Starving Survivors

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 1, 20 May 1914, Page 5

Starving Survivors

A STORY OF HARDSHIP AND EXPOSURE. THE SURVIVORS OF THE * COLUMBIAN. ' By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Montreal, May 18. The rescued men from the Columbian are the chief officer, Robert Teiro, sailors Kendal and lielanger, fireman Lunvigsson. Captain Johnson, -the Senaca's commander, states that the survivors abandoned the Columbian in the middle of the night, and kept her in sight by the glare of the flames until daylight, when rain fell, and they iliad their last sight of the vessel. The party remained on the neighbourhood, 'hoping to be) picked tip. They tried to light a lantern, but the waterproof matches became wet. They drifted thereafter and saw steamer after steamer pass by on the horizon. A Cunarder came within plain sight and headed towards thorn, but disappeared. Afterwards much rain and fog prevented them seeing other vessels. A sailor's coat hoisted in the boat caught the attention of the Senaca's look-out, and led to tile rescue. New York, May 18. The Senaca lias arrived at Halifax with the four survivors from the Columbian. Their condition is serious, but it is believed they will live. They loft the Columbian so hurriedly that they had no time to store provisions, except | those kept in the lifeboats for emergencies. The single cask of "water was soon exhausted, but rain fell, enabling the men to avoid thirst. Hunger, however, dominated them, their only food being a small supply of hard tack. Efforts were made to attract the attention of stea/mers, but several passed, not noticing them. One after another died, some becoming insane through drinking salt water. Their comrades cast their bodies into the sea with their little remaining strength.' Some badly collapsed after the first day's exposure.

The four rescued men were found huddled in the bottom of the boat, unable to talk. "" An extraordinary feature of the search is that five trans-Atlantic liners were searching several days, fruitlessly.