BARQUE IN A GALE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1838, 26 August 1913, Page 6

BARQUE IN A GALE.

MASTS & SAILS LOST. PUT IN TO PORT IN DISTRESS. (Bj* Teleffrapli.—Press Association.) Auckland, August 25. , The three-masted Russian barquo Clan Macfarlano was towed into port this afternoon by the Harbour Board's tug Teawhina, anchoring in tlio stream at about three o'clock. The vessel met with misfortuno on tlio voyage from New Caledonia to Hamburg. According to the story related by Captain W. A. Jlackellar, she left the port of Bouembout, New Caledonia, bound for Hamburg with a cargo of nickel oro, on August 14 last. "We exporionced ■ tine weather and southwesterly winds for tho first six days," said tho master, "and in that time sailed one thousand miles. Then tlio wind went round to the oast, and heavy seas rose. On August 20 we shortened sail because of tho force of the wind only keeping the upper and lower topsails and fore and aft sails on her. The ship rolled heavily all tlio timo. After a heavy squall the wind dropped almost to a calm shortly before eight bells, at 11.40 p.m. The wind then rose again and tho ship commenced to take over heavy rollers," continued tho captain, "and one of these did damage which disabled us. Sails were blown to shreds, the foremast and mainmast snapped tho rigging went with them, only tho lower masts being left standing. Ail tho yards wont too, and everything from mizzen to royal topmasts was carried away.

"A seaman named Yalman Laaman, who was forward on look-out duty, was caught by a rope and lifted 6ft. or 7ft. into tile air, dropping on the donkey engine. His back was injured badly enough to prevent him from doing any more work since. The falling of the main yard bent and buttered both port and starboard bulwarks, but 110 other member of the crew was injured in any way. "When the masts and rigging carried away," Captain Mackellar woht on, "all hands were called on deck to clear the wreckage. Soundings were taken, but the ship was not making any water. 'Clio wreckage which went by the board was hanging against the vessel's sides and bumping continuously. Such n heavy sea was running that it took us all that night and tho two following days to cut everything away clear. Throughout this time wo saw no other ships.

"When everything was cleared away from'the sides of the barque, wo rigged up new foro and aft sails," said tho captain, "and headed for Auckland at "a very slow rate, this being tho nearest practicable port, and lying about 150 miles away from us. We had fine weather for tho run into port, with a strong northerly breeze." Tho Clan Macfarlano is an iron baraue SO years old and it is yet to bo decided whethor sho will repay cost of repairs, which it is estimated will run into some thousands of nounds. She carries a crew of 17 all told, most! of the men being Finns, though there are two British seamen aboard and ono or two Frenchmen and, Germans.