Casuals of the Sea

Emilio Razzore had made his circus his life. Like his father and grandfather, who started the circus in Rio 112 years ago, he had toured the dusty towns and cities of South America and the Caribbean, with his five clowns, his dancing bears, and the chimpanzees that rode bicycles. He had tigers and monkeys, and trained dogs. Best of all, he had two beautiful acrobats: his daughter Dolinda and his niece Guillermina.

At 50, Emilio had decided that it was time to leave the circus and settle down. Colombia was the place he had picked. It was at Girardot on the Magdalena River that "Nero," the troupe's mangy, "dangerous" lion had turned out to be a lioness and given birth to three cubs. And it was at Medellin that Emilio's niece had died of typhoid; the show had gone on, even on her funeral day. With the money Emilio's wife had put away, they would buy a house in Bogota and become solid citizens.

After a last performance in Cuba, Emilio put the circus aboard the ancient, 145-foot Honduran ship Euzkera, then took a plane to Cartagena to see to Colombian bookings and the house in Bogota. The Euzkera had only two cabins. But the 46 members of the troupe managed somehow, even with all their animals and gear.

In mid-Caribbean, four days out of the Cuban port of Mariel, a storm struck the Euzkera. She sank so swiftly that only twelve men & women had time to climb into the one lifeboat that got away. Six days later, the Norwegian motorship Caribe sighted the lone lifeboat off the coast of Nicaragua. She took the survivors aboard, headed for Curac,ao.

At week's end Emilio finally learned the full bitterness of his loss. Down with the Euzkera had gone all the animals and circus equipment (uninsured), and 37 members of the troupe. Among the missing: Emilio's wife, children and niece. Sobbed Emilio Razzore: "The sea has swallowed up my whole life."

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