The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-29

the steamer Yanariva, British tramp
vessel from Newport News, for Glas-
gov, had picked up some of the sur
vivors of the foundered French steamer
st. Nazaire, turns out to have been
correct. The Yanariva arrived here
today, and at once reported that she
had rescued 16 of those who had been
on the Inflated steamer, and who had
/ taken to a small boat just before the
St. Nazaire went down off Cape Hat
teras during heavy gale.
A SIGNAL OF DISTRESS.
The lookout on the Yanariva sighted
q small boat some distance from her,
displaying a signal of distress. She
bore down to the boat and soon had
the survivors on board, where every
thing possible was done for their COM
fort. AS soon as the rescued people
were able to give the details of the
disaster that had befallen the St
Nazaire, they told story that agreed
in all it's material details with the re-
| port of the laundering of the steamer
cabled here from the United States.
The boat which the Yanariva picked
up had contained % persons, but when
the steamer sighted it there were only
10 DcISOilS alive III IL, the OlnGIS
ing died from the effects of exposure
and hunger. The survivors were eX-
hausted when they were rescued, and
if the Yanariva had not seen their
boat they would have all drowned in
a short time. The Yanariva saw moth
ing of the other boats which left the
foundered vessel. The captain and
master of the Yanariva tells very
graphic story of the rescue. He says
that nm 10Th 6,u oft
he left Newport News, it was reported
to him that a dark object. apparently
flying a signal of distress. could be
seen some distance off. He at once
scrutinized the object through
marine glass, and thought he saw liv-
ing persons in a boat. He at once
gave orders to the man at the wheel
to change the course of the steamer
so that she would run down to the
windward of the boat. When the
Yanariva approached the boat, it was
seen that there were 16 persons in her
The weather was rough, and it was a
delicate task to bring the boat under
the lee of the steamer. Those in the
boat could render almost no assist
ance in effecting their own rescue.
Finally, despite the rough sea. the
boat was brought alongside and lines
were thrown TO those in her and they
were hauled on board. The survivors
presented a most pitiable appearance
Their faces We're wan and haggard
their eyes were bulging from their
sockets, and their scanty clothing
hung about them in loose folds. All
were in a condition of the greatest ex-
haustion, and were unable to stand
when they reached the deck. Two of
the number lost their reason from the
terrible sufferings they had endured
and they had to be restrained by the
men of the steamer
NOT PROPERLY PROvIsIONED
The boat had left the St. Nazaire in
such haste that she had not been prop
erly provisioned.- There was oniv
small tin of biscuits aboard of her and
TINS, 1t is believed, was part of the
stores supposed to be kept in the life
poats for use in just such con-
urgency as had occurred.
After three days of the best care nos
slble to give to the rescued people with
the meager facilities of the steamer
all or them were able to partake of
soma 1000. Thereafter they progressed
favorab bly,, but have not vet fully re-
covered from the effects of their terri
bic experience
The survivors are:
PIerri Nicolai, second captain.
German Giraud, second engineer.
r Laurenzetti third engineer. (AuI
belonging in Marseilles)
Nicolas Sauvenel. Cuba, a passenger.
Twelve sailors, belonging to Mar
Unique.
In an interview with one of the of
ficers, he described the caDsizing or
smashing of the boats when they were
attempting to leave the vessel. When
the boat in which the survivors were
found was launched, Second Captain
Nicoiai took command of her. The
weather was extremely rough and con-
tinued so for several days. A sail was
rugged and Captain Nicolai managed to
keep her running dead to the wind.
This, though a dangerous maneuver.
was the only thing possible to do under
the circumstances, as to have kept the
boat on any other point of sailing
would have resulted in her being
swanlped. AS it was the combing seas
followed close no on the stern of the
boat, and every moment threatened to
break aboard and fill her The water
poured over the gunwales,
and every soul in the boat was
drenched to the skin. The water was
bailed- cut and this exercise undoubt-
edly saved the lives of some of the hap
less men, for otherwise thew might
have frozen to death. The salt en-
crusted on their faces and hands and
caused much pain.
LEFT IN A HURRY.
The suddenness with which it was
necessary to abandon the st. Nazaire
prevented any attempt being made to
put a supply of water in the boat. /
Some of the men withstood the tor
lures of thirst as long as it was posi- /
bic for human nature to do So Then. J
maddened by the torture to which they ,
were subjected, they drank sea water. |
Their agony was then worse than ever,
and in short time they went mad and
jumped into the sea. The strongest of
the men refrained from putting the sea
water into their mouths and prevented
by force some of the others from doing
go. Those who were maddened by
were held in the boat until the
strength of their would-be saviors
failed when, with piercing cries, they
threw themselves overheard to escape
the torture that was racking their I;
frames.
Words cannot express the agony that
was experienced by all. Day after day
they vainly scanned the heaving breast
Of the ocean for sight of a sail csulls
flying close to the sea, or the breaking
top of a wave, were frequently mis-
taken for a CLEAN of a vessel, and
finally all hands almost abandoned
hope of ever being picked up.