Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-25
Thrilling Experience of
Capt. and Mrs. P. NJ. Hagan
In Wreck of Miriam Lands

Caught in storm that tossed the
new four-nasted schooner Miriam
Lands high and dry on the Moroccan
shore ard surrounded for days by
Moors so that they did not dare step
foot on land. was the experience of
Capt. and Mrs. Proctor n. Hagan of
Bath while making for the Strait of
Gibraltar recently. They are now in
Gibraltar awaiting orders from the
owners OF the vessel.
The vessel was built by Perez &
Small Inc. of Bath and launched in
1919. She is owned by David Cohen &
Co. New York. and named for 4 niece
OF Judge kenesaw Mountain Lands In
writing to Mrs. F. j. Higgins OF Bath
Mrs. Hagan tells OF her experience
thus:
We sailed from Aiarseilles. Oct c5
days we had a fair wind and then
came heavy weather. The mate vas
sick and my husband took cold from
exposure and l feared he would take
pneumonia. Meantime we had sailed
down the coast to where the winds
always blow from the wrong direc-
ton. The vessel was light and we
couldn't make much Roadway.
we had arrived off the coast Of
Morocco. where the winds and currents
are always strong, and we had all We
could do to keep the vessel off the
beach. We managed to get away from
the African Coast, but on the night OF
Nov. 9. just as We were about to make
the Straits OF Gibraltar, storm came
up with such gales of wind. thunder
lightning and rain as / had never
seen.
Suddenly we struck We didn't
know where We were or what we had
struck. but the way We were pounding
II didn't seem as IL the vessel could
ola together until morning.
Strange 10 say ! wasn't frightened.
Perhaps I would have been except
he could on deck he came below and
said. I guess, dear it's al over for US
The way the vessel was pounding
was terrible. Those great waves were
so heavy il seemed as IL we would be
dashed 20 pieces any second. Day.
light finally came and we found our
selves on nice little beach on the
Moroccan shore. completely surround
ed by ugly rocks. and directly across
from Gibraltar. The lights had been
changed since Capt. Hagan's chart
were printed and instead Of a double
flash as his chart indicated there was
group flash. and when he felt conf
dent the schooner was sailing along
correctly the crash came.
THE storm continued its fury until
the 18th, when it commenced to sub
side. The vessel was broadside On the
beach. Several persons were gathered
about the vessel and by means Of
signs Capt. Hagan was able to COM
Yhunicate with one by whom he dis
patched a message TO the American
consul at Gibraltar.
During the forenoon the Moors
commenced to gather about the YES
sci. I dom. know where they all
came from. but there they were. all OF
them riding fast horses. About noon
we received a reply from the Ameri-
can consul that he would send tug
to us as soon as the storm aoated.
We were warned also not to mingle
too freely among the Moors. We
learned that only three years ago a
Portuguese bark went ashore in
about the same locality and when the
crew stepped ashore they were held
for ransom which the Portuguese
Government paid, and the vessel was
stripped.
"On the fourth day several hundred
Spanish soldiers arrived with guns and
ammunition and then we felt more
secure. 1t was trying situatica, how
ever. with so many strange men on
one side of US and mountainous seas
- +ba other''