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Show STEAMER FIGHTS BIG HURRICANE Robinson Crusoe's lonely Island was almost a center of gayety compared with a harbor of refuge in tho Straits of Magellan, where the British steamship steam-ship Panama transport had to go to keep from being dashed to pieces on tho rocks The vessel docked at GI-rard GI-rard Point to discharge a cargo of 7,300 tons of ore from Cruz Graude, Chill. Tho vessel sailed from Newport. Eng., and arrived at Punta Arenas on April 21 Leaving that port Captain William D. Owen, in command of the .vessel, recently said ho steamed through the straits In 21 hours. Just as ho was enteiing the Pacific ocean he ran into a hurrlcan, which extended extend-ed from Coronel all down the coast. He was blown back Into the straits, which are very narrow, and it was only by luck, skilled seamanship and hard work that he kept his vessel off the rocks. After a number of hours he got to Port Curruca, which he describes de-scribes as the most desolate and bleak place in the world. For miles around there are no Inhabitants. The harbor of refuge Is reached by passing between be-tween two cliffs, which rise vertically from the water to an elevation of 4,000 feet The entrance is barely more than 100 feet wide and the channel full of locks. For a mile the vessel was forced to creep between these masses of rock. When he reached the harbor, about two days later, be dropped his anchor and for a time was snfe. He said, though the harbor was small, he considered con-sidered it secure. That night the wind shifted and blew through the chasm or entrance of the harbor with such force that the vessel at anchor spun around like a top. When the wind subsided ho steamed his ship bodily to the locks. All hands wore ordered out and tho vessel was lashed there with all the rope and cables aboard. Again the wind sprang up and tho vessel began to pound. Capt Owen said he knew he would bo safer with the side of his ship pounding against the rocks than to have her bottom torn out by being driven on small boulders. When the weather abated again Capt. Owen changed tho position of hlg vessel and steamed to anothor harbor farther In. The vessel was made fast to the rocks again when an-other an-other hurricane sprang up. It was thought the bhip would go this time, co he ordered the crew to take nil provisions pro-visions ashore and the tarpaulins. He intended to make tents out of the tarpaulin when the vessel had broken up. After four days at this position ho decided to try to get the ship out. j and for four hours tho crew labored to get into the straits again. She then was leaking badly. Hardly had the vessel got into the straits when she I ran Into another hurricane, accompanied accompan-ied by a blinding snowstorm. , Upon arrival at Punta Arenas Capt. Owen was complimented by all of I the shipping people, and LIojd's sur- ! I veyor at that port mado a special re- j' I port to London. Shipping men here i say that they never before hae heard i ' of such a fortunate escape. Phila- 1 delphia Ledger. - '. i |
