A SHIPWRECK

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1190, 27 July 1911, Page 6

A SHIPWRECK

VESSEL ASHORE ON BANKS PENINSULA. 'CAPTAIN AND A SAILOR MISSING. The Inspector of Police has leoeived a telephone message from Little Hirer (says tln> L'hristehureh "livening News" -of July 21) statin;; t'.iat a vessel called the Belle I lower, bound from Duncdin to Kuipiiru. with n general cargo, went ashore at Tumbledown Bay, 12 miles trom Little Uivcr. at 3.: ii) on Sunday'morning. T'ho mate of tho vessel and four surviving seamen had just reached Little Kiver. The captain, whose naino is Dowel!, is missing, and another member of the. crew, llordon, is known to have come ashore alive, but cannot be found. Two constables are leaving C'liristchurch by train this (Tuesday) evening'. It appears that there was a crew of seven all told.

Tho latest information received is that tho vessel was wrecked at Tumbledown Bay, pari, of tho old Kinloch Kslate. This bay is about half-way between Peraki and .the Ninety-Mile Beach. The beach itself at Tr.mbledown Bay presents no difficulty for landing purposes, but the coastline is very rough. It is stated that a vessel striking the coastline here would not have the slightest chance of escaping. The bay, tho Maori name of which is To Koio, is situate eight miles from Littlo River. Visitors in town from Little River state that tho sea was very rough round the coast at the time the wreck is alleged to have occurred. '

. The men landed are:—B. Way, mate; J. Watson, T. Pope, able-bodied seamen; J. Heron, ordinary seaman; A. Roberts, boy. The cook. Gordon, is missing. ' Tho Belle h'lower was owned by the. Jlitchclson Timber Company, of Auckland, and commanded by Captain Dwell, who came out here as mate of the private yacht Privateer, which was then commanded bv his father, and owned by Mr. jr. J. Burke. The Belle lTlower left Duncdin for Xaipara on Saturday. She is a schooner of SS tons register.

The police at Little Kiver state that after landing the men mado their way to Mr. M'Girr's homestead, and were well looked after. They were provided with fresh clothing, and tho weather having moderated they were driven into Little Kiver.

Iti their endeavour to- ascertain their whereabouts the crew wandered about Tumbledown Bnv, and Gordon, the cook, lost trace of tlie others, who searched for some hours for him. The remaining men then mado their way to Mr. M'Girr's house.

. Captain Dowel''s behaviour is somewhat of a mystery. The members of the crew slate that he remained on the vessel after s'ie had struck, and made little effort to sav* himself. He fell into deep wnter. and it is not anticipated that he wi" lie found alive.

The Collector of Customs at Clvn'=tehtiHi ■"■•ill hold an inmiiry into the wreck. The Collector will meet crew on their arrival in Christchurch this evening, z

THE LATEST. TEE COOK DISCOVERED QUITE WELL. (By Teleuraph—Proas Association.! Christchurcb, July 2G. The police authorities . have received information from Little River that Donald Gordon, cook of the Belle Flower, who wandered away in the darkness from the rest of the survivors, was discovered this morning quite well. Search is now being made for the body of the captain.