THE PARISIANA FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1033, 24 January 1911, Page 5

THE PARISIANA FIRE.

■ LIFE: ON ST..PAUL ISLAND. _ ft SCHOONER, CALLS. f ■ ■ Perth, January 23/ ">, Captain Gordon, master of' the' Parisi- • ana, declared that the origin of the fire by which tho vessel was lost near St. Pau} Island, in tho Indian '., Ocean, is a mystery.' It started among the general .pargp, which, included a quantity bf resin. , Their • sufferings during .. the time the captain's boat was battling with the sea, and their subsequent hardships on the island, caused, tho death of Fourth Engineer. Bannon. and Fireman Heine. Their remains wcro buried on the island.

■The--castaways found the cache kept by tho French Government on the island, containing three barrels of biscuits and five, barrels of\'preservcd meat and vege- • tables; .'but-half the biscuits,''which were eighteen :years' old, were rotten','; and a largo proportion.of the-meat was decayed and uneatable. -The store containing the provisions was, broken down.

During the crew's month's stay on the island a French fishing schooner called, and gave the castaways a quantity ofprovisions and fishing tackle, .which helped".to .give them ;a variety .of diet. Fish, birds, and seals were captured.

After the death of Bannon and Heine, the 32 men on the island maintained a daily routine, and kept strict watch.' On Christmas Day and New' Year's Day tho captain, treated all hands to brandy punch, and: on-the latter occasion all made'V.thenjselves : -sicls; ■ through', overindulgence in eeulS steak.!.'.'! '~'.'.'

.. A seaman i&amed Anderson: received a charge.,pf-;shot>.in ;the'.ieg: from' the gun of .the French:Eshing-: schooner's mate while, hunting rabbits. •: A severe wound was inflictedipand tho pellets'were not extracted .till] he - reached tho Fremantle hospital. .

■ The chief officer of tho Parisiana estimates the value of the vessel's cargo at two millions sterling (?J3200,000).

FERRY STEAMER STRANDED. -.-. PASSENGERS RESCUED. '.';... London, January 22. The Great Central Railway.. Company's steamer, Lincoln, 1075 tons,' stranded in a fog,on the coast of Norfolk.. Her distress 'signals were" unperceived for twenty-four hours..'.'" The'weather''fortunately was favourable, and lifeboats then rescued the passengers. ON THE REEFS. WRECK ON FLORIDA COAST. . -New York, January 22. A steamer flying the British flag is on the reefs near.Cape Florida, near the entrance to the Straits of Florida. Her identity is unknown.

Steamers have gone,_to assist.