Connecticut western news., 1897-04-29
SEVENTY LIVES LOST.
FRENCH 6RleANTlNE STRUCK eY AN
 ICEBERG AND IS SUNK.
The m Tsted vantRnt Hed on naara Many fishsrsen on Their Way Co st. picrre--Four Picked Up at Sea Ansr Terrible Suffering and Privettou.


 Many Fishermen on Their Way Co st.
 Piorr---Four Picked Up at Sea Aftsr
 Terrible Suffering asa Privstlor.
 St. Pierre, Mlauelon. April 2s.--Four men, whose arms had been frozen and whose faces were drawn by the hunger which had driven them to canniballsm have been brought here by the French barkentIne Victor Eugene.
 They were all who survived of the company of 7S of the briEantine Nail- lant, bound from St. Male. France. to this port, which struck an Iceberg on April 16 and almost immediately foun- dsred. They were trannferred to the hospital. They arc nearly dead from hunger and exposure, and it will be necessary to amputate their arms.
 The Valiant sailed from old st. Malo a month ago. Her passengers were fishermen who were on their way to work for the companies which send out smacks for codfsh. These hsher- men come over from France every sea son and return to their homcr to spend the winter
 The wretchsd survivors are hardly able 10 tell of the suffering and the pri- walton which they have undergone. Tho vessel was on the Grand banlos. in the region of fog and cold. The lookout on the night of April ie saw a cloud Of green mist before him, which became a glistening wall. Before he could give A cry of alarm there was a crash, and the bow of the vessel curled up like thing of pasteboard. and blow as of a great hammer shook the craft from | truck to keeison.
 The men rushed from forccastle and hold. They felt the deck settling bee heath their feet. Masses of ice broken from the berg fell upon the forecastls head and shot over the greasy blanks. There was a cry for the boats. a ffen- zied search in the storeroom and galley for water and provisions and fife and death scramble for the boats. Dying of Hunger snd Ceid.'
 One of the boats was swamped. The fate of another Is unknown. The third. the dingy. contained seven men. They had provisions for only two days The slender rations gave out. The air was intensely cold. The thiniy clad men, chilled to the bone and weak from lack of food. barely kept the boats head to theSea.
 One of them a white haired old fiHh- | erman, who had sailed from St. Malo for many years. died on the third day, and his body was thrown overheard. A second died on the morning of the fourth day, and benumbed arms com | mitted him 10 the sea.
 A third died. and his body rested up- on the seats. The survivors looked at the stifrened form of their comradc. | They read the same thought in each others eyes. They exchanged no words. | Cannibslism was added to the priva- tlons of the sea. Two others followed him the next day. The barkentlne Victor Eugene sight ed boat on Monday, The skipper thought he saw the bodies of men lying across the thwsrts. He sent boat. The four men, who, from weakness and the cold. could hardly llft their heads. were taken from the dlnRy.
 The men were well cared for by the crew of the barkentine. They were transferred to the hospital as soon as the Victor Eugene reached her pier. lt Is doubtful if the men in their weaken | ed condition will survive the shock of amputHting their arms.
 The Valiant was a wooden brigan- tine of l5s tons. She was built at Shell bourne. N. s.. by W. s. Kelly Her | owners were l.. Costc & Co. of this | port. She was ei feet long, 2S feet beam and 10 feet fin depth. Her port of registry was St. Malo. She was com manded by Captain Pierre. --