A REMARKABLE STORY OF SHIPWRECK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1019, 7 December 1883, Page 1

A REMARKABLE STORY OF SHIPWRECK.

The steamer Victoria, which recently arrived at Liverpool from Bombay, brought seven of the crew of the steamer Knight of the Bath, which was wrecked off the Arabian coast, and by which sixteen of the crew perished. Some particulars of the disaster have already been received, but these were greatly supplemented by the statements made by the survivors. The adventures of the unfortunate men extended over about two months. - The Knight of the Bath struck on a rock on June 17th, five days after leaving Bombay for Havre. The weather at the time was of a most fearful nature, and made the abandonment of the vessel almost impossible. When the first boat was ready for launching it was a difficult matter to get any of the crew to go into it; hut seven men, including the third officer, eventually got into it. As the boat was lowered it struck with great force against the side of the vessel, and one of the occupants became so alarmed that he jumped into the sea and was drowned. The boat afterwards cleared the vessel, and another boat was got ready. The sea made a clean breach over the vessel, and from time to time carried many of the crew with it. Captain T. Williams commanded the Knight of the Bath, and his brother was boatswain of the vessel. The two men met at the stem of the vessel. They knew the moment to be a critical one, and they shook hands and bade each other good-bye, the boatswain, who was a powerful swimmer, saying he would go over the stern and make a swim for it. The captain then went forward, and another tremendous sea broke over the vessel, carrying the commander with it. The brother was observed to be in possession of a lifebuoy, and to jump into the water. He was never afterwards seen. Captain Williams was washed about, but managed to keep himself afloat until picked up about half an hour afterwards by one of the boats, almost insensible. Some of the crew remained on board, taking shelter in that part of the steamer known as the “ fiddles.” They seemed for the most part, to be panic stricken, and refused to enter one of the small boats when commanded to do so by the chief officer. All of them were washed overboard and drowned, including the chief officer. After being two days in boats without anything to eat, the men landed at Kooria Mooria Island. Their

object was to get water from a creek |: which they perceived when in their 1 small boat. There was no sign of life ' at the spot where the men landed, but j when they had all got on shore between ; one and two hundred natives surrounded them. The natives had come principally from the hills, and instantly set about divesting the whole of the crew of their clothing. The islanders were armed with swords and knives, and the crew are of opinion that they would have fared very much worse had it not been for the intervention of the native women. In all cases the men were left with a little of their apparel, but in every instance their buttons were taken off. The men were directed to some water, but its condition did not tempt them, although they were almost parched with thirst. The crew wanted to reach Muscat, a town some three or four hundred miles distant. They were without shoes, and having to walk on the sharp-pointedcoraland other substances, their feet became lacerated. For four days no food passed their lips, and the poor fellows were forced to eat raw sand crabs. Meeting some friendly fishermen, they got some food from them, but it was not sufficient for the seventeen men. Thinking that better and safer progress could be made by water than by land, the crew took three fishermen's canoes which they found on the beach, but no sooner had they got afloat than the canoes either capsized or became filled with water, causing the men to abandon the attempt and to return the canoes. Previous to this the crew met a number of camel men, from whom they tried to be conveyed to their destination on their animals. After they had got away a native woman overtook them, and warned them to hasten, for fear of the Arabs coming after them to take their lives. The women were distinguished by the wearing of a blue cloth over their faces as a mask. The cloth covered the whole of the face down to the chin, two holes being perforated for the use of the eyes. A piece of stick was so arranged that the mask was kept clear from the nose. The fishermen were extremely kind to the unfortunate men, and kept them for forty-five days, sharing with them their rice, seeds, and shark. The final rescue of the men was brought about under extraordinary circumstances. A slave having escaped his master, went on board the steamer Amberwitch in search of him, and told the captain he knew of the whereabouts of the crew they were in search of. The Arab slaveowner returned with the shipwrecked men two days afterwards. The men were in a shockingly emaciated state, but soon recovered after getting on board the Jrescuing (steamer. They were received on board the relief vessel at Ras Madraka. The surf there was so bad that it was only by the third officer of the Amberwitch swimming through it that the men were able to get on board. The Amberwitch conveyed the r seventeen survivors to Bombay. Immediately on arrival at Liverpool the seven men were received at the Sailors’ Home. It appears that eight others of the crew are now on their way to Liverpool in the steamer Bankfield.