A DREADFUL CATASTROPHE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1021, 14 August 1883, Page 2

A DREADFUL CATASTROPHE.

[by telegraph.], ! • NatsoHi To-day*.' This morning four "of the pilot crew. were drowned. The steamer Wanafca " came to anchorage about 4 o’clock, when it was so intensely dark that it was almost impossible to see ones hand at a diatsncq, of a few inches. Notwithstanding the' - dangers of the gale, with such 8 sea, the pilot and crew responded to the signal from the steamer, and put off to her. The boat was safely steered to the ship's side, and Captain Lowe, the pilot, jumped on board the steamer and at once the ■ boat ; turned to come back into the harbor. A ship’s officer who was on duty,, states it;;; was about 4.30 when the boat left, and ‘. that directly she got away he saw a big sea come along, and directly, it' passed he heard the men in the ' boat shout out “ We are all right, but our, oars are gone.” He then imagined they, werp setting their sail, but the darkness pro- ~ vented him seeing more. It appears only too certain that the'succeeding wave swamped the boat; 'for she 'wits foundbottom up at daylight just behind . the J ' Fifeshire Rock. The names of the tnen who composed the crew are-r-'W'm*‘Morri-son, a widower but with several children ; William Reader, a widower 1 Richard Thomas, a single'man, knowhas “ Littlh Dick ”; and. a foreigner natned Gland, Johansen, also single. ■ Several ; boats hare gone out in search of thc mitaing men. ; ' ' :