The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-21
hands OF the same band OF savagss who murdered

me loss oil the french shlL To WHICH nave re-
1erred IN the opening OF this letter is matter OF
deep concern also, as by IL a valuable sessel and
cargo have been swallowed BY the waters, ana the
crew experienced extraordinary p1vat10ns ond
iniseres. resulting In the death OF one OF their num-
Der. Iney arrived here last evening on board the
Petr!e commander. en- route from Valparaiso to
England, AID were picked up from their boats by
Captain Petre about fifteen miles west OF this place
between Port Famine and Freshwater Bay. fortJ-siX
days after The loss OF their ship.
The snip sailed from Bordeaux December O. with
about $50 tons Of general cargo bound or GuayaIli!
aa u raaa arenas costa sa nme ,p arsa
good fortune up 10 latitude 55 when she met wi h
strong winds and thick weather. During the night
of the 18th OF February stln gale blowing aud
the ship on her course for Cape Pillar. At three
O'CLOCK on the morning OF the lsth the ship was
slessnna north BY east, and scuadng under cloie-
when the watch reported a large dark bank OF log
directly ahead. The captain, who was asleep al the
stated to me, shading his eyes with his hand against
the driving ram peered into the heavy fog bank he
bank lowered apparently Thousand feet IN the
air, and was only half cable length distant. IN
against a clin, and her bows were almost out
OF water at the base of the rock with reef under
breaking IN two across her waist but the crew.
hastily gathering together some provisions anu
ha ap a VI
ship went to pieces her stern sinking on shore:
An tins was matter OF the deepest xplicabllity
to the captain and mate, as at the time the ship
struck they believed themselves to be 12O miles
from land by their course and though the ships
instruments were saved from the wreck they were
unable 10 take an observation ON account Of thick
weather, and had no idea where they were cast
away. On the afternoon OF the 18th the crew found
grotto IN the rocks, about twenty yards from where
the ship struck but the cllr was so steep that
they were able TO reach this cavern only ny means
OF their boats Here they took up quarters the
cave being large enough TO accommodate sixty or
enable distance, and they were compelled to retire
to Its iarthest recess Next day the captain, mate
and two men took the sextant and chronometer and
reached the summit 0f the rock and took an 0bser.
yatlon, which showed that they were on a small.
nameless island east of Monday Island, In the Weeks
Islands group. II was necessary that they should
ascend the rocks, for the reason that they were
hidden from them by the precipce they being on
the south side. The ascent was made with great
difficulty by cingng TO roots and Shrubs, and the
time occupied IN the descent alone was an hour aud
quarter.
Graves lsland hut experiencing much hardship and
Indictment weather In one OF the small bays there,
they left it TWO days alcrward and sailed norherly
some ten miles, taking refuge IN small inlet tho
south shore OF Desoailon Island.
During nearly ten days they renamed in this re.
treat, snbslsng upon shelltsh, with one biscuit per
day, awaiting favorable wind. their intention be-
Ing TO make Cape Pillar, about fifty miles NORTH aud
thence run into Magellan StralIs. The wiBds coniin-
ued un;avorable. however and. again taking to the
boats they coasred 10 me south and made landing
on landau island. Here deep inlet promised them
shelter on the south side OF the island. but strong
wind drove the water with such force and fury into
this cove that they hastily abandoned 1t for point
more eastery.
Here they remained three days roaming over the
island in search OF game. but found none and again
the two little craft were nut to sill heading
south. the course being laid for Cape Gloucester.
the westerly point Of the Grafton group. Here they
encamped five DAYS enduring the same prWations
and suffering greatly from the cold. II had raned
almost incessantly from the night the ship cast
was drenched with water. Ii was thought, how
ever that from this point they might descry some
vessel on the cape passage, and the time was spent
like that OF Enoch Arden,
All day Watching waiting for a sail,
No sail from day 10 day.
The situation was now becoming desperate. and
the captain determined TO make an attempt 10
reach Magellan Straits, feeling assured that he
would there fan IN with one OF the British mail
steamers.
The sails were once more hoisted, and with sup
ply OF musses 1Or provisions the boats again showed
from shore, crossing Stokes Bay. ana, passing
through Adelaide Passage and Csckburn Channel,
entered Magdaen sound Nothing unusual
CURED on this passage-at was the same terrible
period OF cold. hunger ana gue 0veishadowed
The scenery was suDiimely grand at times, BUT 1t
was the cold, terrible grandeur OF coast with
from the ocean; OF islands. hike towers OF sulIen
blue rock, striped here and There with O scruDby
yerdure, inhospitabe and deso;ae, inhabited, If m
habted at all, by race oil blood thirsty and canni-
bal people, and frayed 10y tempestuous waste OF
waters. AT night they landed on some OF the
hundreds OF iScts which dot these channels and
made fires, at which they roasted their biva,es.
Round these fires they hlvouacked and slept rs best
they could, always maintaining a lookout TO guard
against the approach of savages. Cruising
along the western shore OF Magdalen Sound
they approached a small island near the entrance to
Hope Harpor, and were warned of the existence OF
an Indian encampment by the appearance on shore
beach. barking and evidently excited at the appear
ance OF the strange faces and little later the en-
campment was seen on the shore. There appeared
to be some ten or dozen savages, but for obvious
reasons no attempt was made to cOmmunIca with
them. After passing the island The boats turned
into Hope HarbOr on Clarence Island, and here the
night WAS passed. but carly IN the morning the
party sailed across the channel the long narrow
peninsula Jutting northward from Terra del Fuego,
between Magdalen sound and st. Gabriel Channel.
The suffering crew now fell as though there was
the waters OF The straits south OF Cape Froward
though the cape Is distant not less than perhaps
island on Anxious POINT, inc northern extremity Of
the peninsula, the crew again landed and remained
here four days. Here their sufIerings began to
assume a serious aspect, rs the lack OF sufBcient
food, the extreme cold and frequent rain drench.
ings combined with fatigue and anxiety, were be-
ginning to take effect In many forms. The eyes Of
many OF the men were sunken and their faces
emacsated, and sort of scurvy or SALT water sore
had broken out on their hands and feet Their lips
cracked and dried. and they becoming so weak
| tnat rowing, when there was no wind for sailing
| was very labOrt0us
! The COOK French negro from Martinique who
had been failing gradually from want Of clothing to
| keep warm, died on the second dag of their stay
here and was buried in a shallow grave scOoped out
| with stlCks small carn OF stones was erected
over tine remains. On the morning OF the fourth
| came over in their canoes and landed at the en-
campment OF the shipwrecked crew. There were
| TWO liabilities vi tuctu Win tuelT Wlv0B anu Jour
| children, In all about ten persons. They ut once
| entered into communication with the Frenchmen BY
| signs and with cultural gatherings ana repeatedly
uttered the word tobacco signfymg by their
actions that they desired some Oh weed Very
little trading was done, for the very good reason
That neither party had anything TO barter and re-
embracing an hour or two later they headed their
| canoes down st. Gabriel Channel.
The captain tearing that The saveRes might have
started Tor achievements where VITA TO return aud
make an attack on his already anilcted crew. deter
mlncd on an immediate .'change OF base,' and re-
| crossed the sound 10 the northwest landing once
more on Clarence lsand near Mount Vernai. En-.
camping here FOR the night q startwas made next
day for Port San Antonio to te northeast. on Daw-
sons Island. Inc wind favored them this voy.
age and they encanped for ten twelve days In
cove q small island near Port san Antonio.
During thts period their sufermgs became more
terrible than at any other time. Cold rains and
piercing winds set In aud their feet became so
swecd by the cold and wet that they could not
keep their worn0ut shoes on them. When they
took on their shoes they were unable 10 pnt
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