BROKEN ON A REEF.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1939, 23 December 1913, Page 5

BROKEN ON A REEF.

4 WRECK OF THE LATOI® D'AUVERGNE. LADY PASSENGER'S PLIGHT* ■ By Ttlcjraih—Pre'i AasoolaUon—Ooßjrltil ' Sydney, December 22. * Further details of the wreck of the Latour d'Auvergne, at Palmcrsten Island, show that the captain boarded the Antiopo off Pftliuerston Island on November 12, and reported that the vessel hud struck a roof on the night of Octoher 23. . ... . ■ Next morning • the crow cl twentythree and a lady passenger, Sirs. Pick, of Sydney, landed with tho assistance of natives from adjoining islands, 'rents were pitched and a store made. Plenty of food was available from tlio ship's stores..

' All were well when tho Antiopo left excepting tho lady, whoso mind wits stated to bo temporarily deranged owing to tho troubles attending the wreck.

Tho captain of tho wrecked, banjuo asked tlio Antiopo to take all tho nia'rooaod people to Sydney. This was impossible, and tho Antiope' 8 captain offered to lake fifteen. '

'• This offer was declined, the captain deciding to keep tho crow tc-gethor ill anticipation of an early visit of a schooner to tho island which would carry them to Tonga. Tho captain asked tho Antiopo to report to the owners in Havre that tlio Latour d'Auvergno was broken amidships and was full of water, and that the wreck had been sold to a trader for £90,

FRENCH GUNBOAT BEING SENT. (Rec. December 23. 0.10 a.m.) Sydney, December 22, Preparations are being made for tho dispatch of the Frcnc-h gunboat Zcelco to PalmArston Island to rescue tho castaways. Tlio French Consul has also communicated with New Caledonia, with a- view to tho dispatch of a relief vessel from there.