The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1920-08-05
WEST MoDUs HAS
EvENTFUL YEAR
Thrilling Tale Of Rescue Of GIL
From Wrecked Ship.
EAST INDIANS ARE GRATEFUL
Ships Newspaper Tells Story Of Saw
ing Passengers Of the Faxiika-
United States Shipping Board Ca
bles Its Congratulations to Captain
omer Humphrey Indian Makes
Touching speech Of Gratitude.


Rubbing an impatient side against a
Staten Island pier is the steamship
West nodrs. Oregon built. and inst
back after year Of poking an inquir-
ing nose into the harbors Of the world.
She was launched at Portland a year
ago last February. and the first year
OF her existence has been a most event
full one. After carrying -four 10 TrIest
for the American relief commission,
the West Modus began her second voy-
age from New York on August 16.
1919. when she sailed for Patras by
the way OF Philadelphia.
The men on board printed news
paper the West Modus Messenger, and
In II they recounted some Of the ad-
ventures thar befell the ship and those
who formed the crew Robert N. Tsy-
Tor. the supercargo. was the managing
editor; Third Officer Herschel e. Cur
rey. assistant managing editor. and
Fred J. Feulner, the radio operator.
was news editor
The most notable event Of the voy-
age was the rescue Of 81 lives from
the British steamship Frazilka, which
went ashore on the rocks OF Great
Nicobar island on the night Of October
30. She took the rescued TO Penang.
The arrival OF the West Modus and
the landing Of the survivors was thus
reprinted from the Penang Gazette:
Touchinoiy Grateful.
"A big crowd Of natives was kept
outside the wharf gates. The coming
in Of boat with hundreds of coolies
hanging over the deck rails Is no nov
city to Penang; but 1t was somewhat
Of an innovation to find Indians be-
ing given apparently the free run Of
whole ship, the only sacred spot be-
ing the bridge.
1.-The sentiments of the rescued
found expression in a toIching little
function on the officers deck, after the
vessel had come alongside. where Cap
tain Humphrey and his officers were
garIanded and an educated Indian in
government employ here expressed In
moving language how grateful those
rescued, as well as their relatives and
friends. were for the timely help given
by Captain Humphrey. his officers and
crew. But fog their prompt and noble
response, he said, over 600 precious
souls now safe in Penang would prob
ably have been drowned. including his
own wife and child.
Captain Humphrey, in a brief re-
the spirit animating the courtesies ex-
tended TO himself and his officers. and
on behalf of themselves and the crew
he thanked them.
Immediately the West Modus came
alongside the rescued passengers. 81
children and 574 adults, went ashore.
those without homes or friends going
to the coolie depot to await transport
to India by the Tara. Nearly all
had small bundles of personal belong
ings. and one man carried a tin box
10000 rupees. 1t Is stated
that a large sum of gold, undeclared
and hidden among the cargo and pas
estimated at million dollars,
was aboard the Fazilka and that only
a small portion of the same was taken
OF by the passengers. Its recovery
now is problematical."
Rescue Takes Six Hours.
When the West Modus picked up the
S. O. S. she was about So miles to the
southwark of the Nicobar archipelago.
on her way from Suez to Singapore,
The work of rescue took six hours
The British tanker Mytilus, which also
picked MP the call for help. assisted
In the rescue work. Those on the Fax
Ilka were taken of In the small boats
Third Assistant Engineer Judson A.
MAYO thus described the rescue:
.sThe hear Of the burning sun add
ed TO the trials of the oarsInen- Along
eide the wrecked vessels the handling |
Of the boats was particularly dinicult |
owing 10 the surf surging in along the
,each. Here the boats had to be held /
n position by main strength while the
Hindus tumbied in and |
,ook places in the bottom Of the boats |
twenty at a time they were ferried |
% the West Modus. Many Of them
we're so weak that the sailors had to
AIRY them aboard.
.Babies of all ages and shades of
,rown. from a few weeks old on up |
o tottering patriarchs who will never
,cain see the century mark in years.
m we're passed or handed over the
lde by rough-looking sailors. who found
hoy we're admirable nurse maids when
no occasion arose Many of the res
ned on gaining the Modus' deck knelt
n their tracks to thank the men who 4
,ad saved them. but who were too
,nsy saving others TO take notice OF
hem. In the transfer of The GIL in
mall boats not person was lost or
.prt and not one suffered so much as
din. The story is one Of mind. mus
lie and dispatch.
.otfcial recognition and praise OF
no par, played by the West Moeus in
he wreck awaited her arrival IN Ba-
ayia. shortly after the ship docked
,onsul Jewell Of Batavia presented
'sptatn Humphrey with cabiegr.m
I congramlation from the United