BARQUE'S THRILLING VOYAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 4

BARQUE'S THRILLING VOYAGE.

NO FOOD OR SLEEP FOR 70 HOURS

Tub French mail steamer Pacifique, which arrived in Sydney on Monday last from Noumea, brought news of<the arrival there, on September 20, of the French barque Brenn. 1950 tons, after undergoing sensational episodes on her voyage :ronv Calais. Heavy weather strufK tho vessel on August 15, when she was in' longitude 48 east and 39.45 south. She was thrown almost at once on her beam-end.", and she remained in that position for two days. As she rolled her niainyai'ds dipped tho water. Her sails were carried- away, the boats smashed and washed overboard, and the flying-bridge also washed overboard. The galley-door and fittings, after being smashed, were scattered before the gale. During the night of August 16 most of the crew could not get alt. The master (Captain Le Fallec) and officers were practically imprisoned on the poop, and unable to attend to any duty on deck. For 70 hours no one on board had any food or sleep, and for a big portion of this time all were hanging on to ropes, as the only means of saving their lives. In this effort, one French A.8., named Roberts, aged 23 years, was unsuccessful. He was washed overboard, and lost. The vessel's lee-rail was under water the whole of this dreadful night, and the cabins were repeatedly awash. The breaking of the steering-wheel and frame left the. barque quite unmanageable. The compass and chronometer were also damaged. Nearing Norfolk Island, on September 17, another gale was passed through, but on this occasion the vessel did not suffer damage. It took all hands a week to effect temporary repairs.