DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

CASE OF THE ANCONA. 153
We being to the leeward of all of them, notwithstanding
I hugged the wind all I could I did not succeed in
getting close enough to them to make myself known. We
were in sight of the five boats until almost dawn.
Meanwhile a fresh breeze from southwest blew up,
with a heavier sea. The clouds thinned out and a fine
rain began falling. The weather became so much more
threatening that we almost despaired of being saved.
When daylight came we descried the land rather far
ahead. We continued with the sail, aiding with the
oars.
During the day the weather grew fair again, both wind
and sea abating considerably, but still we were being
visibly carried to the east by a strong current from the
west.
On the morning of the 9th about 10 o'clock a. m., exhausted
by the fatigue and hardships, we landed on
Zembra Island in a small cove, where, we were received
with great care and kindness by the staff of the small
military post established there. We were able to rest
and satisfy our hunger there, while the small telegraph
station gave notice to Tunis of our landing.
Next day—November 10, at 10 a. m., the small steamer
Eugenie Resal, sent expressly from Tunis by the governor
in accord with the Italian consul, took us on and carried
us to Tunis together with the crew and passengers of
boat No. 1, commanded by the third officer Mr. Salvemini,
who had landed at Sidi Oaoui and who had embarked
there before us. Our lifeboat, at my request,
was towed to Sidi Oaoui, where the other boat is, by a
tugboat of the Parodi firm, which had also kindly come
too ur assistance.
I will further attest that both crew and passengers
were all saved with no other wearing apparel than what
they had on at the moment of the catastrophe, and that
some of the members of the crew in particular arrived
almost naked, being covered as best they could with
clothing kindly lent by women; also that every one, from
the undersigned down to the last member of the crew,
lost everything.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) PIETRO MASSARDO.
TUNIS, November 12, 1915.
[Inclosure 2—Translation.]
Sworn declaration of Andrea Giacomino, First Officer of
8. S. "Ancona," to the Italian Commission of Inquiry.
On November 7, 1915, at about 11.55 a. m. the Italian
steamship Ancona, of the Societa. Italiana di Navigazione
Italia, was at 38.08 degrees latitude and 10.08 longitude
East Greenwich, after having navigated all the morning
in a fog which at times was dense, while at others light.
The Ancona was whistling at rare intervals. These
whistles were answered by another high whistle, which
was retained to belong to the cargo boat which preceded