SUFFERINGS OF A CREW

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1608, 13 July 1887, Page 3

SUFFERINGS OF A CREW

Foil particulars of tho foundering of the Ann and Mary, which ocoorred on Juno 2Gih off the Ninety Mile Beach, Glppsland, show that the whole crew suffered severely, while the captaia and the cook lost their lives, the latter going dowu with the vessel, and the former being drowned on attempting to land. The vesiel left the Mersey, Tasmania, on Friday, June 24th, laden with a full cargo of potatoes and bound for Brisbane and the Northern ports. She was a threemasted schooner, of 185 tons register, built of oak, and 1 hough not a new vessel, was smart and looked upon as thoroughly seaworthy. On Friday they sounded the well and found 3ft Gin of water. The pumps were kept going all Saturday, and the water kept about the same, without Increasing m vo'utne, so that no apprehension was felt, At two. o'clock on Sunday morning, however, to their horror they found that the water had increased In a few minutes to 7ft, and it was seen at a glance that the vessel had opened a seam and was doomed In a few minutes. All hands were called on deck, and an attempt was made to oloar away the big boat, but unsuccessfully. The vessel wets now half full of water and sinking fast, so that the half-dressed sailors had only time to scramble Into the dingy wlthont food or water. For a few minutes they held on to the quarter of the vessel calling for one of the hands, but it is supposed that he Was washed overboard sb the sea was washing over the vessel, left as she was to herself at the mercy of the waves. Receiving no reply, they pushed off with sinking hearts', for there was little hope of their cookie Bhell, which was only twelve feet long, and loaded down with the weight of seven men to within six inches of the gunwale, ever living through that dreadful night. They wore fifty miles from land, and thoy kept ber before the wind all next day (Sunday), and, to use the words of the boatswain, every time they sank into the trough of the sea thoy thought they were going down never to rise again. This lasted for twenty-eight hours, so that some idea of tho suspense that these poor fellows underwent may be imagined, more [especially when It is remembered that all last week the storms that beat upon the southern coast wore terrific. During the night they hoard breakers, and could distinguish land, but they kept pulling for the shore till dawn, and then made an attempt to beaah their little craft, which resulted In the drowning of their captain. All through that dreadful day apd two nights he had oheered them on, wbb the only one who wbb Jsure of getting safely to land. The little boat got safely through two breakers, bnt the third turned her over like a cork, and when the rnea, cramped, faint and benumbed with cold were washed ashore, it was some time before they could stand. Some could only crawl out of the reaoh of the waves and He down. Some of the men, however, who could walk about went to the •ssslotance of the captain, who they could see was being tossed up and down with eaoh wave, and they found that he was still alive, bat after a short time, though they tried as well as they could m their enfeebled condition to restore him, he died. There is no doubt that he must have been struck by the boat when struggling In the sen, for he was a good swimmer. Tho sailors speak highly of his oonrage, and the way that he acted throughout the trying time. On landing and recovering the men made their way to a neighboring station, but lost tholr way, and did not arrive at It till Tuesday forenoon. It would be difficult to give an adeqaateplofcure of the suffer tngi of the crew. Without either food or water they sat rqueezad together like sardines In their little dingy for nearly thirty hours, fearing every Instant the high seas wonld overwhelm them. Then came the desperate struggle, through tho surf, whioh proved fatal to the oaptain, and nearly so to one or two of the others. Barely olothed they oommenoed a seiroh for food and shelter In a bleak desolate country. Their miserable wanderings continued until Tuesday forenoon, and only one mouthful of food has passed their mouths since Saturday.