WRECK OF THE S.S. TARARUA

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 501, 3 May 1881, Page 2

WRECK OF THE S.S. TARARUA

APPALLING DISASTER.

OVER 100 LIVES LOST.

♦ LATEST INTELLIGENCE

On Saturday last wo published as an extra a brief telegram received by the local agent of tho Union S.S. Company, announcing the total wreck of the Tararua, and stating that it was supposed that only twelve lives had been saved. On the arrival of the Christchurch papers on that evening it appeared possible that the latter part of the information might bo incorrect, as in the telegrams published by thorn it was stated that at the time of their dospateh 1 | the passengers were all safe. No deubt, ! - however, now exists that the first sad 1 ' inteligence was only too true. The catastrophe is tho most serious shipping disaster that has happened since the founding 1 of the City of Dunedin, The excitement I and grief occasssioned by the occurance all over tho Colony has bean almost unparalleled. As further particulars weie received it became apparent that with few i exceptions, all o.i board had perished 1 To read the late account (says the Press) 1 reminds one of the terrible night when the . Royal Charter struck on the iron bound ? Welsh coast, and her passengers were to ,be seen being washed off one by one without the possibility of help reaching them, j ' Here wo are told the settlers in the neigh- ? borhood of the wreck of the Tararua had 3 I perforce to stand by and see tho ill-fated passengers clinging to tho rigging, with r the hungry sea gradually but surely en I gulfing them. Of course full particulars I are not yet to hand, and the names of all on board have not yet been ascertained, bnt enough is known to enable us to j form a very good idea of the manner in i which the occurance took place. 3 ! The following is the first mate's statement of the calamity :— ■ I turned in at 4 a.m., the captain and , second mate being on deck. At 5.15 a.m. s the vessel struck. When I left the deck we were steering west. From two to four , h°d been steering W.S.W. Weather hazy over land. Noticed nothing unusual, f When I called the watch the captain came on deck, and altered the course. I i was asleep when the ship struck. Rushed . on deck, the engines were icversed, but i it, was of no use. She struck aft, unr shipped tbo rudder and broke tho propeller. The engines were of no use, they > being sloped. All hands were called to clear boats. Ten minutes after the engines wive stopped, the ship was full of I water. At 530 the first boat was lowered, 1 the second mate being in charge, with four ' sailors and one passenger as a crew to try to find a binding place for pnssengers. Lawrence, a young man, wh-n the boat was half way swam ashore, having previously promised to remain and lend ' assistance. He did si after his way to Brnnton's and causing to be sent tlie first , telegraph message ppr station hand, ! Charles Gibb, who rode thirty-five miles to Wyndham. Another attempt at landing passengers was made, and out of five two were drowned in the surf. Another boat was lowered and the carpenter sent with it lo see if binding was practicable 0:i the reef. His report was unsatisfactory. The second male was then selitj and tried landing on the reef without success, one man being lost in the attempt. The captain next sent the first male, in charge of a boat containing three passengers and a boy. All landed safe except the boy, who was drowned. The boat was capsized and opened at both ends. Repairs were made by men on shore but the sea was too heavy to launch it. Vessel bumping heavily. The passengers were in the rigging and clustered on the forecastle with head sea breaking over them heavily. (2.30) —The heavy sea washed several of the v passengers, women and childien over, and aftor that theydroped off one by one. A survivor, the Maltese cook, who swam bravely for his own life and tried to rescue a girl states that the captain got all the ladies out of the smoke house to the forecastle head all being there till 2.30, when the sea washed them off. The captain displayed coolness to the last; his exclamation, wdien all hope was lost, was, "Oh God, what shall wedo now?" The steamer soon settled down after night came on. Cries were heard on shore then cheers, as a light supposed to be the steamer Kakanui, was seen ; then a great crash ; then only the rolling of the surf. At daylight the steamer heeled over, and. gradually sank, unti. only a portion of tho spars were visib'e. The steamer Hawea, Kakanui and the Prince Rupert, were in the offing, the latter picked up the second mate's boat. It is at present unknown here whether they picked up any more survivors. The total number rescued is twenty. Some mail bags were picked up at sea, and a child's body was found by the Kakanui. Those on shore declare how heart-rend-ing was their inability to give any help. Two brave swimmers" battled for life on a plank. One splendid swimmer left the plank at the edge of the surf, and came in with a roller. lie was seen to bo strugling within a few yards, but was taken out by the back drift. Tho reef extends seven miles out. The men landed almost naked and clothes were sent at the order of Mr J. S. Shanks to supply their wants. The loudness of Mr Brunton was unbounded Singularly, the body that came ashore had a life buoy attached. Life was scarcely extinct, but all means were unavailing to restore consciousness.