TERRIBLE STORY OF A SHIPWRECK.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1233, 16 October 1885, Page 3

TERRIBLE STORY OF A SHIPWRECK.

The captain of the Dillberg, screw steamer bound from Madras to Boston, reports as follows;—“On Tuesday, July Id, off Ro'uih, picked up Mr Owens, chief officer of the s.s. Willingale ; also two sailors and one fireman, in a small Arab dhow. Mt Owen reports that his vessel'was wrecked on June 21, about 2a. m , on the coast, about four miles sou hj of Cape Guaixla fui. A boat was launched, and three men and the second officer tried to commimic ition with the shore, but the boat was stove in. They managed to get nearly ashore with her, but the heavy breakers capsized her One seaman was drowned, the other two m ‘ii and the second officer getting safdy ashore. At daylight four Arabs swam off to the ship, and weie asked to take a lino ashore, as the other boats were all smashed up by the sea, which made a clean breach over the ship and burst' in the hatches. They refused to do so, wanting money, which, of course, under, the circumstances, could nob be given. They then jumped overboard and swam away, one of the sailors, a Maltese, following them and getting safely ashore. About 9 am. I the vessel broke in two between the [ engine room and No. 3 hatch. Soon afterwards the after end was broken! up. Some of the crew being aft se.-. cared hatches and pieces of wreckage and tried to get ashore wieh them, but only a few succeeded. The captain having a lifebuoy nearly succeeded in reaching the beach, but was carried away by the backwash. The Natives who were outside of him engaged in picking up the wreckage refused to give him any assistance. The chief officer, one fireman, carpenter, and boatswain who were still on tin fore part of the vessel, saw him drifting across the bows of the voss 1, but were unable to lend him assistance, and he was unfortunately drowned. The carpenter, boa l swain, and fireman, lastly the chief officer then took to the water, securing what pieces of wnckage were about to help them in fl lating ashore. The chief officer saw the boatswain and fireman sinking close to the ship, and they never rose again. The carpenter, having a lifebuoy, drifted a considerable distance ahead of the vessel, and, after being about halt an hour in the water was cast ashore. The chief officer being unable to swim seized a piece of the hatch, jumped overboard, and was washed ashore in a very short time When he recovered himself ana mustered the crew together he found out of 24 men 12 were missing, including captain, steward, cook, boatswain, second engineer, donkeyman, four firemen, one sailor, and one boy. The second engineer, Mr Greig, belonged to Dundee, and shipped in the vessel there last ' ( iJeoember.