New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
SEVENTEEN OF THEM DEAD.
FOUR SURVIVORS OF A BoATLoAD FROM
THE VALIANT.
THEY SAY THEY KEPT ALIVE BY EATING DOG
LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE TO GET
INTO THE BOATS.

THEY SAY THEY KEPT ALIVE BY EATING A DOG
LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE TO GET
INTO THE BOATS.
st. Johns. n. F., May 1.-The French brigan-
tine Amedee. Captain Forth. from ST. Maio'
which arrived at ST Pierre tonight brought IN
four more survivors Of the lost brigantine Vail
liant which foundered the result Of striking
an iceberg off Grand Banks on the night of April
ID These four were the only survivors OF twen-
ty.one men who left the sinking ship In a ile-
boat. seventeen having persisted as result OF
exposure and frost bites. The bodies or the sew
enteen were thrown overheard.
The four survivors say they kept themselves
alive by eating the flesh and drinking the Diooo
OF a dog belonging to the brigantine Naii'ah''
This dog, they say, they took with them wheh
they left the ship. They were absolutely wi,h-
out water, provisions. oars. sails. ana proper
clothing when they left the brigantine' lhev
say that they had only time to jump from 'he'r
berths into the lifeboat. and that no opportunity
was afforded them TO make even slight provisions
against cold and starvation.
The seventeen who died suffered excruciating
torments The survivors seem to have fared HI
tie better. All four are very weak. Two OF them
will lose all of their limbs ard the other TWO VIII
lose their feet result of frost bites.
Tho mon relate a story OF a fierce struggle on
hoard the shin for places in the boats some thlr-
~ of the crew going down with the wreck. A
somewhat similar fight occurred on board the
lifeboat the men Quarrelling about the DIVISION
of the flesh of the dog. which was Killed on the
morning of the third day, when four men hao
already persisted. Three died the next day SIX
the next and four the day previous 10 the reSSu
The men were rescued al midnight on the s'S'n
dav They were so exhausted that they louho IL
almost Impossible to shout when they saw the
lights on the Amedee. which came near running
them down in the darkness. They say that the!
saw nothing of the missing lifeboats after leaV-
ing the valiant, but they are OF the OPINION tndt
three boatloads escaped from the wreck oes go
the one already saved which ACCOMPANYING them
FOR two DAYS before the captain ADVISED tneni 10
separate The captain persisted on boaro the lie
boat. ,,.,. h,, ,bo
The survivors rescued from the lifeboat by the
Amedee assert that none or the pouleS W.
mutilated. and that IN thls case ho o"ii'
was attempted $500. -
The circumstances surrounding this latest res
cue are such as TO induce the friends OF 'he Mss
ing members of the crew TO believe that othei
boats may yet be picked up.
The news Of the wreck Of the valiant was
brought TO ST. Pierre. Miquelon. on April q o!
<our men badly frozen. driven cannibaism ana
Anallv rescued by the French barkentine VICTOR
Eugene The valiant, II was announced was on
The Grand Banks in the region OF FOG ana colu'
The lookout suddenly a cloud before MIN
which became a glistening wall. Then there was
crash and the men felt the deck tremole peneatn
their feet A scramble for the boats followed ~ Is
Known that one Of the boats was SWaflEeu w
the four men were picked w by the parKehthe
Victor Eugene they were so weak anu Coiu nc "a
they could scarcely lift their heads. FROM N, tne
Arst the recovery of the rescued by the victor
Eugene mas been extremely doubtful owing 10 the'r
weakened condition.