Evening journal., 1896-08-03

The bark Ernst Became Water1ogRed
and Was the Point of Sinking When
Timely Aid Was Rendered by La Bour-
GoEne-sailors Removed In Lifeboats.
NEW YORK, Aug s.-On the French
line steamship La Bourgogne, which has
just arrived here from Hayre, were Cap
tain Ahrens and II Of the crew of the Ger
man bark Ernst which was deserted,
waterlogged snd sinking, in midocean.
On July IS, in latitude As. 81, longitude
32. 10, about a. m, while steaming rap
Idly for this port, Captain Leboeuf OF the
French steamship sighted a vessel flying
signals of distress few miles of his port
bow. The captain altered his course. bore
down to the disabled vessel and hove TO
about 200 yards to the leeward of her.
Signals ware exchanged between the two
vessels, and Captain Ahrens Of the Ernst
said that his vessel was sinking and he
wanted to be taken of.
heavy sea was running, moderate
gale had been blowing for several days and
II was not easy to accommodate the skip
per. Captain Leboeuf ordered two of the
port lifeboats lowered TO take the sailors
from the wreck The Ernst was lying to
under lower topsails and laboring heavily.
First Officer Motay Of La Bourgogne had
been i'll fer several days. but when Cap
tain Lehoeuf ordered the boats to be
cleared away he appeared on deck and de-
olnred IL was his duty to command the
tirst boat With five seamen he entered
the nfeboat Asit was being lowered a
tremendous wave struck 1t and threw out
Motay and two Of the seamen.
Struggling In the Water.
Third Officer Rempler and six men were
being lowered in tho second boat, and when
they struck ths water they made TO the
rescue OF their companions who were
struggling In the water and being carried
rapidly astern. With great difficulty they
were dragged aboard the second lifeboat
little the worse for their nishap. The two
boats then proceeded to the sinking bark
which they were compelled to approach
warily because OF the high sea- The skip
per and six men were taken off In safety,
but hye Of the Grew, who became im2a-
tient at the delay. jumped overheard and
tried to make their way TO the llfeboata.
They were rescued after considerable
trouble, much battered and bruised
The only living thing left on the bark
was a hg Newfoundland dog, the proper
ty OF the skipper and a great pet Of the
crew. The poor brute appeared to realize
his fate, and he howled dismally as the
two boats rowed away, leaving him as
skipper and crew OF the waterloRged and
doomed craft. It cost Captain Ahrens
many a pang TO leave his favorite but the
crews Of the lifeboats declared that the
dog would certainly swamp tho boat II he
was taken on, and that bo must be left on
the bark The men realized their danger
and could only acquiesce in the decision
of To r.afc rbo 1oct
OF the Newfoundland he was standing in
the bow with his forepaws ON the rail and
emitting at Intervals prolonged howls as
he gazed with his great eyes at his former
companions, who were then deserting him.
Thought the jig Was Up.
The abandoned vessel loft Caernarvon,
North Wales, on June 29 in ballast for
Shediao, n b.. and she swept along I'M
der bellying sails before fair winds until
July 20, having then completed nearly
half her voyage Then the bark ran into a
succession OF heavy westerly gales and
high seas, which caused her to labor and
plunge until the continuous straining
sprung a leak. The Ernst carried a wind
mill pump and two hand pumps. The for
mer was started and the men put at the
hand pumps, but after As hours OF inoes-
SAINT labor it was found that their work
was Of mo avail and that tho water was
gaining Oh them rapidly. One of the
pumps gave out and when soundings were
made it was found that there were ten
feet of water in tho hold.
Captain Ahrens decided that "the jig
was M. He set distress signals and or.
dered sharp lookout kept for n passing
sail Tho men strained their eyes in vain
until the French steamship came In sight
and their signals were answered. The
bark WAS then badly down by the head
and showed all the evidences of preparing
TO take her final plunge to the bottom Of
the sea. When taken aboard the steam.
ship, the mon had little with them besides
the skipper's instruments and the clothes
they stood in. The shipwreeked sailors
will apply to the German consul for as
sistnnce and will probably be sent homl
by him.