HOW THE JESSIE NICOL WAS WRECKED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 86, 12 April 1911, Page 3

HOW THE JESSIE NICOL WAS WRECKED.

SURVIVORS' STORY. RESULT OF THE ENQUIRY. ! [BX TEIiEGEAPH — TBESS" ASSOCIATION.] ! INVEECAEGILL, 11th April. The auxiliary schooner lluanui, which left the Bluff on 14th March for Macquari© Island, after news had been received of the werck in December of the schooner JesEie Niccol, returned to luvercar.gill to-day with Mr. Joseph Hatch (lessee of the island) on board. Mr. Hatch stated that' the Jessie Niccol survivors reported that alter landing a party at ihe island in very rough, weather, the Jessie Niccol slipped her moorings and stood out to the southward. The shore party taw her miss stays thiee times and let go anchor not far from the rocks. The shore party could not launch a boat, but stationed themselves on the beach as near the vessel as possible. One man (Johnston) tried to swim out to the rock near the vessel, but got tangled in the kelp, and Bauer had to go to his assistance and help him back. Thei second mate and three of the crew were running out a kedge anchor, and refused' to come ashore when advised by the men on shore, saying that they would wait for a change in the weather, although all hands could have easily got ashore. At 9.30 the vessel bumped on the rock and smashed her rudder to pieces'. The shore party again shouted to the captain and crew to come ashore, as they could do no good on board. Captain Holmes declined, bub at 10 a.m. the ship's boat left witdi the second mate (Mr. Corp) and three A.B.s, who stated that the captain, mate, and cook had declined to come. T/he cook had told Mr. Corp that he would swim ashore later. He made the attempt about 10.45, but failed, and had a hard struggle to regain the vessel. • About 11 a.m. a very heavy sea struck j the vessel, and she capsized on her port side. The water tanks and spars were all floating about. Captain Holmes was seen to emerge from the cabin and make for the starboard side. He caught hold of the rail, but th& water-tank struck him and he was- seen no more. The cook was standing on the port J water-tank when the vessel listed, and the ohief mate was climbing the rigging. The cook was washed away in a heavy j sea, but the mate withstood the seas for j a quarter of an , hour. The seas were I breaking over him, and eventually he, too, disappeared. The captain's body, which was much bruised about tho head and face, was washed ashore shortly after noon, but there was so sign of the others by night time. Next morning most of the ship was washed up in pieces, and the beach was strewn with wreckage for about a mile. The second mate's crew in landing on the previous day had had a hard struggle in the surf, but they managed to reach shore safely after being washed out of their boat. Captain Holmes was buried on the 21st, and the body of the chief mate (Mt. Patterson) was found on the 22nd in a mutilated state. The cook's remains did not come ashore for over a month. > On the 28th a vessel was sighted and she proved to be the Ida M. Clarke, of Halifax, and Captain Gilbert, when interrogated, said he did not know where he was bound for, but he offered them provisions and promised to report the wreck. v This, afternoon an official enquiry into the circumstances of the wreck was held before Mr. Cruickshanks S.M., and j Captains Barber and M'Lean. Formal evidence as to the seaworthiness and equipment of the ship, etc., was taken, and the Court found that the Jessie Niccol was properly found, manned, and equipped, and that the casualty was due to the dangerous nature of the ! coast. If the captain had hung on to his moorings, even if the anchor had dragged, tho vessel could have been beached on a good shingly beach. Masters of vessels could be instructed to anchor at night a quarter of a mile outside Nugget Rock. The certificate of the second mate was returned.