SEA ROMANCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 21, 20 October 1920, Page 3

SEA ROMANCE

PLAGUE AND MISFORTUNE

VOYAGE LASTS NEARLY TWO YEARS

The story o.f the "Ancient Mariner" apart, probably no more thrilling romance of the sea has ever been told than that of the extraordinary wandering of 6.5. Assouan, which reached Cape Town recently after a voyage from New York lasting nearly two years, mivs tlio "Globe."

The vessel was chartered bv the South African Government about two years ago to carry from America a canro of railway material for the Union Government. Having loaded her cargo at Boston and Sew York, she sailed on October 20, 1018, her destination being Durban. Her misfortunes began when she hauled out into the stream at Now York, influenza broko out, and the steamer had to be there for 11 days, during wh'ch time Uof the coulio crew diod. Only three persons on board did not linvc tho complaint in a serious form.

On more th«ii one occasion decaying dead bodies were lyng' on the deck for nearly three days. When a man diod some of tf.e sick men had to get out of -.their bunks, ami in some way or other fet the bodies on deck, and once one of rhe carriers died while helping. So dreadful became the plague of flies round the vessel that it was impossible to eat food even without-swailowing -flics at the ■same time.

When things improved, another crew (Arab thisjime) was shipped, and the vessel started on her vovugc. The first thing to go wrong after leaving New iork was a condenser, which began to leak. ■ To put this right,, the steamer put into St. Lucia, and this mav lie regarded as the commencement of her wanderings amongst the West Indian Islands. the condenser was put right, and another start was made. Now it was an eccentric shaft that broke, necessitatine putting into Trinidad, where tlio vessel remained two months. Once more spick and span, the Assouan piily sailed away with a frcsb crew, only to return i„ ~ couplo of days with'another lrak T condenser Again the Assouan held her courso bravely She even dropped the island below the horizon, and all was as merry, as wedding bells. rhe captain was about to pips all hands to rum when the chief engineer popped up on deck to say that somehow or other the main seacock had opened, tlioro w ns about four feet of watl-r in ;hc engwc-rconi, and the water was rapidly rising. The main boiler fires were put out, so that the steam pumps could not bo used, and when the hand pumps were tried they were found to be too rusty to move. >

■The. seacock was secured, and the Assouau breasted the billows again with illtale close at her heels—so close that it was not long: 'br fore she had to run into Martinique. . M,-.anvrhUe the officials in charge at Durban were beginning to Ket anxious. . °

A constant flow of cables for lnrijo sums ot money to pay liabilities incurred by the Assouan got on tbir nerves." and authorisation for Hi,, appointment of a new cnptnin was s,ent. This was misinterpreted or ignored. Things now livened up, and soon requests were forwarded to the British Consul at Martinique that 11.M.5. Yarmouth should be askiid to place a raval officer on board.

In the meantime a rebellion had broken out in Trinidad, and the. warship had left to t|uell it, so the Assouan remained in charge of %• old captain, who refused to sail, and apparently incurred further liabilities.

Then drastic action was tatai). While the captain was ashore one day, a slfcam pinnace from JLM.S. Constance raced alongside and a lieutenant and a score or so of bluejacket* boarded the- vcsfVl. "Who is in command?" said the lieutenant.

"I am," replied the second officer, /"irave you steam- up!'" was the next qu',«tion, and the reply was "No."

."Well, I give you half an hour to get up steam, and if you have notigot it up then and your anchor _loved, ■ the CemBtanco will take you in tow, and VU anchor and cable will he left behind in the mud," said the lieutenant. This practically ended the Assouan's adventures. Captain J. Manas',"v took charge from the Admiralty, and the vessel completed her voyage'.