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FISHERMEN LOST IN FOG
The New York Times, August 10, 1895, Saturday
Four Brought to This Port by La Campine and Britannic.
DRIFTING HELPLESS IN SMALL BOATS
Had Only a Few Fishes for Food
Tried to Catch Rain Water in a Rubber Coat
Will Be Sent Home by French Consul.
It does not require many precautions to prevent a deep-sea fisherman from losing his bearings and vessel in a fog while venturing out In a small boat to attend trawla. As the fishing vessels generally cast anchor near shore, only a compass is needed to enable one to find his way to tha coast in event of missing his vessel. That appears to be a very simple expedient, but the record of many who have been picked up at sea and brought to port by succoring ves-sels shows that it is very rarely employed.
Four of these waifs of the Atlantic reached this port yesterday. Two were brought by the Dutch tank steamship "La Campine" and two by the White Star Liner "Britannic".
Their experience is that of the many who have preceded them - a pushing out In the gray dawn to attend the nets, a sudden dimming of the sea line, a blotting out of the smack by the thickening vapor, the unheard shouts and unseen flares, the drifting out to sea, and the rescue by passing vessels.
The two picked up by "La Campine" are Alois von Marle and Celest Draggan. They belonged to the French fishing smack "Ferdenchi" of St. Pierre. The little vessel was at anchor off the Banks, Aug. 1, and the Master intended trip-ping anchor and starting for the home port that afternoon. He would have gone with full fare, as the catch had been good, and it required only the hostages then in the toils to have laden the smack with all that she could carry.
Draggan and Marie lowered the yawl and started for the nets in the forenoon. They were busily engaged with the trawls, and did not notice the smother which was rolling In from seaward until it boiled up all around them. The smack had vanished in the mist, and all sense of direction had been lost. The wind freshened, but it made no im-pression on the fog, which every where stretched its misty veil.
Then the wind grew light and the fog shut in so thick that objects a score of feet away could not have been distinguished.They shouted themselves hoarse, but not an echo came from the whitened air. Night shut in, and the wind freshened, but It made no impress on the thickness. The boat was unprovided with a compass, carried no wa-ter, and the few fish which had been taken on board when the fog drifted in was the only food they had. Toward early morn a thin rain fell, and an oilskin coat was spread to catch the drops, the pangs of thirst having been felt. But only enough water fell to wet the coat. and not a drop could the men get to drink. The next day came and went, and the unfortunates had recourse to keeping their bodies wet to ward off by absorption of moisture the agony of thirst.
Night fell gloomy and thick with vapor, and the fishermen relieved each other at intervals, keeping watch for help. Toward morning the weather slightly cleared, and shortly before daylight the lights of a steamer were sighted. The boat lay directly in the vessel's course, and as she drew near the men united their voices in a shout for aid, and the crv was heard.
The vessel, which proved to be "La Campine", was stopped, and the fishermen taken on board and cared for. They were turned over by Capt. Markschaeler to the French Consul, who will arrange for their passage home.
The other rescued mariners are Adriaia Leroy and Hyppolite Fresel. They belonged to the French smack "La Active", also of St. Pierre. They had left their vessel under similar circumstances, and their experience had been much the same. Like the other wanderers, they were unprovided with food or water, and had drifted out to sea in a fog. The lookout of the "Britannia" sighted the little craft the morning of Aug. 6. The steamship hove to and took the men on board. The boat had had rough usage, and when sighted contained besides her occupants nothing except a broken oar and a battered fish basket.
A collection amounting to $ 40 was taken up among the passengers of the "Britannia" for the benefit of the rescued fishermen.
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Daily Mail And Empire, August 10, 1895, Saturday
Rescued at Sea.
New York, Aug. 9. - The Dutch oil tank steamer "La Campine", which arrived this morning from Antwerp, picked up two French fishermen adrift in their dory on the banks un August 4, and brought them to this port. Captain Mark-schlaeger reports that on August 4, at 10.30 a.m., the officers on the bridge heard cries for help close at hand. The ship's head was changed, and she bore away, and soon fell in with a fishing dory containing the two men. They were quickly hauled on board the steamer, and were found to be exhausted, having been adrift for 46 hours without food and water. Their immediate wants being attended to, they gave their name's as Alois Jean Murien, aged 28, and Celestine Dragon, aged 19. They had left their vessel, the schooner "Pervenche", of St. Pierre, Miq., on August 2 at 4 a.m., to attend to their trawls. A dense fog set in shortly afterward, and they were unable to find their vessel. They drifted about helplessly for more than 46 hours, suffering intensely from lack of food and water. Both were well-nigh exhausted, and had given up all hopes of being rescued, when they attracted the attention of the "La Campine", who bore down and rescued them, and brought them to this port.
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