THE SURAT INQUIRY.

Evening Star, Issue 3400, 14 January 1874, Page 2

THE SURAT INQUIRY.

Tuesday, January 14. James Montague Fountains I was a passenger by the ship Surat—an immigrant VMien the ship struck I was in my berth between decks. When I felt her strike, I ran on deck to see what was amiss. The vessel was still going over the reef when I got on deck. She bumped about five times, and the .third shock was the most severe. I did not hear any orders given. I was on the waist of the ship on the starboard side. The vessel was on the port tack. About a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after, I saw the sails altered. Before the vessel got off the rocks, I went. below again, and went to my wife’s berth to tell her to put her clothes on as quickly as possible. I remained below about ten minutes, and then went on deck again. There was consternation amongst the passengers, and they went to the saloon, to see the captain. I do not know whether he was there. I did not see him. The confusion continued for about twenty minutes, and then the .passengers were ordered to go below and remain quiet, aa everything was all right. The order came from the captain, and Mr Booth passed the word along from the cabin door. The passengers went belong I heard the order given after this for the carpenter to sound the pumps. The pumps were sounded, and the report was tnat there was no more water than there had been previously on the voyage. I saw the chief mate soon after, the pumps were sounded. He spoke to me, and told me come below with him, and arrange the passengers in sixes to pump the ship, watch and watch, all night. Wo arranged this, and set the pumps going with the passengers and crew. At this time the ship was hove-to. The passengers continued at the pumps. The ship was put before the wind again soon after daybreak, when it was light enough to see the land, which appeared to me to be ten or eleven miles off. The vessel was put on the starboard tack, and headed to the land. I should guess by the sun that her head was then N. W. by N, I have been to sea before as second mate, mate, and master, I was a master mariner when I was a young man, but I never held a certificate. This was in 1802 and 1853. The vessel was sailing in towards the coast, when at four o’clock in the morning we sighted a steamer. As the steamer bore towards us, and as we neared her, the vessel’s head was put closer to the wind. Otherwise we should have crossed the track of the steamer. The Surat was hauled off from the land. The steamer was coming between the ship and the land, and I heard the passengers beg the captain to signal her, both by flag and gun. I did not ask him, but I heard Mr Hargreaves do so. I do not know what the captain said to them. I saw the ensign hoisted half-mast-high, union down. It was hoisted when I saw it, and I did not see who hoisted it. In a few minutes after this, I saw that the ensign was down again. I should say that it was kept down for threequarters of an hour. I saw it after it was hqiated again, and it remained up then. By this thpe the steamer was on our quarter. I was ahqut the deck, but I did not see anyone hoisting the ensign. I know the ensign remained down for alpput three-quarters of an hour. X did not see ,the captain at the time. I was amidships at work at the pumps. I believe the captain passed by to go forward about three quarters of an hour after I commenced pumping at 3 o’clock. I did not speak to the captain then, • I saw the boats got out afterwards, but I did not see the captain while this was being done. I saw the first mate, when he was forward, interrupting and obstructing myself aud some others who were trying to get the boat out. The mate was in a state of intoxication {

at that time. . . After daylight, when I came alongside in the long-boat, I saw the captain on the topgallant forecastle. He had a revolver in his hand, and jhe pointed'iit, at mo. I was pulling the par. He ordered the boat to come alongside to land the passengers, and said if we did hot co ne ho would tire at vis. There were then fifty passengers in the long-boat. We could hold •more and she did', hold more afterward*. Wo wont alongside to the/starboard side, where the captain ordered us to go. We did not at that time take in-any moo passengers. We landed those we had and then returned and took seventy more ashore. Mr Stout did not cross-examine the witness." " - —• ■

Williaip. Hargraves: I am an immigrant ■passenger by the ship Surat. I have never been at sea before this voyage. When she ship struck I was down between decks. I remained below and did my best to quiet the other passengers, I went on deck as soon as the hatchway was clear enough to allow me. At first every one made a rush. When I got on deck I went to sec the captain, and found him in front of the cabin door. I asked him what was to be done now 1 He said, “There’s nothing amiss; all’s right, and you have nothing to do hut to go to bed.” I told him I thought there would not be much going to bed, as 1 was afraid there would be something more serious. He said it was not very pleasant certainly to have such bumps as those to go to lled with, l ie »aid, “Theship is now off the'rocks, and 1 have laid her to for the night; when-day-light comes I think 1 shall be able to take you forward, as she doep not leak, and has not taken in a drop of water, yet,” He also said, “She has no more water in her than the day we left London.” I said [ hoped this was the case. The captain said wo were within seventy miles of our destination, and if things had gone all right, he' was thinking of landing us on the ihoraing following. licit him then, and’went below again. Shortly after this the first mate came down, and I went to work at the pumps. I was one of the first to go to work. . . . I went to the captain after daylight, and wanted him to hoist a signal or fire a gun, as there was a steamer in sight. He told me he knew best what to do,:and that we were to leave it to him, and he..would land us safely in Dunedin. He said'he would not land us anywhere else. The captain' appeared to have had too much to drink, and did not appear to be himself altogether. I went to him again afterwards, with a child in my arms, and begged him to tire a gun for the sake of the little innocent children. He said we had nothing to do but to be quiet, aud that if anyone attempted to hoist a signal or fire a gun without his orders, he should shoot them. I told him it was very hard of him to stand out so when there was a steamer in sight, and land in sight also. He said there was no need for a steamer. 1 wanted him then to order the boats to he launched, or to direct the ship's head to the nearest landing place. He told me to mind my own business, he was the matter of the ship. He then turned away and left me, and went to the’ cabin. I then put down the child and went to the pumping again. On the poop I saw the chief mate. He said • he would blow our brains out if we did not take ourselves away. 1 Woodcock and Newton were on the poop with me, besides others whose names I do not recollect. I have no hesitation in saying that the mate was drunk when he spoke to me at this time. The first mate came and threatened to shoot one - of the seamen if he did not desist from what he was doing. This was Donovan, who was helping to lower the boat. After some conversation between the first mate and Donovan, the mate’s revolver was taken away by a man named Phillips. In the confusion the ropes wore let go, and the boat Lad to put off from the vessel. The boat was in the water before this, and had some women and children in it; hut not so many as it was intended ta take. I remained on board the vessel. Aftey this, 1 went to the pumps again. The first mate came and slipped the ropes off the pumps, He said we were to pumping. He was shoved out of the way, and the ropes were replaced again. He was drunk then, more so than before, and had been “priming-up.” He was Idee a madman at the*time. Ho swore that if he could only have possession of the wheel for ten minufes he would drown every devil of ns. There were a number present when he said this : I cannot name any of them, so many of the single girls were about . at the. time. • The mate made a second attempt to stop the pumps, tie was told to stand back or he would get his head clove. After this, “ Old Sails,” the sailmaker, was requested to take charge of the ship, and laud the passengers. I for one asked him, and a good many others. I think Mr Booth was amongst them. The sailmaker said he could not take charge of the ship without the captain’s orders. ' He said the only thing he saw for ns, was a watery grave. We wanted the sailmaker: to take charge without the captain’s orders. I was ready to drop for want of something to drink \|Ve say? that ; the captain was not fit t<? haye charge of the ship. He had had too much to drink. We,promised the sailmaker that if he would take.charge we would do everything wecould to assist him to get ns to a safe landing-place, 'and that xf he was blamed for taking change, we would fio our best,, to clear him, and back him out. The sailmaker took charge, aud began to give orders. We . tried to obey his orders, and he tried to do his best to gefc-ua to believe the vessel was beached. I did not see the first mate after this. The captain was walking about on the deck with his hands in his pockets all this time. The boat that the second mate had gone off with then came back. I did not hear the captain say anything when the sailmaker gave orders. . Both the captain and the sailmaker were on the poop, and< the captain could hear the orders that, the sailmaker gave. I.did not hear the captain give any orders himself. I believe the vessel was rounding the point at J ack’s Bay when the sailmaker took charge, and her head was pointing on to? the rocks. About this time the long*-boat came up with us with the passengers. The captain was on the forecastle then. I saw him point a revolver in the direction of the longboat. The boat with the second mate in it camp up after the longboat, and the second mate capje on board and began to make preparations to get the women and children into his boat. He got some in. When I spoke to. the second mate I said, “ I thought, you had deserted us.” Ho said, “No, 1 have been after the steamer.” I saw the anchor heaved over. As far as my recollection goes, we had not gone far before the vessel began to take the ground’ again. We gone some heavy humps, and .a seaman cautioned us to be on the look-out, as some of the masts might fall. We were all in a shake. • To Mr Stout; I believe the sailmaker was perfectly sober. I never saw him the worse for liquor. If two or three witnesses have sworn that he was the worse for liquor, 1 will swear that 1 did not see him the worse for liquor. • I, do not think he could have been the worse, without my noticing it. I did not hear the captain give orders to heave’the lead or put down the anchor. I don’t remember him giving orders to brace the yards when we were near Jack’s Island. I did nob see five Welshmen go off in a boat by themselves. When I was working at the pumps I could not see who was directing the steersman. -The captain may have given orders without my hearing or seeing him. I caqnot state any particular ofder the sail-

1 maker gave, because I was engaged at the pumps. 1 don’t think the sailmaker was merely repeating the orders given by the captain. lam sure he was giving orders, as .1 saw the yards altered. I did not see a man' heaving the lead on the port side. : If a witness has sworn that tho captain gave prdper orders to bring his ship to anchor, I would hot contradict him. I did not know all that was going on. Donovan held the mate w'hi!e I felt in his jacket pockets. The captainwas not in a fit state to give orders. I thought it improper of the captain not to fire a gun. or hoist a signal, James Newton : I was a steerage passenger on board the Surat. I have been a , sailor, and was at sea between three and fouryears. When the ship struck, I was below, and had been between decks for about twenty minutes. I had been on the forecastle, and before I went below I could see land. I heard the laud reported after [ went below', I heard the man on the look-out sing out "laud ahead.” I heard no reply. It'-was from a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes after this that tho ship struck. £. ran cto: deck immediately. There wore five bumps, and the fourth was the most severe. 1 The ship was got off the rocks and hove-to., The chief officer called all the single men below, and we'were picked out, eight in a watch, to go and work the pumps. I went on the pumps at one o’c’ook, and worked an hour. After this 1 went below. I saw the’ first mate and captain again at daylight ; I can’t say what time exactly. It was after the steamer came in sight and before she passed' us. The captain was on the poop. At the request of some of the passengers, I went to the captain to ask him to hoist the ensign. Some of the passengers were with me. ■ The captain refused to hoist the ensign. He was drunk. After this I got an axe and cub the lashings of everything that would float, in order to save a few of us if the vessel'went down. I went three- times to the captain to ask leave to hoist the ensign. , The second time the doctor and sailmaker were present. The captain said he would knock a hole through the first man who touched the ensign. He had one hand in his jacket pocket, and had the ea. sign and halyards in the other hand. I‘ do nob know who hoisted the ensign, but I saw it hoisted. The mate was not sober at this time. I went on to the pumps again, and after this I saw the first male, who was in thii same condition he was in before. I saw the second mate when the boats were being lowered. He was not sober; but was about ' the same as the mate. The captain was the worst of the three. No one gave the orce s for. the boats to be lowered. I asked the mate to have them lowered about the time tho steamer was passing ua. He said. "Don’t be in a hurry; there is plenty of time.” I was told the vessel was making Isin. an hour of water at this time. When the vessel was going into Jack’s Bay I was on the "look-out.” The sailmaker had sent me there. The sailmaker was in charge of the ship at that time, 1 believe. I remained at the look-out until just before the anchor was let go. I heard no orders given. The sailmaker, when he told me to go on the lookout, pointed out to me where we were to go. i went aft to tell him that we could nob land where he proposed to go, and the course of the wheel was altered. I expect the sailmaker gave tho order. I heard no order -given, but I saw the sailmaker speak bo the man at the wheel. 1 cannot say the vessel’s course was altered • after the sailmaker spoke to the man at the wheel. When the anchor was dropped, I was on the main deck. I should say the vessel was about a quarter of a mile off the shore then. I cannot say whether the way of the ship was stopped before the anchor was dropped. Tho anchor held very little, and the > ship dragged it. It did not stop the vessel’s way. When the anchor was dropped, the vessel was heading right into the land, towards the sandy beach. When the anchor dragged and the vessel was running ashore, the yards were braced to keep her off. When this was done, she had not touched, but was very close to the shore. When we braced the yards, she went'off. We went back a bit, slewed the yards, and ran her ashore in the next bay, where she now lies. .. To Mr Stout: I cannot say if there were anj'- sails taken in before the anchor was dropped. I beard no orders given by the captain at all about this time. I believe the sailmaker had had a little to drink ; but he was not drunk. I thought the sailmaker had charge of the ship. i considered that the captain was drunk when we asked him to let us hoist the ensign. His appearance made me think he jvas drunk. I considered the captain’s action with reference to the ensigu improper. I cannot mention any other order the captain gave that I considered improper. I never asked the sailmaker to take charge of the vessel. The vessel did nob touch the ground in Jack’s Bay whilst the anchor was down. . The Court then adjourned until 10 o’clock on Saturday morning.