THE WRECK OF THE “DUNBAR.”

Auckland Examiner, Volume 1, Issue 40, 17 September 1857, Page 4

THE WRECK OF THE “DUNBAR.”

BISCUE OF ONE OF THE SEAMEN. (From the “ Sydney Empire,” Aug. 24.) The miraculous rescue of one of the seamen of the ill-fated Dunbar, the sole survivor from the wreck, has been the means of removing a portion of the mystery which previously shrouded this awful tragedy. As soon as it became known in Sydney that a man had been saved, we directed inquiries to be made of the circumstances. It appeared that in the course of the forenoon of Saturday, a boy on the rocks near the Gap saw a man on a ledge of rock below making signals by waving some object. He immediatley ran for assistance, which was quickley on the spot Ropes were obtained, and a lad named Antonio Williska, a native of Iceland, volunteered to be let down. On being lowered some distance, however, he became frightened, and desired to be drawn up. This was done ; but after an interval of some time, he recovered courage, and was again lowerd. This time he got safely down. The man was then hauled up, aud on reaching the top was immediately attended by Inspector Mortimer, incbarge of the police, and by Sergent Healy. He stated his name to be James Johnson, and that he belonged to the wrecked vessel. Some spirits were given him, and he was enabled to walk with slight assistance to the Marine Hotel, where he was placed under the care of Dr. West. Dr.Duigan was also subsequently in attendance. Johnson was immediately placed in bed, and of course carefully attended ; but it is remarkable that though he had been exposed for forty-six or forty-seven hours without food, yet be was but little exhausted. He had received .very little injury, and in a few hours appealed to have almost entirely recovered. He is a strong, hearty looking man, between

twenty and thirty years of age, and is, we believe, a native of Drogheda, in Ireland. The courageous lad who was lowered to the assistance of the seaman, was of course soon brought up after the rescue of the man; aud in reward for his exertions a subscription was at once got up amongst the persons present, and the’ lad was seut home with fresh clothing and £lO or £ll in his pocket. Naturally enough great interest was awakened in the mind of every one to hear the seaman’s account of the catastrophe and his miraculous escape. A great number of statements were current in a very short time, amongst which was one to the effect that there were two other survivors yet on the rocks. This unfortunately was without foundation. A great many versions were also given of Johnson's story by the different persons who were admitted to see him. The man’s statements would naturally be a little confused at first; but he adhered substantially to the main facts. From several gentlemen who conversed with him we have received reports of his statement. A gentlemen from the establishment yesterday, however, had half an hour’s private coversation with hi,m. He was quite recoverd, and in the complete possession of his faculties. The following is his story, nearly his own words :—“ We were coming in before, the wind with close-reefed topsails, when the mate cried out, ‘broken water a-head.’ The captain then gave the order, ‘ Port your helm,’ which was immediately done. The ship swung round, but there was not sufficient canvas to carry her off the shore. The sea took her, and she went broadside on. The passengers —more particulary the women—ran up on deck screaming; the waves broke over the ship ; her masts immediately went out of her ; every one was washed away ; I think I was nearly the last washed away; I clung to a piece of the wreck, the boatswain and another seaman wsre also clinging to it. I was washed off, and I recollect nothing further till I found myself on the 'edge of the rock. I was thrown up by a wave to one ledge, aid I crawled to the one on which I was found.” On a previous occasion. Johnson stated that the ship struck about half-past 12 on Friday 1 morning ; that the ship was under easy canvas, and that Sydney lighthouse was in sight shortly before the vessel struck. The moment she struck, a sea swept away the boats; and directly afterwards she thumped heavily, and the water commenced rushing into the ship. He, with two other men, attached himself to a plank. His shipmates were soon washed off, but a sea sent the plank towards the rocks and lodged him in a de*! without his receiving much injury ; he said he should think those on board did not live five minutes ; any one who might have been below would not have had lime to get on deck ; it might have been an hour before the Dunbar broke up entirely ; it might have been less, as the time seemed very long to him, he thought the captain must have mistaken the Gap for the North Head ; the light was obscured by the heavy rain at the time; the officer of the forcastie reported breakers ahead; the ship had not enough canvas to tack wit a, and there was not room to wear. In answer to the enquiries of another gentleman, he said he supposed there were altogether about 120 persons on board, the ship’s company numbering 59. In reply to a question whether any signals of distress were made, we understand he stated expressly that only one blue light was burnt Johnson will, of course, be examined at length at the inquest to-day. His evidence cannot fail to excite 'he deepest interest. We aught not to omit to state that Captain Jenkin, pilot, who was in Sydney, on its being made known.that a man was on the rocks, immediately started for the Heads in his whaleboat, taking with him two coils of rope, and blocks. Be reached the Heads in forty minutes, and was fully prepared to go outside to make an attempt at rescue, but, happily, the man by this time had been drawn up. Subsequently, between four and five in the afternoon, a steamer passed outside, and the rocks were carefully examined with glasses, but no appearance of any other survivor could be observed.

JOHNSON’S NARRATIVE TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR.

To the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald Sir, —I have been all day Mown at the scene of the wreck of the “ Dunbar,” and had a long interview with Johnson, the man who was saved. If the statement he made to me, and which I carefully noted, be of any service to you, as information of a correct character for the public, who all feel a deep interest in this melancholy event, I shall be glad that I have taken this course to forward it. He stated that they were off Botany at half-past eight o’clock, p.m., Thursday; tho captain then stood off shore, on the starboard tack, ship with" with ioubie-reefed fore and main topsails; a very dirty, dark, aud rainy night, two men were placed at the wheel; Captain Green instructed them to keep their luff; he (Captain Green) had nut been off the deck for two hours since they first made the land, some days previously ; at about half-past eleven, p.m., the captain gave orders to square away, which was done; the ship then ran under close-rcefed fore and main topsails and foresail. As they neared the “ light,” the captain ordered the foresail to be clewed up, sent the second mate to the forecastle to keep a look-out, then very dark; told him to keep a good look-out for the North Head ” The captain asked if he could see the Head? The mate replied no, it was solid darkness. The second mate sudlenly called out “Breakers a-head.” The captain ordered the hel n to be put hard to starboard to bring the ship found, then blowing strong ; ship op on a dead lee shore ; having such small sail upon her, the ship would not coms round (this

was about 12 o’clock), and the sea lifting her in, she almost immediately struck; the passengers, who had all been in bed, rushed up on deck in their night dresses; their shrieks were dreadful (Johnson describes the scene at this time the most terrible part of the whole); the ladies asked the captain, and entreated the seamen to know if there was any hope ; the ship was still holding together, and the men thought aud said that there was hope. Almost immediately after, as if in angry denial of that expression, the decks burst up from th ‘ pressure of the water, the. ship was rent into a thousand pieces, aud all on board (except him) Were hurried into the foaming and terrific sea. Johnson, with the old boatswain, and two Dutch seamen, were about the hut who were washed from the wreck, they four holding on to a piece of plank, from which the two Dutchmen were soon after washed; a huge sea then threw Johnson and the boatswain on shore amongst some piece') of timber, from which Johnson scrambled to a higher shelving rock to avoid the next sea, which he did, but the poor old boatswain, less active, was carried away aud perished Johnsen then climbed to a still higher position, and being much exhausted, laid down and slept. The next day he saw a steamer (the Grafton) go into the Heads; he made signals to her, but was not seen. During the day he saw another steamer (the Washington) pass, and tried to attract their attention ; as, also, that of a schooner running in. Friday night was passed in this state. On Saturday morning he endeavoured to get along the rocks; he could see people on the cliffs above, but could not make himself seen, until a brave lad (Antonio Wollicr, an Icelander), who had gone down “ Jacob’s Ladder,” and along the rocks, noticed Johnson weving a handkerchief; relief came, and he was soon after hauled up to the top of the cliffs, which are there about 200 feet high. The noble fellow (Wollier) was then hauled up, and received the hearty mauifesiations-of the thousands there assembled. I opened a subscription, which was suggested by Captain Loring, of 11. M. ship Iris, and in a few minutes about £lO. was collected and handed over to this courageous boy, who, in answer to my compliment when handing him the money, said, in broken English, “ He did not go down for the money, but for the feelings of his heart.”

LOSS OF THE CHAMPION STEAMER—-THIRTY-ONE LIVES LOST.

(From the Melbourne Correspondent of the Sydney Herald, August 31. Scarcely had the dreadful news of the loss of the Dunbar been heard through the city on Thursday morning, when a telegraphic message was received from Port Philip Heads that “ The Lady Bird ran into the Champion last night, off Cape Otway. The Champion has gone down with thirty-two souls on board.” The Champion, Captain Helpman, and the Lady Bird, Captain White, were engaged in the traffic beiween Melbourne and the western ports of Belfast, Warrnambuol, and Portland, and belonged to the firm of James Henty, it Co. of Melbourne and. Portland. The Lady Bird left on Monday,fot Portland, about half-past, one o’clock, and on nearing Cape Otway, between 11 and 12 o’clock at night, the Champion was sighted. The vessels were then about six miles asunder They were nearing each other rapidly, with the helms of both vessels hard a port, in order to comply with the regulation of the Navigation Bo?.rd as to steamers meeting each other. In a quarter of an hour the collision took place, the Lady Bird running into the Champion abaft the mizen mast, the stem of the former steamer cutting its way into the middle of the saloon of the latter Captain Helpman, who was below at the time, rushed on deck, and succeeded in jumping into the bows of tho Lady Bird, followed by the first and second officers and some of the passengers. The stewardess was also saved, by being dragged into the Lady Bird. Captain Helpman called aloud for all hands to lower the Lady Bird’s boats. In the meantime the steamers parted company, and the Champion went down stern foremost within five minutes of the collision having taken place. As the last rail rouud the poop deck disappeared, the form of one of the passengers, Mrs. Mackenzie, was discernible, holding her helpless children over her head, in a vain endeavour to save them from the hissing waters that surrounded her. Ten persons who had seized bold of spars and boxes, were fortunately rescued, and search was coutinusd for above an hour for others, but without success Mr. Mackenzie, whose wife and two children went down with the vessel, was picked up hanging on to. a spar. On examination, the Lady Bird was found to be in a dangerous state; but for the fact that she was constructed in separate water-tight compartments, she must have shared-the fate of the Champion. She ultimately succeeded in making Port Philip Heads, about 10 o’clock on Tuesday morning. The following is a list of the passengers and crew of the Champion : — Saved. —Cabin Passengers—Messrs. Mackenzie, Le Souef, Baillie, Johnson, M'Knight, Botteril. Steerage — Hutchinson. Captain Helpman, Thomas Campbell (first officer), Peter Cloke (second officer), Alfred Turner (first engineer), Milburn (second engineer), William Bradshaw (clerk), three stewards—11. Smart, W. Egan, J. Price; stewardess— Matilda Corson ; three firemen and two trimmere —S. Milligan, A. Bowling, J. Patterson, J. Leigh, J. Hunt; six seanen —J. Hurst, J. Sutherland, G. Fitzgerald. L. Matthews, W. Lake, J. Gardiner. Drowned. —Saloon Passengers—Mrs. Mackenzie and two children, Mrs J. M'Kenzie (of Kilnlore),Miss Ritchie. Steerage—Mrs. Bond and three children, Mr. and Mrs. Worthy and one child, Mr and Mrs. Winters and two children, ‘Mrs. William, Mrs. White, Messrs. Mau-

der, M'Kie, Gardiner, Courtney, also man aud wife and two men, names unknown. Crew — John Davis ( carpenter ), Edward Williams (cook, John Riley (second cook), Felix Cohgan, A. B , John Thompson, A. B.