side,
carrying with il anything tha; not dashed.
The boards of the lower 5erfhs We're washed ont.
and the bedding would drop down and float around
the cabin. with miscellaneous contents OF trunks,
buckets. clothes. apples and papers.