The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-07
perished from cold and hunger or tho ham


The st. Nazaire left New York on March 6
under command OF Captain Jaqueneau. She
carried a lot Of freight and had a crew OF
seventy-two men and eight passengers. Tne
day after she left port leak was discovered.
The pumps were started, but shortly after
wards the vessel ran into terrible revolving
tempest.
The leak increased and as the water came
In the vessel was unable to mount the waves
and mountains OF water swept over ner.
Sometimes the great waves lowered above
the smokestack and the wind catching their
SUBMITS precipitated tons of water on the
deck, smashing tho superstructure, killing
and manning members Of the crew and finally
extinguishing the engine fires. The passen-
GERS were huddled below and the frtghrful
hammering Of the water on the deck drove
some OF them insane.
On the morning of the 9Th 1t became GER
tain that the vessel would sink, and the
order was given to launch the boats. The
flrsf boat gotten out was swept back on the
deck and smashed to flinders. injuring several
men. Barrels Of water and provisions for the
boats we're swept away. Ths situation was
awful, but discipline was preserved, and the
long boat got away with thirtY-eight per-
sons aboard, including the wife OF Juan de
Tejada, and his four young children. The
boat hung for a moment on great wave
high above the vessels deck after she GOT
away, but she came down on the right side
OF the wately mountain and escaped destrnc-
ton. Two or three other boats were seen IN
the water as the long boat pulle.i of.
No one in the boat expected to see Land
again. The frail craft was pitched and
tossed ut all kinds Of angles, and during one
of those pitches, when she almost stood on
end, a man was thrown from the stern half
way to the bow. he fell on his head and
was killed. After that several were drowned
and others were crushed to death Where
they sat In the boat by the waves that broke
over them.
The first night was one Of horror. Not a
star lit the gloom, and the sea was black ex-
cept where here and there it was lighted by
a phosphorescent glow. 1t was intensely
cold, and the water that half filed the boat
'benumbed the survivors.
Now and then one of the men felt a vacant
space beside him and he knew some one had
gone overheard. Nobody could help any
one else. All held on for dear life. AT
times one or two rolled in the bottom OF the
boat around the feet OF the others. When
the morning dawned these were found to ne
corpses. That day the sea moderated and
the dead were dropped overheard.
The other days and nights we're like the
first. except that to the danger OF the rough
ocean had succeeded the horrors OF munger
and thirst. Not a crumb Of bread or drop
of water was aboard.
ONLY four remained when the Hilda sight
ed the boat. They were hardly ableto speak
when taken Oh the Hilda. They we're landed
at Perth Amboy, n. j., and then came to this
city.
Agent Forget, of the French line. gave, out
a complete list of the passengers OF the snip.
There were, he said, but ten ot them.
The vessel was valued at $300OOO with her
cargo. which was general one. worth Soo' :
0OO' and the ST. Nazuire also had aboard
S25, 900 In gold.