The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

@A
WHERE LA CHAMPAGNE Is. AND WHERE HER
BOAT WAS FOUND.
Unsworth, who was at the helm Of the life-
boat. brought her cleverly alongside the steam
ship, which had stopped for them. A sea ladder
was lowered over the side. the passengers
crowded to the rail and peered down at the dis
tressed Frenchmen.
RESCUED IN THE NICK OF TIME.
Capt. F. II. Bonner, commander Of the Rotter-
dam and commodore of the limo, personally at
tended to getting the Frenchmen aboard. Boat
swain John Cuptdo lowered other ropes alongside
the sea ladder to help tho castaways up. Uns-
worth was the first man to mount the
ladder: his hands and feet wcre badly
swollen, and he climbed the ships side
apparently with great e%xertion. He was
so exhausted when he reached the deck
that he fell. He was assisted to his feet and
taken to the hospital by Ships Surgeon DR.. J.
W. Wheat.
All except two OF the other sailors had great
trouble getting aboard. even with the
assistance of q sailor, who was sent
down to the boat to help them. The feet and
hands Of some of the men were swollen to twice
their natural size. A few of them may be per-
mancntly crippled. but the majority will recover
entirely from the frostbite.
The men had had hardly any sleep during the
six days they were adrift. Cnsworth, in fact,
would not permit them to sleep for fear they
would freeze to death. For the first
four hours after they were put TO bed they slept
like logs. Then the pain of their swollen limbs
prevented them FROM getting more rest. and Or.
Wheat gave each an opiate. 1t had little effect.
and the dose was repeated.
All tho men were unnaturally thirsty when
IL l.-k F-z-. TkA~ kel
plenty of water to drink aboard the nfeboat.
but in their depressed condition on the last day
of their drifting did not drink 1t.
FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE %LIFEBoAT.
When the Rotterdam sighted the Cham
pagne's lifcboat Second Officer Van der Goot
was on the bridge. The boat looked mighty
small, rising and falling in the rolling sea
three miles Off tho starboard bow. The second
officer called the Captain, and they took
a look at the lifeboat through marine glasses.
They saw by the wild way the Frenchmen in the
boat were acting that they wanted to be taken
notice OF, and the Rotterdam was headed toward
them.
The rescued men are all citizens Of Franco.
and with the exception of the third officer, who
Is q native OF Buenos Ayrcs, were born in that
country. The men did not suffer from hunger
or thirst, but when picked up were completely
exhausted from exposure. Their boat was one
OF tho regular lIfeboats Of the steamer, and al
though thoy encountered very rough weather,
1t behaved splendidly.
LIST OF THE RESCUED.
The roster Of tho rescued is as follows:
GEORGE USswoRrH. age 80, third orncer.
JULIEN CAnARD, age 4o. boatswains mate.
PRAScoIs MARIE MICHEL, aga 38. seaman.
RENE SIARuM LACHEz, age 20. seaman.
JEAN Louis TASGY. age 2s, seaman
ASGE CRUERRR, age ~. seaman.
ApoIPH GoRGER. age .8. seaman.
Ivy CURDAs. age 22, seaman.
JEAN BArTIsrR GUEr:Esr. age %. seaman.
Ivy DE MAGST, age "a. seaman.
Their officers and crew OF the Rotterdam took
every care of the waits. They were comforta-
bly, quartered among the second cabin passen-
gers amidships, where they were attended by
DIR. Wheat, the RotterdRm's doctor. They were
still In their berths last night. and no arrange
ments had been made for their removal up 10 q
late hour.
Their hands and arms were swathed In BAN
dages, while Cruerer and Curdan had their legs
encased In woollen stockings. These two mon
were evidently In some pain, but smiled despite
their troubles when they wore informed that
they were safe in port.
WHAT THE R~oTTERDAM's PASSENGERS SAY.
DIR. G. L~iebcrmann OF 1853 Stage street. Brook
lyn, who was n passenger on the Rotterdam,
said that the open boat containing the sailors
seemed to DO about three miles Off when she was
first sighted by Second Officer Vandergoot. who
was on tho bridge. The French sailors. no said,
seemed to be very skilful. and In spite
of tho condition OF their hands and feet they
brought their boat alongside the Rotterdam
without u hitch. When n rope ladder was low
cred, he said, the men were able to make their
way up TO the deck OF the rotterdam with a
little assistance from her sailors, but they
seemed to be Il triAe uncertain on their feet, and
one OF them fell down on the deck AS II from ex-
haustion.
All OF them seemed to BIO suffering from frost
bite except the third officer. Their hands and
feet were xaminel ny the ships surgeon, who
ordered tho half. frozen sailors to DO taken at
Onro To the surgery.
LA CIIAMPAGNE'B POSITION.
FRANCOIS Marie Michel. one OF the sailors from
In Champagne, said that tho boat was not
out VI tho line vi commerce when her tail
shaft broke. The shock OF tho accident
causcd considerable excitement aboard, no
said, but every one grew calm upon tho Cap
taln's assurance that there was no immediate
danger. After The engines were stopped and
the nature OF the break Was nscertaiUGd,
two hass OF distress were holstcd, ono
fore and the other ait. IL Was about
.,Aeu YORK amd FLORIDA " ANA '.Iaim nrach
LImitad."
Via POnnsylv anita. southern. 3, G. & T.. and florida
day, ll;bO A. NJ, composed eEolusiyely d.nlnE,
compartment drawing room. sleeping. Observation,