WRECK OF THE KARRAKATTA.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 79, 11 April 1901, Page 3

WRECK OF THE KARRAKATTA.

AN UNCHARTED ROCK. TIMELY RESCUE BY THE ALTO. Perth, March 25. The schooner Alto, Captain Frank Biddles, master, arrived at Broome, tin’s morning, froip Cygnet Bay, having on board 121 shipwrecked people, being al- I most all the officers, passengers, crew. I and including Mrs Ramsay, the stewardess of the AV.A.S.N. Company’s steamer Karrakn.Ru, bound .from Fremantle to Singapore. After * domino oor ok kino’s sound, and rounding Swan Point, the Alto found j the Karrakatta nearly submerged, the I water being over the promenade deck, j The Karrakatta,’s boats shortly afterwards ! wore descried on a sandbank, where, it I transpired, all hands had landed. The ! Karrakatta flow signals n[ distress, “ R O . j quire assistance.” ' The Alto sailed close ! up and sent a boat, which brought hack ' Captain Talboya, who reported having an- ; chorcd on the evening of March 26, at six ! o’clock pan., near Cape T.ovique, and got j under way again at half-past nine, with qj tlood tide. He then steamed the usual j course to round Swan Point. At five I minutes to ten Till-; STEAM IS n, STRUCK what was evidently a EpinMaplo- rock, un- j known and uncharted, where she luing ! about an hour with a big list to port. At j eleven, she. gave to the tide, and swung | round on the rock, and immediately started to settle down, sinking with such rapidity that the water was blown forcibly up through the ventilators. The captain had ordered the boats to bo lowered, and hung alongside when she first struck, and now gave the command to all hands to take to the boats. The tide wa3 running with terrific speed, and the boats were afraid to cast off. They hung alongside till four u.m., in spito of the imminent peril and the danger of a further collapse of the vessel through pressure of the tide, in which case not the strongest swimmer could have reached land.

WONDERFUL COOLNESS prevailed, and with the good example of Captain Talboys before them, all did what they eon Id to get a lirilc provender and water in the boats. Much credit is due to the colored people, who composed the largo' majority of both crew and passengers, for their willingness and amenity to discipline. Mr Day (the purser), nobly assisted by Air Broadfoot (one of the engineers), was meanwhile making strenuous efforts to rescue the mails by diving into the mnilroom, which was almost full of water, only about a foot of air remaining between the surfabc ami ceiling. They managed to saviThlAyPpept three small bags. Mr Day also recovered by diving into his own room a box containing all ship's books and papers. All hands, however.

LANDED PRACTICALLY AS THEY STOOD, mostly destitute. A r ery little personal effects were saved. Daylight found 129 souls stranded on a desert sandy island off Swan Point, with little food or water, and but for the happy arrival of the Alto, a miserable time stared them in the face. Mr Hillman, the ciiief officer, and Mr Rowell, the third engineer, had started to walk across country to Cygnet Bay, hoping to find a pearling fleet and procure assistance ; but on the way they met a friendly native, who stated that the boats were all out for the new season. The walking party then turned back. Captain Talboys arranged with Captain Biddles to take the passengers and crew to Broome, and THE ALTO STARTED on the 2Sth, having on board 146 all told, including stewardess and five women passengers. Captain Talboys, and Mr AVills, the chief engineer, and the second officer remained behind to look after the wreck. The general opinion is that the Karrakatta is a total wreck, and a menace to litigation.