Captain's Story

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The skipper of the vessel, Mr John Kruse, who speaks English fluently, said: "The "Xenia" left Newcastle on Saturday morning 31st January 1903. We had been in port for the past seven weeks during which time our vessel had undergone a thorough repair, and we were anticipating a speedy voyage across the Atlantic to Boston. When we left Newcastle, the weather was fine, but about five o'clock on Sunday morning the wind suddenly veered from a Southerly direction to the North-west."

"The Sea became rough and heavy showers of sleet began to fall. We were then off Girdle-ness, (Aberdeen), and it was supposed that we were at least twenty miles off land. However the course was altered, and the vessel was put farther out to sea".

""Whilst on the Scaurs the breakers roar
They rowed them all, but two ashore,
Such valiant deeds they`ve done and more
at Finnyfaul" (Ogston)

"The storm increased in violence, and the showers of snow became so thick that we experienced great difficulty in locating our whereabouts. At about seven o'clock, our vessel bumped against the rocks. The water broke into our holds fore and aft, and within ten minutes she went down with all our belongings on board. We at once realised our position was hopeless, and so no time was lost in getting the steamer's lifeboats in readiness for being lowered. We had three lifeboats in all. The first boat we launched was swamped, and John Johansson, a fireman, who had jumped into it, perished before our eyes. Ernest Raff, the third engineer, was in the act of lowering himself into another lifeboat by a rope, when he lost his hold, and shared a similar fate to that of his mate."

"By this time some stranger fishermen came to our assistance, and piloted our two remaining lifeboats ashore. I, along with four of the crew, remained on the bridge of the steamer till the last. We had to be taken off one by one by means of a line thrown from one of our lifeboats by the fishermen. It was a perilous task, and after my four mates had been taken off, the line had to be cut, and I was left alone on the steamer. It was a trying experience, but another line was forthcoming, and finally I was also landed in the lifeboat, which brought us all safely ashore.

"During my thirty-five years experience at sea, this was my first serious mishap, but I could not have fallen into the hands of more hospitable people, and I will never forget their kindness although I live to be a hundred years old."

At this stage the Captain completely broke down, but after recovering somewhat, he stated that he had lost all his belongings, including a valuable collection of books. He was very sorry for the third engineer, who had become engaged to be married just before he left Denmark.