Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-11-22
SAVED FROM THE SAVAGES
WRECK ON TIE EAST COAST OF
AFRICA.


AFRICA.
over GOO Persons on "A French Transport
Re-eued-Au OfNrer who Lost His Buttons.
The British steamer Lord of the Isles
running from New York to China and
Japan, which arrived in New York on
Aug list %, rescued the officers and crew
and half Of the passengers Of the French
transport Averycn, which had been
wrecked on the Somai coast near Cape
fuardafui, the eastern extremity OF Af-
lica. The story OF the wreck and the
rescue was told by Mr. Evans first officer
OF the Lord of the Isles, to reporter.
The Averyon was returning home to
France from Tonquin. She had on
board 900 people, including her officers
rand crew and marine guard OF forty
five men. There were on board many
invalid soldiers from the French Army
OF occupation, and several officers and
their wives. On August 20 she went
ashore near Cape Guardafui. There
was a heavy sea running in on the
shore, and the Averyon was swung
around so that the sea made clean
breach over her. A native village could
be seen, and soon there were 1900
Somalis congregated on the shore. The
chief came off to the ship and offered to
let the Frenchmen land if they would
pay S6, 900. All the money that could
be collected in the ship only amounted
to $500, and for this amount the natives
agreed to let party from the transport
land and establish camp in which to
store provisions.
The natives were nearly naked, and
were armed with bows and arrows,
knives, hatchets and assegais. They
swan off to the ship by the hundred,
bat 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 effect landing.
His boat was overturned in the surf and
the men thrown into the water. The
natives Immediately came to their res
cue, and as they we're taking the French
men ashore stole everything out of
their pockets, and captured the lieuten-
ants watch and chain. The lieutenant
got line to the ship and rugged up a
sling so that men could 90 to and from
the vessel Some provisions were landed
and camp established. One of the
men in the first ieutenant's boat was
drowned when the boat was overturned.
30 that only ten men were left on 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 general mas
sacre. The next day German steamer,
the Massalia, came along and took of
800 sick soldiers and women from the
wrecked transport. She had no room
for~more and sailed away, leaving the
3O6 Others to their fate. The sea was
rising, the three thousand savages were
clamoring for money, and things looked
black for the Frenchmen. There were
no arms aboard except two small cannon
(Which were fired as signals of distres:
continually, the rifles of the forty five
Marines and the pistols carried by the
officers. On the evening of August %
the Lord Of the Isles,. passing up to-
ward the Gulf of Alden, heard the min
ute guns and ran in to the wreck.
The sea was 80 high that nothing
could be done that day, but on th'
next the boats from the British steame
went off to the Averyon and took ever,
one aboard the Lord of the Isles Tn
savages swan around the English boats
and tried to stick their hatchets through
the boats bottoms. The party OF French
men on shore retreated to the Averyol
when they saw that rescue was at hand
The first lieutenant was the last TO ieav
the beach. As he placed himself in tn
sling to be hauled on board, the native
surrounded him and cut all the button
of his uniform. When he was hal
way TO the ship the savages began t
haul on the line BY which the sling VA
!. drawn ashore The sailors o. t,fe sbl
, hauled equally hard the other ~1y, :
that II the confusion the Lieutenant va
overturned aad vas h2u.ed aboar,. -
I h-st a. was nearly suffered ~he
, be reached the deck.
, Before leaving the Averyon the car
) tain set her Oh fire. As the last bod
l load lef: the transport the entire 3, 90
natives swarned Oh board, aid vhe
the Lord Of the Isles sailed away the
8 could be seen shouting and fighting !
the midst Of the flames on the deck {
the burning vessel There was q!
!, sixty pounds Of povde. or board, II
!, rest having been ss1Pwn o'srboard IN
before the Lord of the Isles got out
:, sight Of the burning vessel the fan'
reached the powder. There vas al e,