FRENCH BARQUE LOST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15501, 7 January 1914, Page 5

FRENCH BARQUE LOST.

WRECKED ON A REEF.

EXPERIENCES OF THE CREW. The fine French steel barque La Tour d'Auvergne, which was recently reported to be overdue at Noumea, has been wrecked on the reef at Palmerston Island, and her crew and one lady passenger, a resident of Sydney, were, when last spoken, marooned on the island, where they had been for three weeks, and were awaiting the arrival of a schooner to take them to one of the principal ports in the Tonga Group. The barque Antiope, which arrived in Sydney on December 21 from Puget Sound, sighted the wTeck on. the way ' across, and held converse with some ot the castaways. The Antiope was off PalI merston Island on November 12, and I sighted the La Tour d'Auvergne resting I well up on the reef at the north-east end iof the island. Her three masts were all I standing, and her yards appeared to be in I position. ! As the Antiope drew nearer a boat was | launched from the south end of the island, and pulled towards the approaching vessel. ' Captain Mathieson brought the Antiope j to, and waited for the boatj which came | alongside at 2 p.m. Ban On a Reef. The boat contained the captain of the La Tour d'Auvergne, who boarded the Antiope, and informed Captain Mathieson of the disaster. He explained that his vessel had left Tahiti for New Caledonia, where she was to nave loaded a cargo of nickel ore. Everything went well until October 23, when the vessel struck on the reef at 9.30 p.m. Although the French captain did not say how he came to strike the reef, it is surmised that the ship was carried over on to it by the heavy set which exists there. Palmerston Island, where the vessel had struck, is an atoll in the Cook Group, lying between Tahiti and Tonga, in "latitude 18 degrees south and longitude 163 degrees west. The night was dark when the vessel struck, and no attempt to land was made until some time later. In addition to the crew of 23 men, there was on board a lady passenger, who, according to the captain of the wrecked barque, is well known in Sydney, where her husband is at present residing. He gave her name as Mrs. Pick, and said that she was returning to Sydney from Tahiti. . Lady Passenger's Ordeal. F,rom what could be learned on the Antiope, Mrs. Pick had had a most distressing experience since the wreck. The night spent on the reef was sufficiently trying in itself, the vessel being at the mercy of the seas, those on board not knowing whether they would ever reach the shore safely. Morning, however, brought fresh anxieties for the sole lady passenger, when native canoes were seen approaching the vessel through the grey dawn These canoes were crowded with natives, the hostility or friendliness ot whom was unknown to those on the helpless vessel. All misgivings on this head were set at rest, however, when the natives, instead of rushing to loot the vessel, made friendly advances, and rendered every assistance possible. The crew of the barque was safely landed, and arrangements were made to accommodate Mrs. Pick as comfortably as possible. The strain caused Dy her sensational experiences, however, had affected her health. The excitement of the wreck, the shock caused by the subsequent approach of the natives, and the anxiety of being marooned on an island where there were no other white women, had combined to cause her serious mental trouble, and the French captain informed Captain Mathieson that he feared her mind had become temporarily deranged. Bequest For Assistance. The French captain asked Captain I Mathieson if he could take the whole com-! pany on to Sydney. Although anxious to | help fallow-mortals in distress, it was pointed out that the Antiope'B stores and accommodation did not provide for such a bij,' emergency, and it was doubtful if the ! whole 23 men --ould be taken on board to i Sydney. After consultation Captain .Mathieson offered to take 15 of the men, this being the best he could do under the circumstances. After considering the offer, the captain of La Tour d'Auvergne said that he had learned from the Resident at Palmers'.on Inland that a schooner was due to arrive at Palmerston Island with food supplies. The vessel would also load copra, and return to one of the principal ports in Tonga. The skipper of the wrecked barque, after thinking the matter over, said In' thought he would not take advantage of the Antiope's offer of assistance, hill would wail tor the schooner, which would convey the whole company back to civilisation. The question of the advisability of bringing Mrs. Pick on to Sydney by the Antiope was discussed at, length, but it was eventually (tended not to do so in view of her condition.