PERILOUS VOYAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1353, 13 January 1905, Page 2

PERILOUS VOYAGE.

EXCITING EXPERIENCES ON A BARQUE. THE VESSEL ON FIRE. Per Press Association. Wellington, last night. The orew of the Frenoh barque Bougainville, 2300 tons, which arrived to-day from New York, had an oxoitiog voyage. On November 27th, when about 25 miles from the lonely island of Tristau d’Aounba, fire was discovered in the hold below the

oabiD, whore 3000 oases of koroseno and all the ship’s Btoreß were. Tho cabin was battened down, and wet sails placed over the ventilators. The smoke continued to increase in volume, and by the afternoon was issuing from an adjoining hold, in l which thousands of oases of naphtha were stored. Fearful of an explosion tho Bails were olowod up, and the orew lowering the boats rowed away for a distance of a quarter of a mile. Thoy spent a couple ot hours iu the boatß, and then returned to tho vessel, on which they spent an anxious night. Next morning the smoke Was still ourling up in thick olouds. No attempt could bo made to locate the fire, as to open the hatches would have meant destruction through the admission of the air to the seat of the outbreak. The captain then bore up for Tristan, and after some trouble found an anohorage. Tb.e fire continued to burn day after day, and some trouble was experienced with She orew, who

viewed the situation with alarm, the ship being fully loaded with korosone and benzine. On one occasion a heavy gale Bprang up and the vessel dragged her anohore until oloee in shore. They wore warned by the islanders, and the crow landed through the surf. The gale abated next day and a return was made to the vessel. At last a donkey engine was got into working order, and boles being bored in the deck volumes of water were pumped below. This had the desired effect and aftor 15 days’ stay at the island tho Bbip weighed anchor and put to sea again. At a subsequent stage of the voyage the vessel passed through s number of huge ioeberga, a collision being narrowly averted on one oooaeion.