FOURTEEN SAILORS POISONED WITH ROTTEN PORK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 257, 30 October 1877, Page 4

FOURTEEN SAILORS POISONED WITH ROTTEN PORK.

By the arrival at Southampton of a Scotch seaman, named Willian Inman, an extraordinary story of poisoning at sea bas become known. It is alleged that while the barque Crown Prince, commanded by Captain Robert Cochrane, and belonging to St. John, New Brunswick, was on a voyage in November last from the Peruvian coast to Falmouth, the food supplied to the crew was unfit for use, that in consequence the whole pf the forecastle hands became ill, and that six of the sailors died. The Crown Prince has meanwhile arrived with a fresh crew in the Clyde, and an investigation inio the matter has been commenced by the authorities. Inman states tbat ihe vessel left Pebellon de Pica, in the South of Peru, on the 4th of October last, bound home, the crew, all told, numbering 21. On the the 19th of November, when of Cape Horn a new cask of pork was taken out j on the 20,h, part of it was boiled into soup, of which the 14 hands partook, on the 21st the following day the whole became ill, vomiting und showing other signs of severe illness. On the 24th ten of the men were completely prostraoj, and next day all the 14 men were down except loraau, who though very bad, was able to assist the officers to shorten sail, During the next fortnight, tbe ship lying to under the top-sails, two the sufferings of the men were fearful. Inman could not sleep at night owing to the intense pain, and his head often swelled to a great size. His limbs were so weak that he could scarcely crawl niong the deck. At the end of a fortnight three of the crew— Tom Banfort, a Loudoner, Andrew Anderson, a Swede, aod William Williams, a Poiander, went mad. This so frightened the captain (whom Inman describes as a cautious sailor aod a kind-hearted man), that he resolved to make for the Falkland Islands, distant 200 tnilos, which were reached on the 7th of December. As the anchor was let go the Poiander, Williams, died in horrible agony. The day after the Swede died, and two days later the Londoner died also. A week after the remainder of the crew had gone to the hospital at Port Stuuley an Irishman named Sullivan and a Dutchman died. On the 12th of January Harris Edwards, a native of Margate, shared tha came fate. The doctor stated that they had all been poisoned by putrid pork. On the 2nd of April last lonian left Port Stanley for Montevideo, accompanied by two shipmates, John Aird, of Waterford, and Alexander Buckley, an Englishman. Subsequently they aailed on board tne Royal Mail steamer Tagus, and have arrived safely at Southampton. When they quitted Port Stanley four other comrades were still io the hospital. Inman is unable to walk without the aid of a staff, and does not expect to be fit for work for several months.