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Evening Post, Issue 89, 23 May 1865, Page 2

The Black Ball line of packet ship Vmry Star lias been totally destroyed by fire. The only survivors as yet heard of, numbering in all 18 men, were brought here by the ship Dauntless, which arrived yesterday. The Hery Star, Captuin W. H. Yule, of 1360 tons register, left Mori-ton Bay for London, laden with wool, hides, nnd tallow, on the Ist of April, fohe was off the 8 uth end of New Z a and on the ll Ui ot April. The fire was first discovered on the 19th, at 6 p m., when, in 46.10 S., and 170 VV , one of the crew, rf the name of Adams, came aft, and reported a strong smell of smoke in the forecastle. The captain and chief officer (Mr Sargant) on heating this, went forward and found tlie smoke coming up in clouds from the lower 1 hold. Every lutchwav in the ship was im-. mediately battene>i down, and the ventilation stoppe ias Fur as possible. I hey were at this time running free, and were about 4i)o miles irom Chatham Islan Is. On the next day a steam pump wl>i li wms on board was set to work on I lie hatchway, and several of the sails were cut down from aloft to secure the hutches. At 6 f. m. the fire broke out. on heard through the port; how and through the waterways on deck. The boais were i'liuiediately got out, and the Criptu n, officers, pur>stMigers, with one exception, and most of the crew, got into the four boats. Those in ihe boats ti.ok the chronometer, sextants, charts, and compasses with them. The chief officer, Mr. Rarganr, seeing that the four boats could not possibly hold all fiat were on tioard. galltntly volunteered to stand by the ship, and found only four ab!e-bo lied men to follow his no i de example. He had aiso 13 boys with him. Wtun tie boa's were got out Mr. vSargant asked them to lay by him during the night, but could not see them ihe next niorrnnsr, the 2 1st April. We have been unable t'i find out the exiut number of those who left in the boats, but there were about 100 as near as can he judged, 78 of them passengers. We will not speculate on the fate of these p pie; time will prove whether they were saved or not, but giave fears are entertained as to whether they could ever r acn the Chatham Islands, as the strong winds wliich rose shortly after were veryunfavourable to their doing so, especially in the crowded and overladen state of the boats. We shall not attempt to picture the feelings of those who were left on board when they found themselves deserted, without chart or compass, in a burning ship. The captain pro tcni , finding hinne'f in this difficult positio.i, determined at all hazards to endeavour to get one from the cabin. The precaution « as taken of fastening a rope round the men before allowing thiin to enter the cnbi't, hut the first two fell insensible, over owered by the noxious gases He succeeded at last, however, in getting a compass, chart, &c, reet -sary for the navigation of the vessel. Some of the hands were at this time employed in preparing a raf c, and others in endeavoring *■" keep down the fi e. From the 19th of April til the I2;h o*May, Mr. Sargant managed, in the fut;<y4lSt* s great difficulties, to keep the vessel ufloiU, On the 11th, at 10 p.m , saw a sbip tfliftft proved (o be the Daunt les*. Captain fmni Dublin. The following is taken JiljjM Captain Moore's log:— "On May U'&.jiS latitude 37-05 8. and 175.42 B. longitude, nfyr - attention was drawn to the report from c»fi-

Htm and the fl tilling of rockets and showin g blue litth s I Move the sin j> to, and a vests i came iffihiii speaking distun p. Hie was "ti fire. Tiie chief i ffu< r, Mr. Sanranr, i mkc us, nnd tolil us th \essel \*as t!-o ' Fi ly Mar,' from Moreton Bay io Lo idu , wi n tnlli w, hid'?, aid wool; she had < hen hu-u on flr. 21 da\B. The capt. in ask(din>-> send off ,i boat, f lowurt'l Luo bnais, au<l Mr. >a ifant and 17 limhl* on bo.ml ; ihe c.iptain. puiser, mate, pas^eng-.is, au-l j.art <<f sheen.* havinu If it her thru- et kit hi lore, tnliintt all the bo.il>, nn<i leaviiiif the fit .-<¦ mate t<i hi rate. 'Use • Fury Mar' wa«< in a bad state, he fornmost being nearly burnt through. It.ftVrid him evt-ry us is- ante I advised Mr. barvunt to stick to her, and I would lay by him till morning, as rli* iv niigh f »>e a chance of utltiitir i.i o lurboui 1 with a fail wind. I left one of my life-b at« With her. NfXt morning I s> nt off my second < fflcer and purser. The fire was thin getting wore. Mr .^argant dscidei to leave the ship, but wi-hed me to come ab .ard to give my opiuion before so doing. At 10 a.m. I saw the fire was getting much worse, and I therefore thouuht the bent and only thing was to desert hvr. We saved wh.it stores we could. ' The captain pro tern, hid don - all that man could do to save her, an 1 I consi ler that every praKe is due to him. After getting everything we could out we finally lett her at 4 p.m. She was then all in flames. 1 stood by her till 10 30 p. in , when she went down."