The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-04-09
FUNERAL SHIP ARRIVES.
ReIIayenture Reaches St. John With
Victims of Arctic Storm.

slowly up the barbOr at dusk to-day,
bearing sixty-nine of the dead and
fifty of the crippled survivors of the
disaster that overlook seal hunters
from the steamer New Foundland on
the ice foes near Belle Isle Straits in
last Tuesdays BLIZZARD
Thirteen of the living were remov-
ed to a hospital in critical con-
dition. Several others were seriously
i'll, and all but one Of the remainder
bore scars of their thirty-eight hours
exposure in the Arctic gale in which
seventy-seven of their companions
met death. This uninjured survivor
was stricken blind after being picked
up, but it is believed he will recover
his sight.
Five thousand persons, many OF
them relatives of the victims, had
lined every vantage point along the
harbor front all day, waiting for the
Bellaventure's arrival and for some
news of the missing sealer, Southern
Cross, carrying ITO men. Not word
has been heard from the latter vessel
since she was seen driving before the
storm Tuesday morning. Hope arous-
ed by reports that she had made
harbor were dashed when investiga-
tion nroyed an error in Identification
had been made.
There still is faith in many quar-
ters that the Southern Cross wealth
cred the blizzard. No wreckage has
been reported.
Caring for Wounded.
In the absence of Governor David
son and Premier Norris, the acting
premier, Mr.. Bennett, directed the
work of caring for the dead and
wounded. Every physician and nurse
in the city volunteered for service.
They were aided by squads from the
naval reserve ship Calypso and va
rious military organizations. The
new Grenfell Institute was turned in
to morgue.
The disaster which overlook the
New Foundland's hunters was un-
avoidable. according to Capt. Ran
dell. of the Bellaventure. Tuesday
dawned somewhat overcast, but with
no hint of blizzard conditions, he
said, so that it was quite permissible
to put, men on the ice after seals.
The storm broke with typical Arc
tic suddenness. The hunters from
the Bellaventure and the Florizel
were fortunate enough to reach their
ships safely. The Stephano's men,
being near the Florizel, hurried on
board her. The Stephano steamed
towards the spot where her crew
had been seen before the snow shut
in. This took her away from the
New Foundland's group, who were
far from their own ship. AS soon
as the Stephano was notified by the
Florizel's wireless of the safety of
her men, size headed back into the
storm to pick up the New Found
lands hunters.
Could Not See Ahead.
1t was impossible to see ships
length ahead into the snow curtain,
and when the Stephano's captain
thought he was within mile of the
stranded hunters he lay to and kept
his whistle going in the hope that
they might be guided towards him.
AS hours passed and not man re-
ported he concluded all had reach
ed their own ship. But the New
Foundland had no wireless, and all
that day and Wednesday, while the
blizzard ragged with unabated fury,
the feet remained in ignorance OF
the fate Of the $50 men marooned
on the foes.
The main party of castaways were
four miles away, over broken held
of ice. The Bellaventure was driven
toward them with all possible speed,
but so bad were ice conditions that
it required nine hours to cover the
four miles.
In the meantime Capt. Randells
men had reached the castaways. On
" a few of the hardest were con-
scious and able to help themselves.
Many were in a stupor. Some were
raving, others had been stricken with
ice blindness.
Many bodies were found frozen so
last in the ice that pickaxes were
necessary to chop them out. Two of
the survivors were nearly mad from
their own sufferings and from grief.
Each had watched brother die.
By good fortune thirty of the New
Foundland's hunters, who had not
strayed far from the vessel, had been
able to reach their ship, else the
death list undoubtedly would have