Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-11-19
saved from the Savsges.

The French transport Averyon was
recently retu1 nIpg home to France from
Tonduln. She had on board 600 people
Including her officers and crew and
marine guard OF foIty-fve men. There
were ou board many invalid soldiers
from the French Army of occupation,
and several officers and their wives.
On August 30 she weJ,t ashore near
Cape Gusrdaiui. There was heavy
sea running in on the shore, and the
Averyon was swung around Sc that the
sea made clean breach over her. A
native village eould be seen. and soon
there were 3 600 Somalis congregated
on the shore. The chief came of to
the ship and offered to let the French
men land If they would pay St. 600.
All the money that could be collected
in the ship only amounted to 5000, and
for this amount the natives agreed TO
let party from the transport lad and
establish mp in which to store pro-
Visions.
The natives were nearly naked. and
were armed with bows and arrows,
knives, hatchets and assegsis. They
swan off TO the ship by the hundred,
but the marine guard, stationed with
loaded rifles in the chains, prevented
their boarding the transport. The first
lieutenant of the Averyon started with
eleven men in boat TO fleet the land
ing. His boat was overturned IN the
surf and the men thrown INTO the water.
The natives Immediately came to their
rescue, and as they were taking the
Frenchmen ashore stole everything out
OF their pockets, and captured the
lieutenant's watch and chain. The
lieutenant got line to the ship and
rieged up a sling so that men could go
10 and from the vessel. Some provls-
ions we're landed and camp establish
ed. One of the men in the first lieu
tenants boat was drowned WHEEL the
boat was overturned, so that only ten
men were left on the shore.
The natives watched carefully to see
that no more landed, and any attempt
to reinforce the party at the camp would
have been the signal for a general mas
sscre. The next day German steamer,
the Massalia. came along and took OF
800 sick soldiers and women from the
NtEGhEu tEau4NbLk. OHC Ao AOCAl
for more and sailed sway, leaving the
300 others TO their fate The sea was
rising. the three Thousand savsges were
clamoriug for money, and things looked
black for the FrenchmeD. There were
no arms aboard except two small csD-
mons (Which we're fired as signals of
distress continually } the rifles of the
fOrty-tive marines, and the pistols
carried by the ficeTs. On the even.
ing OF August %, the Lord OF the isles,
head the minute guns and ran III TO
the wreck.
The sea was 50 high that nothing
could he done thst day, but on the
next tile boats from the British steamer
Went [ Il to the Ayeryon and took every
one aboard the Lord of the Isles. The
s@vsges swan around he English boats
and Uled TO sites their hatchets through
the boats bottoms. The party of French
men on shore retreated to the Averyop
when they saw that rescue was at hand.
The first lieutenant was the last to
leave the beach. As he placed himself
IL the sling to be hauled on board, ths
natives surrounded him and cut all the
buttons OF his uniform. When ne wss
half way to the ship the savages began
10 haul on the line by winch the sing
was drawn ashore. The sailors Oh the
ship hauled equally hard the otN.
way, so that in the confusion the
lieutenant was overturned aud was
hauled aboard feet first. He was
nearly sufocatei when he reached tn
deck.
Before leaving the Averyon he cap
tain set her on fire. As the last boat
load left the transport the entire 5000
natives swarmed on board, and when
the Lord of the Isles sailed away they
OouId be seen shouting and fighting in
the midst OF the flames on the deck of
the burning vessel. There was only
sixty pounds Of powder on board, the
rest having been throw overload Just |
before the Lord of the Isles got out of |
sight Of the burning vessel the flames
reached the powder. There was an e1-
plosion, the masts went by the board, /
and several hundred Savages must have |
been killed. The rescued Frenchmen |
were landed at Alden.