THE SINKING OF THE TREVESSA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2601, 3 July 1923, Page 3

THE SINKING OF THE TREVESSA.

SURVIVORS EXPERIENCES. London, June 30. New and vivid details are- arriving concerning the captain’s party. When land was sighted all were in a slate of collapse. The outstanding personality was Scully, a seaman aged sixty, who refused to sleep when tho others wanted it. He continually cheered his comrades when Ihey appeared to he surrendering hope. Another seaman enlivened the hopeless tropical days by singing “I Like Ham and Eggs” when the biscuits were distributed. It transpires that there were sufficient rations and water left to last for a week with careful usenge also a thousand cigarettes and two pounds of tobacco. During the launching of the captain’s boat, a Persian cat, together with four kittens born in Australia, of which the captain was extremely fond, were placed in the Pont, but jumped back to the Trevessa and went dpwn in Iter. The crew arc unanimous that most of them are alive through the skill and foresight of tho captain and chief officer together with the severe and equitable rationing of food. Mrs Smith, wife of the chief officer of the Trevessa. on being interviewed after receiving the news from the owners, said when she heard the captain’s boat had arrived she felt sure her husband would steer the second boat to safety. “My faith has been rewarded,” she said. Mi’s Smith’s last letter was dated from Melbourne just before the Trevessa left.

Mrs Hall, of Brixham, mother of the second officer, who was saved, said “For two nights my husband and I sat on these chairs waiting and praying for news of the second boat. We are overjoyed.” The father of Barton, the assistant cook, who is aged and almost blind, believes his son is still alive. The neighbours have not the heart to tell him that l:is name is not among the survivors. On landing, tho survivors were gaunt and bearded by many days’ growth. They fell ot> their knees and thanked God for their deliverance. A Catholic priest was the first to come to their assistance on the beach. The crew bewed piteously for water and the police agent made the necessary arrangements for their conveyance to shelter. The survivors are suffering agony in the feet, as the result of constant immersion in salt water. Tli<> Trevessa’s owners say the vessel had a complement of 44 new men. signed on in Australia under t!u- heading West Indies. Either eight or ten men are missing. A “Daily Express” message from Rodriquez states that the second boat contained twenty-four and gives the names, therefore eight are missing. A comparison of this list with the list of survivors from Mauritius shows the names of the missing are Mordeeal, Sparks Barton, Baptiste. Ali Abraham, Fraser and McGee. The lists of survivors from Rodriquez or Mauritius do not. state whence the men hail in all cases, but all except, those cabled earlier are given as belonging to places in the British Isles.

The Trevessa’s cook, Alohinn, who was in the second boat, lias had a vivid sea career. During the war he was three times torpedoed and also had his face badly injured during a fight with submarines. Ho was also marooned on a desert island for some time. He left the Trevain, a sister ship in order to join the Trevessa.

NO WATER FOR THREE DAYS. CAPTAIN FOSTER’S DISCIPLINE London, July 1. Captain Foster in his account to the “Daily Chronicle,” states that no water was issued on his boat for tlio first three days after leaving the Trevessa. HARDSHIPS IN SECOND BOAT. ALL RATIONS EXHAUSTED. London, June 30. Details of the experience of the chief officer’s boat from the Trevessa show that the hardships were oven greater than the captains. The last drop of water had been drunk and the last biscuit eaten when the boat reached Maritius. The chief officer, Mr Smith, told his story in simple, sailor-like fashion, without embellishments. He confirmed the sad fact that eight men died iu the course of the long journey. All these had given way to the sore temptation of drinking salt water to assuage the thirst, and collapsed litter from exhaustion. Tlie last man died within sight of land, and on the morning of delivery from their terrible dangers. The daily ration was one biscuit each and a few drops of fresh water, which was added to by rainfall. The boat was met at sea at four o’clock in the morning by local fishermen, who guided it to the shore.