LOST IN THE PACIFIC.

Mataura Ensign, 16 January 1914, Page 7

LOST IN THE PACIFIC.

1000 MILES IN AN OPEN BOAT. A story full of the tragic happenings | of a glim fight with death was unfolded; last week to a representative of the Sydney 'Daily Telegraph' by members,, of the crew of the ill-fated schooner Eldorado, which was abandoned, at seai on ; June 13 last. The story of the sufferings and tortures was graphic and painful. The men are staying at the Sailors' Home for . the time being, and it was there that the narration of their fight with death was given. One member of the crev, acting as spokesman, said: "We left Columbia River laden witli) lumber for the West. Coast of South, America. All went well for about 2000 miles, when wo ran int<* hue of the fiercest gales that ever ha; along. Our boat was not a particularly safe one. Even in calm weather she .gave trouble, but when she was hit by tnat gale w© knew instinctively that something was, going to happen. And it did. The tempest raged and raged unceasingly. Our sails were carried away, and great seas came right over us. We were in a terrifying fix. Our schooner was filling fast, and! wo only had a small open boat to escape in. The seas were thrashing us about, . but at last, when, it was no longer safe i to stay aboard our fast-settling j schooner, we took to our 22-footer. Tortures and Agonies. "It was a terrible task trying to got J into the small boat. The sea tossed it; about like a cork, and two sailors were: pitched into the angry waves. They j were picked "up, however, and after some slight provisions wore stowed 1 wo i got away. Seas soon, came aboard, and the small quantity of bread and other j foodstuffs we had secttred were spoiled.' Then commenced the tortures and; agonies that drive men to desperation ' ; and death. As we put away we saw the; Eldorado struck by tremendous moun- j tains of water, and she threatened to topple over. She was settling fast, however, and could not last long. There | were 11 of! us in the open boat. Seas j cam© in and threatened? to sink us, but j willing hands worked 1 for our very exist- j once, and continual baling out savedl us. I But- the experiences, were terrible. All the time we were trying to make for land:; it was blowing a gale, and' we wuld 1 make little headway. We knew that Easter and Pitcairn Islands were '•somewhere near, but we had to chance to luck to got to them. We had nothing to guide us or give ns any idea o,f our direction." I j

Faced by Death. "As the days rolled by our condition became terrible. Water had given out, and we were living on 21b of tinned meat) a day divided 1 amongst us. We were all weakening fast, and our progress was slower than ever. Death wa® beginning to loom, largely before us. Wtf could feel it coming over us. Starvation "was working all its horrors. Tortures of all kinds were being suffered, and all hope was given up. Moroseness gave place to a terrible delirium t and a fiendisTi and horrible instinct began to assert itself. One man revenonsly gulped salt water, and the effect on, the po'or fellow was terrible. He recovered afterwards, but the awfillness of our situation is unimaginable. Cut to the bone by the cold, starving and 1 weak, .and with death staring us in the face, swe at last gave up all hope of rescue." LAND IN SIGHT.

"It waa a slow, torturing death. Eleven men in a small, open boat, weak and helpless, starving and dying for want of food, clothes, and 1 sleep, pitched' and tossed like a cork on the waves were at tho final stages of human/ endurance. And then on the ninth day came the joyful cry of "Land, land!" Never did anything souml sweeter to the ears of men. Hope rushed back, strength returned! to our bodies, and, our hearts swelled with thankfulness."

"But our joy was short lived. Disappointment and grief followed alm'ost immediately. Starving men were only tortured by the sight of land that was within their grasp, and' yet was impossible to gain. Treacherous and angry Toilers! "beat up against the still more treacherous coast, and l it was impossible to land . Hut iiopp did not die out, Landi was in sight. It only had! to be made to be saved. A landing place must bo found sooner or later, and we cruised along the coast for two days before we eouid find a spot to land. And wo only risked landing then because starvation had driven us to that point, when we would l have grabbed! at a straw. We were willing to take any chances or run any risk. The water all around and about was infested l with sharks. The monsters came right up! to the boat and seemed to be awaiting a chance to make a "snap" at any of us. "Finally we made a landing. Then all the reaction of that terrible time in the open craft set in. We tried' to get out of the boat, but could not. Our strength had' deserted) us. Our feet were all sores from the salt water that was never out of the boat—our bodies and bones ached all over, and 1 after ;a great struggle we just rolled' ashore and went to steep."

BULGARIAN AND FRENCHMAN. A spirited contest reminiscent of the days of chivalry took place one morning recently, when Lieutenant Toreom, of the Bulgarian Army, and M. -Georges Breittmayer, a famous French fencer, crossed swords in a park at Montmorenty, near Paris. The duel arose indirectly out 08 a challenge sent by Lieutenant Toreom. to Pierre Loti. The Bulgarian officer's challenge had, it was known, been eagerly taken up by French and champions, and!' it was rumored 1 that Lieutenant Torcomi was coming to Paris to do battle with on© of his adversaries. But the secret of the actual duel had been so strictly kept that no Ciie knew anything ahout it till it was over. The conditions of the combat, which was with regulation swords, were exceedingly severe. The duellists wore ordinary gloves instead of gauntlets, and 1 were not allowed to break ground be- i yondi a certain mark. At 10 o'clock i they faced each other on' the ground i which had been marked out Dy M. Rouzier-Dorcieres, the famous journal-; ist-duellist, and one of M. Breittmay.er's ; seconds. The Bulgarian officer, a strong-ly-built mam of rather under middle j ; height, wore on his tight-fitting jersey | ; the cross of the Bulgarian Order "For| j Bravery in Action," won in the last war, in which he was thrice wounded. | From the moment the crossed 1! it was: obvious that Limftlnant Torc»m, though a strong and skilled swordsman, was fair from l being the equal of his opponent; who is one of the finest fencers in France. Time ?.nd again the Frenchman's sword pierctkl his adversary's jersey between elbow and l wrist, but without drawing blood,. At the ; third bout Lieutenant Toreom was | wounded' in the forearm, hut insisted 1 on continuing the combat. I A little later M. Rouzier-Doroieres warned the lieutenant that he was , within aj yard 1 of the limiting line. 1 "Don't be afraid," said' the Bulgarian; • "I shall "die ratheT than, cross it." | The duel continued) fiercely. Several ; times the swords were bent and others I had to be substituted. Then, at the j 10th bout, M. Georges Bi'eittmayer's sword pierced l his adversary's chest : above tne heart. The doctor's in agreeI ment with Lieutenant Toroom's sec- ; onds, demanded that tha duel should end.

M. Breittmayer then advanced and said to his opponent: 11 Wo have exchanged on the subject of the Bulgarian campaign letters which have Tesulted in, this duel. I ami much honored to have crossed swords with you." "All the honor is mine," replied Lieutenant Toreom, and l added 1 , "Vive la France I"

The two adversaries then ■ shook hand's. Lieutenant whose wound 1 does not seem tD be very severe, left Paris immediately afterwanls for Switzerland. 1