Adrift at Sea

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6542, 8 December 1892, Page 3

Adrift at Sea

The intense loneliness of the ocean when once the mariner finds himself out of the accustomed track of trading vessels is brought powerfully home to the imagination in the narrative of the two Frenchmen named Lavy, who, after being given up by their friends as drowned, have been safely landed in Bombay. The Lavya are , natives of the Seychelles, who get their living by carrying produce from one of,, these isles to the other. One day in June last their little craft, the Venus, an undecked boat of twenty-five tons burden, was caught hi a storm while coasting and driven out to sea. Their only sail having been carried away, there was nothing left to them but to drift and scan the horizon throughout the long hours of daylight in the hope of spying a sail. Thirty days and nights thus passed, and still no sign of any craft met the eyes of the little dwindling band aboard the Venus. They had put to sea six in number, and all their provisions were some eggs that soon rotted, with about eighteen pounds of rice and twenty gallons of water. On the twenty-sixth day, their provisions being gone, the oldest man died of exhaustion ; two days later another who had been tempted to drink the salt water also succumbed. Three days after this the weary eyes of tho survivors were gladdened by the sight of land, and runniug their boat on the beach they managed to creep ashore. So feeble were they that another of tho little band aoon sank. They had drifted in all some 1300 miles to the no th ward, in a part of the Indian Ocean little frequented, and landed on a deserted spot upon the Arabian coast. Here a Bedouin Arab, who proved to be a veritable good Samaritan, appeased their thirst and hunger, and generously conducted them on camels across the desert to Muscat, on the Persian Gulf, a distance of 400 miles.

The recent flood on the Snowy River (Victoria) deposited an extraordinary quantity of silt on the flats, as much as three feet in some places. This, while improving the permanent value of the land, will put the farmers to considerable inconvenience by depriving them of some of their gi ass for a few months.

Whether marriage is a failure or not, there can be no doubt that courtship is a grand success. It- is surprising how companionable two persons can be when both are on their good behaviour.

Church of England Country Services. — Sunday next : Makauri 11, Te Arai 3, Patutahi 7, Rev. A. Gardiner ; Makaraka 2. 50, Canon Webb. Holy Trinity Church : 8 a.m. (Holy Communion), 11 am. and 7 p.m., Canon Webb. — Advt.

Presbyterian Country Services. — Sunday next : Rev. Mr Malcolm will preach at Tc Arai at 11, Matawhero 3, and Ormond 7. Sunday, 18th : Waerenga-o-kuri 11, Patutahi 3, Ormond 7.— Advt.

Where are you goinj; to, my pretty maid? To the store, for some biscuits, sir, she said ; What kind do you get, my pretty maid ? Why, Auhcbrook's Oswcgo, sir, she said.

Messrs Boylan and Co. wish to inform farmers and others interested that they have received ex-ship Nelson ( J4 packages harvesting machines, horse rakes, and fittings of the following manufacturers, viz., Walter A. Wood, Massey (Toronto), and Hornsby. All intending purchasers can be supplied. Inspection invited. — (Advt.)