The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 112, 6 November 1894, Page 2

The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

FINDING OF MOBE BODIES. {PER PRESS ASSOCIAION*. Auckland, November 4. The search party came upon another corpse, that of a young woman. As each body was located, planks and tools were brought ashore from the steamer, a rough coffin fashioned and the body nailed up therein. The second body— that of a young woman — presented a shocking appearance. With a lifebelt under her arms, like all the drowned persons washed ashore, she lay huddled on the rocks, her only clothing a pink coloured nightdress. She had been a good looking girl of about 25 years of age, with what seemed to be auburn hair. On her finger was found a ring with small pearls and some green stonos set in it. Another body was that of a poor young girl slightly built, with stays and chemise on, and a portion of a nightdress. The girl, who seems to have been pretty with brown hair, was so terribly disfigured by the rocks that her features were unrecoguisable. The name "E. Burton " was found on her clothes, and it is now known that she was a Miss Burton, who was a saloon passenger. She was apparently about 14 or 15 years of age. The next body was that of an elderly lady, with hair brown but turning grey. She lay on her face on the sand aud shingle, a bandage being visible on her right foot. She wore a nightdress and wrapper and seemed to have been much bruised and kuocked about on the rocks. On her wrist she wore a gold bracelet watch, while four valuable rings were taken off her fingers by the police. One was a gold wedding ring, another a diamond ring, and there were two rings with small stones. On tho watch was found the monogram " M.R.G.A." Tho party suddenly came on another body, that of a man with a life-belt on ; sandy moustache and brown hair, trous* era aud shirt on. Round his waist was found a belt sewn to the lining of his trousers, and this belt on being cot open was found to contain a sum of money in gold and silver coiu. Round a little rocky point from this was found the body of a young man with red moustache and light hair, waistcoat, striped tweod trousers and shirt on, and a life-belt strapped round him. A purse with a key in it was found in one of his pockets. Tho unfortunate young fellow's hand was thrown across his face, as if to shield him from some blow. It was a peculiar feature of the bodies recovered that several of them had their clenched hands thrown across before their facer, as if warding off a blow, pro* bably in their 1 1 uggles on fatal recks. A big, powo.ful-looking man, entirely naked, was the next bxly discovered, lying on its face on the stones at high watermark, under a burning sun. Tho body had a lifebelt round it. It was very much discoloured, aud from tie bruises the uulucky man must liavo made a hard struggle for life before ho sucenmbed. His hair was fair, turning grey, with light moustache. The ago of the drowued man was about 50 years, The face was unrecognisable. An old woman was picked up, with lifebelt on, also a young married woniau, apparently twenty-two years of aep, with a gold wedding ring, aufl with brown hair. Two bodies of men have been buried at tho island, both sandy-haired, one with a hare-lip, Mr Greenaway, at Arid Island, had buried two bodies previously. He had not heard of the wreck, but suspected one through finding the bodies. The body of Bird, a miner from Cool, gardie, has been picked up. There wa« a miner's right on the body, and liJS sovereigns. Captain Farquhar took the bearings of the Waivarapa as closely as possible, and found her head lying E.S.E. He believes some of the passengers did not get on deck, as through a port-hole a bocly could be seen floating to and fro. The sum of i; 140 was found on tfhe bedy of a man who has not been identified. The police have now several sums of money aud a quantity of watches and jewellery awaiting identification and claimants. The funeral of Captain Laura Flavall, of the Salvation Army, took place on, Sunday, also that of Miss Williams, drowned at the wreok. The Newton Band pl&yed «« The Dead March " in "Saul" at. the head of the procession. Thousands lined the streets, and many of the survivors were present.