Evening star., 1935-07-10
SHIPPED FOR PLEASURE.
James Says Treasure Hunt was he'
vealed After Start.
RY ELRERT JAMES

BY ELBERT JAMES.
BATABANO, Cuba. July 10 R.-
At last we are back on land after
almost two weeks Of hectic battling on
rough seas, and I am not particularly
interested in other treasure hunts.
l shipped aboard the CaSarco at
Miami for a cruise with the Rices
IN. C. Rice of Toronto. skipper OF
the ketch, his wife and their two sons).
Later he revealed he was seeking
treasure and told me some OF his
plans. -.
After leaving Havana our mtor quit
and we went adrift. The first trouble
was with the starter and I was able
to get it started again. However, things
got worse. Water got into the crank
case and finally the valves jammed up
on US.
Every time we hoisted the sails the
tautness of them would strain the
keel and we sprang leak. The next
day We started bailing, and we balled
constantly thereafter. We are still
bailing here in port to keep from
SINKING AZ tne QoCk.
Motor Becomes Hopeless.
On July we had no hope of fixing
the motor, and no place to make
land. and we decided to call the Coast
Guard by radio. Capt. Rice acted as
operator and got WHGW. amateur
station at Palm Beach, Fla.
We were able to use only the jigger
and jib sails because the strain
caused leaks.
On the night of July We burned
flares all night. and the same July g.
The night of July a heavy squall
caught us and We shipped more water
There were no signs of the Coast
Guard and we rode out the squall
with the jigger sail. radiocasting our
new position to Cuban boats seek
ing US.
On the night OF July we signaled
with flares in Morse code to the
freighter Lychfjord. which came close
to see if We were endangered. We
told them We were not in immediate
danger and they left. promising to
relay our position to Key West.
On July 7. Cuban radio amateur
CM2. at Havana, told us the Santa
Clara was coming up the coast seek
ing us, which revived our hopes. AT
pm. on July We sighted the Santa
Clara.
Our hopes sank when she passed
us, and we frantically signaled by
firing a revolver and using sun re-
flectors. The Santa Clara turned
about and came to us and put a line
on us. Mrs. Rice was seasick and
sunsick all the time.
Taken to Isle of Pines.
The commander of the Santa Clara
first decided to tow us to Coloma, but
later decided to take up the Nueva &C.
roma, Isle of Pines. We reached Nueva
Corona at / :35 pm. July 8, and Mrs.
Rice and the two boys boarded the
Santa Clara for the voyage to Bata-
bano. We took on two Cuban sailors
and a Cuban pilot and started to work
our way under sail through the
treacherous channels near Nueva Ge-
roma. The Santa Clara planned to
pick us up again after We negotiated
the shallow channel
However, We went aground and the
Santa Clara found US at 4 pm. and
pulled us off the reef and toWed us to
Batabano, where we arrived today.
1t was q rough experience. with
constantly heavy seas and terrific
winds. Seas had smashed the engine
room hatch, broken the guard rail and
done other damages. One night while
I was off duty, asleep, I heard break
ers on the coast and jumped from the
bunk and found we were less than
100 yards from being wrecked on .
deserted coast.
We had plenty Of food, but our
water was nearly gone when the
Santa Clara reached US. Our present
plans are uncertain.