TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 754, 13 August 1886, Page 26

TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

A New York correspondent of an English paper writes :—The following narra- - tive of the adventure of Miss Louise Journeaux, who drifted to sea in an open boat from Jersey, will no doubt be of interest to your readers. It will be remembered that the young lady left Sfc Helier with a young man, Jules Farne* in a rowing boat on the evening of the 18th of April last. Fame, as is well known, returned alone, and in the absence of Miss Journeaux, a suspicion of foul play naturally attached to her companion, who was put on his trial formurder, though fully acquitted of the charge.

Miss Journeaux states that they leffcthe Victoria Pier at St Heliers after evening service on April 18, accompanied by her cousin, Miss Julia Wiltshire, and a youth, a friend of the latter, who were in another boat. Fame rowed his boat to some distance further from the shore than the other, and when lying off the coast at a point between the Victoria and) Albert Piers, he managed to let one of his oars fall overboard. In attempting: to recover it he let the remaining oarslip from his grasp. Being a fair swimmer, he sprang from the boat and swam* after them, thinking that in a few minutes he should rejoin the boat. Before, however, he had secured the oars the boat drifted seawards, leaving Fame far behind. Miss Journeaux heard him* cry for help as the distance between herself and him increased, but she didn’t; again see him.

The sea was smooth and the air calm,,, and the boat continued to drift throughout the night. A good deal of rain fell,, and as the unfortunate occupant of the boat had no provision against badi weather, her clothes were soon wet through. Monday was a fine day, butshe was unable to dry her soaked garments, so had to bear their discomfort. During the whole of that day no sign of human life appeared—nothing but, on one hand, a line of distant rocks, and or ail other sides the open sea, without avessel of any kind. In the evening MissJourneaux saw a steamship, which she j udged to be. the Southampton boat returning from Jersey, but owing to the great distance between her and it her signals failed to attract the attention of those on board. During the night it again rained heavily, and Miss Journeaux. suffered much misery from cold andjwet. On Tuesday morning she saw a sail nearing her small craft. Fortunately the sea was still calm, so that those on board could see the waving handkerchief with which the castaway signalled as vigorously and continuously as her exhausted state would allow.

When the ship came alongside the boat, a rope was thrown to its occupant, whowas, however, too weak from hunger and exposure to make much effort towards seizing the help thus offered. The vessei, the Tombola, of St Malo, passed on, leaving the boat tossing astern. She lowered a boat, however, which brought the sufferer on board. There being no women amongst the crew, Captain Landgren furnished Miss Journeaux with an abundance of dry male clothing, provided her a snug private cabin, and showed her every possible kindness and courtesy. The Tombola proceeded on her voyage westward, and after a 26 days’ cruise, Miss Journeaux landed in the Bay of St. George, Newfoundland. Here she was housed and kindly cared for by the Rev Mr Jeffrey and his family. Many others also showed hospitality, especially the Rev Mr Weary, a native of Jersey, who escorted the young lady to St. John’s.