The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-08
Two Fishermen Have a Terrible
Experience on Grand Banks
BENUMBEO BY AN ICY MIST.
They Were About Ready to Perish When
Picked Up by the Steamer Protector
and Taken TO Boston.

Boston. May s.-when Fluch Francois
and Paul Huchard put out in their dory
rom the French fishing schooner l. Egal-
lite, supplied with their days food and
water and equipped for a days fishing.
IT was about five o'clock April o. When
they were taken aboard tho Norwegian
steamer Protector, bound for Boston, Il
was o'clock in the morning OF May 1.
They had spent the interval rowing and
drifting aimlessly about the Grand Banks
lost In the fog They had been three
days and three nights In an open boat.
without food and water and without snei-
ter or covering from the icy mist and
biting cold.
The fog which has enshrouded tho
Banks. for couple of days had lifted
on the morning OF May /. and revealed
10 the watch officer OF the Protector a
fishing dory some distance away, IN
which two men could be seen, one stand
ing up and trying to attract the attention
Of the ship and the other in a crouch
ing position.
SAY ONE DIED IN BOAT
The dory was brought alongside and
the men were taken aboard. They were
so worn out that II was some time be-
fore their story could be learned. Then
they said there had been another man
In the boat with them. but he had died
and his body was cast overheard. They
speak only French.
To reporter who boarded the Protec-
tor when she reached port yesterday, the
men denied that they had a companion
I'm the boat with them, and said what
they meant was that they would have
died If they had not been rescued at tho
time the Protector found them.
One OF the sufferers was a boy. When
only is years of age Fluch Francois left
his mother in a little village for the frst
time 10 GO on a fishing voyage. He had
suffered the most. for his companion was
a hardy and experienced fisherman. He
pulled hts hands from his trousers pock-
ct at the sharp command OF his friend
and showed them TO the reporter They
were purple with blisters. which even q
weeks rest had not'suffoed TO cure. They
were caused by incessant tuggtng at tho
oars
The boy was paralyzed from his waist
down By the cold. and had TO be lifted
from his place in the boat to The steam,
er's deck. He said he still felt numb at
the waist.
Paul Huchard is well built fellow OF
35 years, with a curling reddish beard
He claimed the village OF Pommeloi. I'm
the department Cotes des Nord. as his
home.
They had left the ship at daybreak
Hurchard had told the reporter. and at
noon had eaten their midday meal. Al
. o'clock the fog shut in. hut they were
so occupied with their work that they
did not notice IL. In short time how
ever. when they turned to see where
the ship was. they could not see her.
ROWING FOR 70 HOURS.
Frightened. they pulled up their lines
and rowed In the direction where they
thought her 10 be- They continued TO
row for seventy two hours. except when
they lost consciousness for a time. The
scant supply of water gave out in a
short time. Then the food gave out.
IL was very cold. an there was moth
ing I'm the boat 10 cover them. Their
clothes were wet by the sea. and frozen
stiff upon them They said they prayed
until it seemed as IL their prayers could
not have been heard. Then the ship
came.
1T was awful for the boy" said the
man 1T was his first trip TO sea-
They will be turned over to the French
consul who will have them returned to
their homes They will probably be
questioned sharply about their conflict
ing statements about a third man in
the boat.
ne loves his home. doesn't he?'