New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-08
HAD HARD LUCK TRIP
Freighter Kasenga Lost Captain
at Durham.
AGROUND IN INDIAN OCEAN
Officers Find Islands Overrun
with Game, but Grew
Fear Natives.

While driving northeast at hall speed
through dirty drizzle in the Indian Ocean
on the morning OF January % the hig Brit
sh freighter kdsenea, Of the Bucknah
Line. came 10 sudden stop According 10
nor course she was about go miles on
Zanzibar. but when the mist cleared some
Of the Lsscars on board thought they we're
No Messlna way in the clutches OF Scylla
and Chsrybdls
The Kasenga was in a Tad way, but II
was only one of series of mishaps and
misfortunes that befell her since she left
New York in November. Her logbook was
not on exhibition when she came in yester-
day. hut. according TO her crew. there was
no need Of consulting IT, for the DAYS and
dates Of all her misfortunes were on the
tongue OF every man aboard
The freightcr lost her captain. lie was
killed I'm Durham. She encountered a storm
that turned loose between decks herd OF
maddened horses and mules that got he
yond control Her favorite cat committed
suicide and there were other incidents Of
minor note too numerous 10 recall
The grounding in the Indian Ocean. how
ever. IS recorded in large script in the log
hook. and some day William 4. Wooster.
the Chief officer. Will write Of Il, and may
hap IT will supply an act FOR a real thriller
o. tho "ton-twent-thirt' variety The
Kaserea had discharged tho greater part
of her American cargo. landing five big
locomotives al Durham and was on her
way to the Red Sea when she Clided on the
shoal.
il happened a 40 a nm, shortly after
Mr. Wooster had taken the bridge.
Throughout tho night the kasenga had
been running through patches Of mist and
drlzzle The men on the bridge could see
hardly ships length ahead. But they
we're well away from land. I'm the open
ocean. and had nothing to fear except
ships. and hitting one OF these was consid-
cred not likely.
Two Hundred Miles from Port.
Suddenly Wooster felt a crunching The
propeller turned as usual. but he felt that
something was wrong. The lookout shouted
~ that the ship was not moving. and Cap
tain Netcalfe was aroused from his bunk
The Kasenga was aground hard and fast
with the nearest port more than two hun
dred miles away. There was nothing on the
chart "a indicate shoal, and the men did
not know where they were
Instantly the IasCar crew passed the
word around that the Evil one had belched
forth a reef from the oceans depths and
they were rs good as nothing in helping
get the snip clear. At dawn. however. when
he weather cleared the crew OF the
freighter saw that the Kasenga was be
tween two small islands-the Wambazis
they are called. and much dreaded 10y
sailormen.
II was I'm this identical place some thirty
wears ago that 4 French mail ship went
aground, and savages came out 10 her and
killed every soul aboard One Of the Las
cars who understood English heard the
officers discussing the fate of the French
ships crew. and IL soon reached the others
There was nothing hut rife and two re-
,olvers on the Kasenga, and they were
hardly enough 10 resist the black mon, who
spend wears IN waiting for just such prey.
Captain Metcalfe and Mr. Wooster went
ashore n look for place to put their
ksdge anchors and explored the islands
Apart from the men from the Kasengs
there wss no human being 10 be found. but
The islands actually swarmed with game.
IS he men roVed ashore schools Of croco-
dies moved about in the shallow water. and
me small beach was covered with them
They gave way to tho ships officers and
suddenly disappeared As the mon ascend
81 the slopes svarms Of butterflies OF UNI
usual beauty and size. arose from the
foliage. and birds Of rare plumage and
great variety flow before the intruders
As the men assembled TO the fronded
summit 81 the island only ridge a spring
hok lesped into view and ran. Suddenly
nc stopped 70 get q better view Of the odd
visitors who had disturbed his grazing and
ball from Woosters rife dropped him
where 10 had paused Game was so plenti-
nj. Wooster said. that II would have been
nsportsnanke to shoot it. There was
hardly moment he said. when ono could
not see birds and animals moving over
and through the jungle
Natives Appear in Canoes
The kedcc anchors were thrown on, a.
e. M. hut the Kasenga refused to nudge
Tho Latcars tried TO forget the fate Of
the French mail ship. and were working
we'll bur AZ noon they were almost thrown
into panic when ten canoes appeared 70
Tho westward Of the islands. 1t WAS seen
through the glass that tho canoes con-
tanned from ten 10 fifteen naked black men
They appeared 10 be big fellows. The
canoes were padded about a mile away
from the KaScnga. no effort being made
20 got I'm closer.
The Lascsrs could not keep their eyes
away from the savages and II was not
until the skipper assigned one Of them a. d
watcher that the men consented 90 assist
in hauling the freighter into deep water.
The sudden and mysterious appearance o.
the savaGes appealed strongly TO the SUI
perstition OF the crew. and they felt that
they were doomed. Finally. Captain Met
calfe told them that If the blacks attempted
10 climb aboard the Kasenga he would
nzht them with hose and hot steam.
AZ %. m. the Kasenga glided into deep
water and the canoes disappeared. cap
tain A. w Dobbs. the former captain OF
tho froighter. fen thirty feet through an
elevator shaft In Durham on December 80
and died on January I. lie was buying a
New Years gift for his wife when the &C
oident occurred