The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-02-14
A CREW pESCUkD.
FROM A HELPLESS BARK IN MID.
OCEAN.
Thrilling Story of Captain Dutton of IL
Umbria-Saw Nothing of the u
Gascogne En- Route, But Thinks
She Is Safe.


Umbria, Captain Dutton, which sailed
from Liverpool February 2 via Queens
town, February 3, reached quarantine at
II 40 this morning. She brings no word
of La Gascogne. Shortly after noon
yesterday the monster ocean greyhound
steamed past quarantine, her shrouds
and part of her hull encrusted in ice
and gistening with myriads of diamond
like icicles. From the top most edge of
the bridge of the deck was one mass of
glittering ice and the life boats, davits
and the aft rails were covered with it.
1t was during the only good spell of good
weather on the vessels voyage that she
was enabled to rescue II persons who
were adrift in water logged, helpless
bark.
Speaking of the rescue, Captain Duttorf
said today: 1--WE had fairly good voy-
age after leaving Queenstown until we
struck the blizzard outside of the Hook
yesterday. OF course the weather was
bad and we had heavy seas, but 1 have
had far worse voyages.
1T was 12:15 a. M, on February 6.
that we picked up the captain and crew
OF the French bark, Jean Baptiste. 1t
was about IL o'clock at night when re-
ports were made to me that a White
Star steamer supposed to be the Cevic
i'N D.NA oiShltu' ne Captain Oh the.
Cevic is an old friend of mine and Il
had signal set up to let him know who
we were. The Cevic was off the port
side. The signals we set up were seen
by the French bark, which was about
five miles away. 1t was not particularly
cold but there was snow storm and a
heavy westerly swell. The distressed
crew was displaying red lights to show
that the vessel was beyond control arr Is
we made towards her, three men went up
into the mizzen rigging with torches.
The bark was water logged. A boat
with five men, in command of Second
Officer Hogg, was lowered. When our
boat reached the distressed vessel, the.
men found that the crew had launched
two boats and were loading all their
effects.
Captain Lebot and his son were the
last to leave the Jean Baptiste. They
came away in our boat. The rest of the
crew came to us in their own boats and
said they had brought all their PERSONAL
effects with them. The Jean Baptiste
belonged at Havre and was from Haiifnx,
Cork, laden with deals. Captain Lebot
said he was the sole owner, and thatT
she was not insured. None of the crew
can speak English, and they will be cared
for by the French consul in this city.
the voyage as follows
After making the addition to our
passenger list by taking on the French
men our voyage was without particular
incident until we encountered the rough
blizzard and heavy seas outside the hook
yesterday afternoon.
AT D o'clock yesterday afternoon dur
ing the height of the storm, and while
passing the Georgia shoals. 2300 miles
east of Sandy Hook, we sighted four-r'
masted schooner at anchor, riding very
set. The matter was reported to me.
but by that time we had lost sight of her
through the snow and haze. l had the
vessel put about and ran down close to
her. She had nothing flying; there were
men on deck and steam ESCAPING from
donkey engir" ard y !. = 70
halt an hour waiting for iolqe signal, but
got none. 1t was Showing, a., ,,,..it,,.r
was cold and the sea too heavy to run,
FISK OF lowering a boat to merely make
an investigation with no distress sig-
nails displayed.
Just as We steamed way they ran I'D
flag. We left them riding at anchor
IN a heavy sea in n very unusual place.
ior a schooner of that character, right
In IL, the course of the ocean steamers.
Ihen we came on to harbor and expert
enced the worst weather of the
trip. We passed the light ship at 9:55
day. W
Captain Button was not worn ont nv
any MEANS but he had been constantly
alert since early yesterday morning. He
had not heard that the La Gascogne was
SO much overdue, and when asked for an
opinion of her fate, said:
II think she has broken down some
where, and that she will probably turn
up. Where she may be now would be
the merest conjecture l remember that
about twelve years ago the City of Brus-
sels broke down in mid-ocean and made
port with her sails: she sailed into Liv-
erpool and almost to her docl: before she
was sighted. She had for 90 DAYS sailed
ed so without sighting n vessel TINT could
help her or that was near enough to rec
ognize her.
There was one thing in her favor.
100, that the La Gascogne has not, The
Clty of Brussels had four masts for
salls' while since La Gascogne has been
remodeled she has only two, She would
nave had hard work making any head
way with them in the weather She has
encountered.
1