A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 302, 17 September 1919, Page 7

A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE

THE SOLE SUnviVOB'S STORY

. ■_ Christchurch, September 16. A fuller statement by the survivor Farrand shows that ho was -awakened at -.J) a.m. by the sound of an explosion. He sot out of his bunk, and went forward to- sea what had happened. He found all the-forward hatches thrown off and the whole ot the forward part of the vessel on fire. He awakened all hands. A lifeboat was then launched, and all the members of the crew with the exception of the mate, Mr. Steven* and I'arrand himself got into tho boat' /■here 1 wfl ? .? yei'.Y heavy sea, and tho lifeboat drii ted away from the vessel before Mr. Stevens and Farrand could get nno it. A moment or two later tho litcbont was swamped, and all tho occuuaius were swept into the water. Far-i-iiud dived from the vessel, and a couple of moments later was followed by Mr.. Stevens. Those who-had got into-the lifeboat were hanging on to the capsized boat. The lifeboat was turning over and over in the heavy seas, and the first man to let go and drift away was the • ennneer. He soon expired. Seaman Williams struck out from the lifeboat,• and called out to the others. "Come on, bovs.. ; ollow me!" The captain immediately followed Williams, and then others struck'out from the lifeboat. Farrand and Stevens held on to tho lifeboat.. ! -the others gradually disappeared. Steves .wis washed off, and also disappeared. I'arrand held on with one hand, and was badly battered about the legs. IVentuallv tho boat, with Farrand hanging on to it drifted on to the beach. He was in a semi-conscious condition after having been battered about in the water for some three hours. He laid down on the beach, for several hours before he was found by two brothers named Winskill, from Gore Bay. Farrand said the men who were oil tho lifeboat hung on in the hone that they might be picked up by the Maori on her way to Lyttelton. Farrand. although severely . nervestrained bv his terrible night's : experience, is slow! v recovering. He says that immediately'after the explosion nris'broko out.amomr Hie 1500 cases of benzine stored forward.. He does not know whether the ex riles ion stopped the engines or whether the . eaptni.i immediately ordered thorn to be.stopped. -He had a.terrible time ; n the breakers before he landed. On reaching shora bo struggled up a sleep bank and foil exhausted, into some flax bushes. When found he was claced on horseback and taken over the hills to Cheviot. ' . ■ '

THREE ROUTES IDENTIFIED. Christcliurch, September 16. The Taimi: is lying broadside on to the beach. . She was devoured all • clay by the flames, while overhead the dense smoke blackened the sky. The explosion must have been terrific, for heavy timber am! wreckage splintered and twisted, strews the shore. Five bodies have beer, washed ashore. Three have been identified as those of Greenwood, Townsend, and Fuller.' There Were no marks on the bodies to indicate that they had bi-en injured by the explosion. Captain Cowan's body has' not yet been recovered. An inquest will open to-morrow.

INSURANCES ON VESSEL AND ■ OKJ3W.

Christcliurch, September 16. The South British Company's risk of X'tOOO on the Taimii is reinsured with several other companies. The South British office also has the insiiMiicc on the lives of tho crew.