The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-11
Or that She Has Drifted Into a south
Course of Ocean Liners.
PERILOUs TIMES ON THE SEA
EXPERIENCES OF THE CUNARDER
UMBRIA TOLD BY HER CAPTAIN.
Stories of Survivors of the EIbe Dis
Fourteen Fishermen Lost.

er La Gascogne, so far as all sources of
information go, has failed to reach harbor.
The three steamers which arrived at this
port to-day have seen or heard nothing of
her. But the fact that vessels not nearly
so stanch as the French liner have
weathered the gales that have swept the
Atlantic for the past two weeks has given
heart and hope to those who can view the
chances of the big steamer from an i'm
partial standpoint La Gascogne IS now
eight days overdue. She has faced many a
furious gale in the years that she has
crossed the Atlantic, but never was she so
tardy in reaching port. On Oct. &c, 1891, she
came into New York harbor, 500 souls on
board, salt-encrusted to the top of her fun
neis. She was only twenty-four hours late,
but for four days and nights she had been
in the grip of a hurricane One day of such
weather would have tested the stanchness of
almost anything that floats, but La Gas
cogne wore out four days and nights of it
and reached New York practically unin-
iured 1t is such experiences that give the
agents in the city confidence that their boat
is still plowng the seas or safe in some out
of-the-way haven.
Dispatches reached here to-day from Hal
flax, n. S., with the report that La Gas
cogne had been sighted in the vicinity of
was to be had, owing to the impossibility
of getting communication with the island.
Any report, however. of steamer lying off
Sable island in a crippled condition in the
midst of heavy gales would not be hope
inspiring one, as this is known as an ex-
tremely dangerous locality for mariners.
The island lies about ninety miles south
east of Cape Canso. 1t is narrow and low,
and has been the scene OF many shipwrecks.
But the report, originsting in some un-
known way, even without verification,
the subject of considerable speculation on
the part of shipping men. All efforts on the
part of the company to get explicit infor-
nation in that connection were without
avail.
AT THE COMPANY'S OFFICES.
At the offices of the Compagnie Generate
Transatfantique Mr.. Forget did not appear
to-day. He was, however, in communica-
ton with all points from which news could
be expected by telegraph. The men in the
office of the French line do not worry much.
as they are used to the delays of vessels,
and past experience has taught them that
frequent impediments to travel on the wa
ter, especially in stormy weather, are met
with None of them believe Ea Gascogne
to be lost. 1t is the friends and relatives
of passengers those who have loved ones
on board that are fearful of the worst
The men who report vessels far down
the bay have kept their eyes sharp towards
the sea in the hope of being the first to sig
nal the missing steamer. At 730 tonight
the Hamburg-American liner Dania was re-
ported off Fire island. Two hours later an
unknown steamer reported passing
Sandy Hook light ship. Soon she was seen
making off shore. There she anchored, and
it is believed that this was the Dania that
had crept up the bay. The Dania left Havre
on Jan. Is. three days after La Gascogne,
and hope had been entertained that she
would have some news of the missing ves-
sci.
chored off Sandy Hook and it is believed
that she is La Normandie, a sister ship OF
La Gascogne. La Normandie sailed from
Havre Feb. 2. and. coming over the same
course as the Gascogne, it was confidently
expected that she would have tidings OF the
other. No signals to that effect, however,
were displayed, and now the officials of the
line fix their hope on La Touraine, which
sailed from Havre "Wednesday last, with in
structions to keep the strictest outlook for
La Gascogne, and, if necessary, to spend ex-
ira time in making detour from the regu-
lar course. Just what news the Dania or La
Normandie may bring is doubtful, but they
have given no indications zap to the present
time of having spoken the missing ship.
The Red Star steamer Rhynland arrived
in port to-day. She was covered with a
layer of solid ice three feet in thickness
in many spots. The deck is altogether in
accessible and tons ard tons of water had
been shipped over her sides and formed
into ice on her decks. The Rhynland had
on board nine cabin passengers and 116
steerage passengers. Captain Mills said that
it was the most tempestuous voyage he had
ever experienced. The Rnynland left Ant
werp on Jan. 26 On Feb. the Captain
was compelled to heave ship for fourteen
hours. During this day only ninety-nine
miles in the twenty-four hours were logged.
On the morning of the 9Th violent seas made
it necessary to heave ship again for twelve
hours. The crew suffered keenly from the
intense cold Life lines We're made fast
along the starboard side of the vessel.
During the voyage but one vessel the Man
itoba, from London, was sighted.
The Manitoba reached Quarantine shortly
after 3 o'clock this morning, and reported
having seen nothing of the overdue La Gas
cogne Captain Griffith, of the Manitoba
said to-day that he thought La Gascogne
would be first spoken by a vessel bound
from the Mediterranean, or eastward from
Gibraltar. IL sailed from London the day
La Gascogne sailed from Havre." said Capt.
Griffith, land as her course was more to
the southwark, she doubtless escaped the
north Atlantic storms, which all the YES
sells that sailed over northern courses en-
countered My opinion is that she broke
down west of the azores and was carried
by the prevailing currents in;o southern
latitude
I liant ant Ayo rdn fho voxrtr. t%.-- 49,
United States steamer Minneapolis, said,
to-day, at the Navy Club; Elf La Gas