Fearfully Rough Voyage.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1686, 14 July 1875, Page 2

Fearfully Rough Voyage.

Throe Men "Wasked Overboard.

Collision with Ice.

(SPECIAL TO THE STAB.)

DUNEDIN".

(From our own Correspondent.) This day,

The New Zealand Shipping Company's barque Columbus, on her homeward trip, experienced very heavy weather during the latter part of the voyage, and was ten days' knocking about in the English channel. Mr M'Culloch, TLM. of Invercargill, supplied the News with the following particulars of her eventful voyage : " Our first disaster was when just nearing Cape Horn. We had made some splendid runs, up to ten and twelve miles per hour, and seemingly were flying through the water, but immense seas were shipped. One night the gale was go heavy that we trembled as the waves seemed to submerge us. In the morning we learned that one of the awful seas we had heard rolling over us during the night, had washed overboard our carpenter and two sailors. The former was a widower, and left seven children. What a sad day followed. The ship was hove-to, the saloon darkened, no regular meals, wretched in feelings and sad in thoughts. The Captain never lost a man before. He seemed much concerned. We have all a high opinion of him as a commander. He wa=i very kind and considerate. Fine weather followed, but after rounding the Horn, in lat. 51 deg. long. 45 deg., on the 22nd February had it cold and tozgy. On that morning there was a rush and much confusion on deck, and the Captain s voice was heard thundering out his orders. An. other moment, and crash went the ship, seeming to shiverhertimbers. A few moments of hope, then another crash, and all hope was gone Imagine our feelings on hearing from the captain, " All's safe ; we're off;' and on looking through the stern windows tosse a spectral mass of ice, which looked like a floating island, slowly receding from U3, so near that we could have touched it, quite three milra in extent, and had we struck it in the centre instead of towards the end, nothing could have saved us. bailors f&w seals on top of ft The captain's presence of mind in giving his orders is marvellous, and the conduct of the second mate most exemplary. The latter, while face 3of men were blanched with fear, put rope 3 into their hands, andby hi 3 conduct kept their spirits up. When we were allowed to go on deck, we found it strewn with pieces of ice and the side of our shiD shattered, the result of two crashes. £100, the captain thinks will cover the damage, and the good ship Columbus is still seaworthy. But for her being strongly built, the result would certainly have been total loss. Some time afterwards, the captain observing a floating pipce, immediately went forward and doubled the watch, and had only time to regain the poop when the watch gave the cry " Iceberg upon us," orders being promptly obeyed we barsly escaped again. You can imagine with hat gratitude we all shook hands with the Captain-as the instrument of our preservation. After these events we had some splendid runs which soon brought us into the tropics.