TWENTY DAYS IN AN OPEN BOAT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2519, 8 February 1887, Page 2

TWENTY DAYS IN AN OPEN BOAT.

H.M.S. Dart, which arrived in Port Jaoksoa yestorday, tayfl'.tiioSyduiiTel* graph of January.6th, lias on boarahres Frenchmen Buppoeedtobe esrapefrfrom New. Caledonia, who we're pioked up at sea in a pitiabk condition ou'.Dscemb«if 20th, after T»vins[--beea;tnyenty days tossing aboufc';inan'open a'nd aidur'ing great Buffering ahd'.p'rivatiorjV The boat was fallen in wifcli by the Dart during her passage, from, the island* i& lat. 32deg 22win south,- lbts 160 deg, U min. east, '• She was firab made oat by the man on the ; loot put,. and Oaptaia Field havinsr.beenapprise'dofth'efacfcA course was shaped ,for her.':' 'As the 05 ship approached, the occupants «f the 'boat made Bignals of distress, and theßO having been answered from the ship preparations were mado to receive the men on Board. Although the boat was Righted early in the morning, it was nine o'cl ck b«fore the Dart was alongside of her, and Caption Field' hiving ascertained the condition of the occupants, lost no time in taking them on board and attending to their wants. Subsequmilly the iihi reported to the I captain that they had lui'tan island to tho j north ward of ftuw Culeilouja in an opon ! bn.it nn December lOtii, intending to go nn a fishing excursion, but ...being caught in a sturin uviv blown out in 30a: They wounnlilo to return, 01 ing to heavy rather, and roiinined in a-.perrSus condition many days, suffevi'mj fttidtul privations. (laving no shelter rTwn tho weather, thy men were' repeatedly drenched, but they worked hard with the oars, thinking to pick up some land, The • only 1 revisions in the-; bni'C were a little flour, tea and rice, and those had almost beonme exhausted whon.khe.Dart hovein siyhfc. Of water the men. had little or mine for ten days, and during the i*p following they-were forced, ; lo drink a©' water, which (inly addpej iiioro.'to their sufferings, On the sixteenth day there was a shower; ot, rain, and the men managed to catch enough .to keep them going until the 30th December, when, just as they were losing'hope the Dart bore down to their assistance, the boat was no less thahlOOO miles' from the nearest land when .'"fallen in. with, ond tho occupants raust.have perished had it not been for the':timely .arrival of the H.M.S. Dart, /-.Tfiei'men' wert''treated kindly on board the'warship, and yesterday appeared to be in the health. They wUl'be'handed bve'r.to thelFronch Consul today,' and will probably be sent back to New Caledonia )by ( vfe French

warship Divea, nW in po#:! f V.!Ehe boa(s belonging to tfio men has besfebroujftii on by the Darf;. It: ig baiiirelti 'la rini ■ 20 feet iu length, anij depth, and apparently seuad aMf|ointij, The boat m painted 'black,uud;3ffls th'o appearance of an The nanieß gof the mea picKfl. are respectively,. Le Corre;-vfoqe£<r and