Sinking of the Maria Borges

Robert Carse, The Twilight of Sailing Ships, Grosset and Dunlap 1965

March 27, 1922. The bark Maria Borges, loaded with coal for Costa Rica, sank suddenly on an even keel off Newport News Va. in 40 feet of water. The thirty eight year old ship, formerly the Sierra Miranda, was built by J. Reed and Co. of Port Glasgow, Scotland. Foul play is suspected.

From the Apr 3 1922 Santa Ana Register
BUCK CAT REFUSES TO LEAVE SUNKEN SHIP NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 3. —Although the Panamanian bark Maria Borges lies at the bottom of the harbor here a big black cat refuses to give up the ship. Rescuers who got off the crew took the cat into a launch but now pussy refuses to go ashore and those who have attempted to force her to land: have nothing but bandaged arms and hands for their valor. The cat has a four-year record of never going ashore.

Then in August of 1923...

The Maria Borges or Sierra Miranda in happier times.