Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-18

by starvation and thirst, gradually sank into lethargy that was scarcely to be distinguished from death.
 Somehow, the survivors managed to keep the boat head-on to the seas when the weather became rough. but for the past few days little or no effort could be made to guide the craft Day by day the number dwindled until the bottom of the boat and awaited the end
 When the lookout of the Seneca. scanning the horizon for bergs on the ice patrol, sighted the small boat through his glasses not a sign of life was seen. The Seneca put on all speed and, running down to the 1Heboat. sent her gig alongside. The emaciated sur- vfvors were quickly transferred to the deck of the cutter and brandy forced between the parched lips
 As all the men were in apparent need of hospital attention, the Seneca was pushed under forced draft to Halifax, the nearest port
 Thirteen of the survivors of the Cos lumbian were picked up by the Fran- conia fifty hours after they had been driven to the boats by . series of exs feared that all the others had perish- ed, for a long search by the FraI1- conia failed to disclose any trace of the other boats. Thirty-four hours af- ter the rescue of the first boat, word came that the steamer Manhattan had picked up Capatin Mcdonald and thir- teen of his men.
 All the survivors were suffering ter1 rfbly from burns and exposure Chie1 Steward Matthews, who had been toss ed unconscious into the boat picked up by the Franconia. died after = few hours of deliriurn. but his mates were SO superstititfous of the number Ihir- teen that they kept his body 90 as to make the boats quota fourteen.
 Boatswain's Mate TrA fverson, thS ranking officer among those saved by the Franconia, said that the explosions and resulting fire drove the crew to the boats so suddenly and the smoke that settled about the Columbian waa so dense that nothing was seen of the other boats.
 The men were overcome by their own injuries and let the boat drift help- less1y for hours without being able to make any effort to look after thei1 mates
 At the time of the explosions tho sea was fairly smooth, but the weathe4 in the vicinity of the heavy ice fe1d4 was cold and as most of the saiiora had been asleep when disaster over- chance to put on warm clothing.
 The e'even dead in the third boat brings the casualty list of the Co1um- bian to fifteen. Three of the crew were reported by surv1vOrs 10 nave fallen into the blazing hold of the steamer.
 Report Sent to Washington. Washington, May 17.-Five of the sixteen men who left the burning steamer Columbian ins the third ana missing boat were rescued of tk,< coast of Nova Scotia today by th4 United States revenue cutter Seneca The other eleven had died from ex- posture and their bodies had been cast into the sea Insthe boat were Robert Tiese, Oscar Kendall and Peter Be1- langer, seamen, and Michael Ludw1g- sen, fireman, and the first ofdcers whose name was not given. All the survivors were in a state of complete mental and physical exhaus- ton as the result of their terrible ex- perience in the open boat at sea This was reported to the revenue cutter
 service here tonight in relayed wire less despatch from the captain of the Seneca The report stated that the Columbians boat had been picked up at 10 o'clock this morning in latitud1 | 43.ze ard longitude 5e.3o. The Seneca Is due to arrsve at HaH- fax tomorrow morning.