New-York tribune., 1910-09-06
CREW HAD GIVEN Up HOPE
I1Suffered Horrors" Saws Res
cued Captain of West Point.
SIX DAYS WITHOUT FOOD
Men Kept Busy Baling to Keep
Boat Afoat-Hurriedly Driven
from Steamer by Flames.

Fishguard, Wales. Sept. 5-The steamer
Mauretania arrived here to-day, having on
board CAPTAIN Pinkham and fifteen of his
crew, who were picked up by the Cunarder
after they had been at sea in a small boat
for six DAYS following the burning Of their
vessel. the British tramp West Point
Captain Pfnkham said that the fire on the
West Point started in the engine room on
August p The flames drove the engineers
from their posts and spread so rapidly that
soon the donkey engines operating the
pumps were disabled by the heat
An attempt was made to extinguish the
fire by a bucket brigade, but the hopeless
ness of the effort was quickly apparent ana
the Captain ordered the small boats low
cred. From the bunkers the flames made
their way to the storeroom ana galley ana
prevented the provisioning of the boats. the
intense heat repeatedly driving back the
sailors. who hoped to secure food suthclent
n keen them until they were picked up by
a passing vessel.
Though pressed hard by the fire the crew
stood nv their ship until Sunday afternoon
when the cantain ordered all hands into the
boats.
Throughout that night the boats each
CARRYING sixteen persons. crulsed IN liie
vicinity. and in the morning another at
tempt was made to get much needed s'oreS
The burning craft which was then sinA-
ing. was again boarded. but scarceiy any :
thing of consequence was secured oii
Monday evening the ship foundereo-
The two small boats kept close tosether
until the night of last " Wednesday, wren
they drifted apart. and neither again
sighted the other The other boatload was
n;clxed IN nv the LeyIand steamer Devonlan
on Friday morning, while Captain fliIA-
ham and his companions were rescued -
the Mauretania Friday midnight
Captain Pinkham and his men suffered
severely. and only by dint of hard Worh
saved their boat from sinking, We SUI
fered horrors" said the captain, III telllhs
his story. We we're without food or water
and we're very cold. The men had to bale
the boat necessarily to keep it af1oat-
There was great competition among the
saloon passengers of the Mauritania Iol
the possession of the white Persian kitten
that Captain Pinkham brought with him
The pet was sold by auction for 800 the
sum being added to the purse made up Tor
the shipwrecked men
London, Sept, 5-A wireless message re-
ceived this morning from the Mauretanla
bound from New York Tor Liverpool gives
further details of the rescue on Friday
night Of the missing officers and crew OF
the burned British tramp steamer west
Point
It was Il O'Clock on Friday night. when
the Mauretania was battling with a north
erIv gale. that a lookout sighted the West
Points small boat The steamer move 10
and the little boat came alongside II
was found TO contain Captain Ptnkhan.
the second officer. Two engineers and twelve
seamen.
All the party were well, in spite OF the
fact that they had been tossed about IN an
open boat for six days. Captain Pinkhan1
said that Just before he made out the lights
Of the Mauretania he had given up hope OF
being saved by a passing vessel and was
steering toward the Azores
The rescue was effected in thtrty-eight
minutes from the time that the lookout
discovered the little craft bohbtng along
on the high waves. The passengers OF the
Mauretania subscribed $50 for the relief
Of the West Points men