THE TUHARA WRECK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 512, 20 May 1909, Page 6

THE TUHARA WRECK.

GRAPHIC STORY OF THE DISASTER. DASHED BROADSIDE ON THE ROCKS. . (nr TELEOKlFU.—srectit. COKEKSL-ONMNT.I ~ Napier, May 19. Tho crow of the auxiliary .schooner Tuhara, wrecked on the Mahia Peninsula, returned to Napior last evening. The story of the wreck-is a graphic ono. . On Saturday last the Tuhara had to plough her'way to Wairoa in the faco of a strong wind and a heavy sea. Tho schooner was unable to make any headway, and the. master (Mr. _A. M'Nabb) .ran for the bight ,at Long Point, which afforded the only available shelter. Here two anchors wero dropped, and the little vessel rocked through a pitch dark'night on the top of a mountainous sea. Tho rugged coast Was about' half a milo away. ~.. ... Early on Sunday morning one of the anchors carried _away, and. the' anxious crow wera faced with a now danger. Tho engines wera kept going full speed .ahead, but the vessel, | dragging tho'remaining anchor, drifted slowly towards tho shore. The last anchor snapped with the first faint stroalc of daylight, and the Tnhara-'gavo herself up to the grip of the sea. The vessel was caught in an angry swirl of the'flraves, and dashed broadside on tho rocks. . The force of the impact was so strong that the vessel remained a fixture, stabbed with a thrust of jutting rock. I '/ : Through this- scene of danger the master behaved with great ; gallantry. .Lifebelts were handed out before the crash, and precautions were, taken , for.,the'safety of the crew. . A lifeboat was launched with great difficulty on the lee side of the wreck, but it oould not live in .the sea. . -The'jvayes were dashing against tho base of- a_ ragged cliff 300 feet .or 400 feet high. This marked tho coast-line. Tho dangerous task of taking a line ashore, a distance of, between'three and four chains, was -undertaken, by. the engineer (W. Murdoch) and fE. Goodall (one of the A.B.'e). Tho men '•■ successfully accomplished their task,-'.and . the;:;whole , crew, after a severe buffeting, swam to tho shore.. The captain and the crew stood to the ship as. long as possible. ' . 1 ' - The five men, drenched with salt spray and bitterly ■ cold, set out tp find a habitation. About a : milo from ■ the, wreck . they arrived at a shepherd's Hut on Mr. Georgo OrmondV station, occupied by Mr. Glass. Here they were treated with the greatest kindness. : All attempts to refloat the-Tuhara were frustrated by tho-heavy sea. She lies full of water, and .badly;,damaged on the port side.. It is hoped that should the sea calm down before the vessel-breaks up entirely there may be/an opportunity of salving the engines and other gear.. Captain M'Nabb remains at the_scenei of tlje WTeck in the interests of tho Waii'oa and Mobaka Steamship Company.