The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-13
WRECK OF THE JANET.
Stories of Suffering Told by the
Survivors.

Port Townsend, Wash. JanuGrk IL
The British bark Janet Cowan, captain
Tnompson, bound from Cape Town. sOuln
Africa TO Vancouver, Is. g., was Wreckeu
on December 3tst, last near Carihs"th'
IN the west coast of Vancouver is'iahu'
Tbn second mate and two apprentice lads
iufaped overheard when the FesS"i "ti",N
,ucn tne rocks and were dr0~nSc' hho '"o
brave old skipper. toSetaer With uii0o -
his crew. were frozen 10 oeatn Fsh''t
dcavorins TO find sne4ter on tho 'o'N'
shore 81, -,
The Janet Cowan is a Clyde-built vessel
o,,.,,oa ~, Shakland & Co, and valued ut
sty7 gn She left Cape Town Scpttih|ci
l1tb for Vancouver under charter 70 io"u
lumber for south African ports her NoN-
age was uneventful until December So'N'
when she rounded Cape Flattcfy anu CT"
countered u heavy gale, which drove her
seaward. A succession OF adverse wins
forced the unfortunate ship toward the
Ar,aded west coast OF Vancouver l5lh'm'
and deepite all efforts on the part OF Tue
crew she struck a reef about twelve mhies
west of CarInanah Lighthouse, on the hiSh'
of December list.
Directly the vessel grounded Second N''c
Howell and two of the crew jumped over
board and persisted. AS soon as It became
at,parcnt that the SHIP was doomed inc
men set about TO reach the shore. an O.
trc fuely Gificu!t task, On account ~ '"S
terrible surf Finally, after severd! a.
telupts, & sailor named Chamberlain sue
csedcd in swimming ashore with 'oH0'
and later on a brcc hes buoy was rigSsG,
uror which the remainder OF the crew
reached tie shore H. safety. They were al
most entirely nude and badly frozen. Tue
i1nsiuv was effected at the bottom 81 q
eu,w-covered cliff. over the ton Of which
lay the only means of escape. = sailor
scaled the cliG, and by means OF rope
his companions followed him 10 the table
land above. Here telegraph line was
foand and the party divided half follow
ing the wire ~ either direction. The httc
band wfo faeed westward soon encounter
c5 4 river which barred further progress
in that direction.
In r.trac.ng tFcir steps they followed the
line eastward until they discovered tue
bodies Of Captain Thompson ana three sail
ors frozen stir and almost covered Win
snow.
Fearing a similar fate the famishcd and
half frozen seamen once moro headed ior
their cssol. on reaching the clh they
found the sea much caimer and securing u
lifc33at which had driftcd ashore, the &c
cinlated party returned to the ship.
while attempting 60 prevent the sailors
from pillaGing the captains cabin the iirSt
mate fell through u hatchway oad broke
his leg After looting the bark o. three
months provisions the men landed on the
beach, where for twelve DAYS they suffered
IN the snow until the arrival OF the iug
Tyrte yesterday morning. The first mate
and thirteen men were brought to this city
today and sre now In charge of the british
consul All are more or less frozen. The
lv.r.aining 1--WE OF the crew were on top nf
the bluff when the rescue was effected and
either refused to leave or could not under
stand ttc signals frcr1 the tugboat ris-
ing storm forced the Tyrce 10 leave them
10 their fate and i IS possible that all may
perish from eSrcsufe. vessel Will Dc
sent 20 their relief immediately.