FRENCH CASTAWAYS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 386, 19 May 1908, Page 3

FRENCH CASTAWAYS.

Picked up by Pegasus.

Christchurch, Saturday,

H.M.S. Pegasus returned to Lyttelton last night, bringing with her the crew, 22 in all, of the fourmasted French barque, President Felix Faure, which was wrecked on the Antipodes Island on March 13th.

The Pegasus left Wellington on May 6th on a visit to the Chatham, Bounty, and Antipodes Islands. She arrived at the last-named group on May 13th, at mid-day and the smoke of a fire was then seen, followed by the waving of garments by men on the northern side of the Islands, and a boat went off and discovered the shipwrecked crew.

The French barque had left New Caledonia on February x6th, with a cargo of nickel ore for Havre, in Ffance, and she ran ashore on the south side of the island on March 13th. The crew landed in one of the boats and found the provision depot. The ship did not smash up till April 18th, and up till then the men lived on stores brought from the ship. After that, however, they fell back on the depot provisions, which had to be supplemented by albatrosses and seals. The men were in good health when rescued. Mr George Humphreys, local French Consular Agent, visits Lyttelton to-morrow, to take charge of the shipwrecked men, and to make arrangements for their passage back to France.