KIA-ORA’S RETURN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XII, Issue 1081, 24 December 1903, Page 2

KIA-ORA’S RETURN.

DEATH OF MR BUCKERIDGE,-

A' TERRIBLE .VOYAGE,

The yacht Kia-Ora, which set out for London, via Cape Horn, returned to port yesterday. Two crave men left Gisborne by the little boat. Only one came back —llic other’s life of adventure had ended by burial at sea.

The yacht, of which so-called experts had j/iadc so many criticisms, had proved a craft of splendid seagoing qualities, and but for the mishap terminating in the death of the master, there was every reason to hope that the perilous voyage would aave been accomplished in safety. “ It’s a fishing boat,’’ exclaimed a passenger cm the Tarawera yesterday morning, as the yacht Kia Ora was sailed up alongside, and such was the general impression. Some, indeed, paid no more .heed to the matter, and it was not until afterwards they heard that it was the yacht which had set out on the extraordinary voyage ; and also that there was a sad tale to tell, of the death of Mr Buckeridge. A Times’ representative happened to be on hoard the Tarawera, and of course with other Gisbornites, was at once able to- distinguish the little vessel in- which Messrs Buckeridge and Sowden had set out from Gisborne.

As Mr Sowden got on to the steamer, his appearance betrayed some of the inlense suffering that he had experienced. The Times’ representative at once .sought an interview with Mr Sowdcn, hut little information of a coherent character could he obtained at that stage. The young man was in a highly-strung nervous condition, and beyond the information that Mr Uuekeridge was dead little more could then he obtained. Mr Sowden was in such a condition that it would not have been fair just, then to press for further information, and Ihe repoi'ter desisted for the time being. The yacht was taken in tow by the Tawera and brought into tire river about half-past six. The flags at half-mast at once attracted attention, and soon flags in town were half-masted in token of respect to •the memory of the brave man who had left on November 2G, being then in the best of health. On arrival at the wharf, Mr Sowden was taken to Mr Frank’s house, and after a rest and a bath lie was much, refreshed, and came into town again. Though he had at first been inclined to-be reticent, he was now ready to answer any question. As our readers are aware, the yacht set out from Gisborne on the evening of November 26th, those on hoard being Horace Uuekeridge, formerly of the Tililrum, and G. 11. Sowden, formerly fourth officer of the steamer Niwaru. Efforts to block the departure of the yacht failed, and sailing ostensibly for Wellington, it was an open secret that it was intended to shape the course for London, via Cap® Horn.A large number of people bade farewell to the two men and their little craft. A start was made in bad weather, hut the yacht proved a splendid boat and good running was made, the first news of her being brought by the steamer Toroa, which •had sighted the Kia-Ora passing the .Chatham Islands. The only record kept was pencilled lines on the wall o r tilie cabin. “ Left Gisborne Thursday 26th. The wind was choppy. Steered S.E. •f.” iA. like report was given for the Friday and Saturday.- On Sunday, 29th, the direction was S.E. Crossed the meridian 180.” Thus there were two Sundays. Tuesday, loth, reads: ‘‘■27l miles from Gisborne.” On the 16th, there was no record ; hut on the 17th it was : “ 267 miles.’s There the record ended. \ r The Mahia was sighted on Sunday. Thereafter Mr Sowde.n’s narrative in reply to questions may be given.:— “ Though the weather had been bad all had gone well until the time of the accident. The yacht bad proved herself in a way that gave us complete satisfaction—--Bho bad gone though the heavy weatbor splendidly. Wo wore in the best of spirits and health, and both quite confident of reaching London. We saw nothing until sighting the Cbathams, which greatly interested me, although Buckeridge, who was eager to reach Cape Horn as soon as possible, did not take much interest in the sighting of the Chatham Islands. I heard first to-day of tbo Toroa sighting us ; we did not see the steamer.

“ When the accident occurred wo bad been running before the wind. I had received a nasty knock on the side of the heard from the boom, and was lying down, Buckeridge was on deck taking in sail. A rope had apparently fouled, and he climbed the maßt to get it clear. He fell and struck his chest on the deck, This I think was on December 3rd, at about 8 in the evening. No, I did not 6oe him fall. I was lying down. He came below and complained of a pain in the chest where he had fallen. I helped to take off his wet clothes. He was in agony then. We were over 300 miles south-oast of the Chathams, and as the gale continued her head was kept to it, and we both lay down side by side in the small cabin, wedged together in order to keep the boat steady, as she was lurching with the heavy seas which were sweeping over her. She was running before the gale when the wind turned round, and the waves were coming right over her. The next day Buckeridge

complained of his chest being painful, and at 12 I woke up and found him dead. We were lying together at the time. Buckeridge had no thought of dying, and I did not dream that his end was near. He did not look that bad. We had two accidents previous to this, and I had been hit on the head with the boom. It was about 30 hours after the accident that Buckeridge must have died. It must have been through internal injuries. We were sleeping side by side during the gale, but ho died without making any movement or any request or statement. He told mo about the accident and complained of the paiD, but otherwise never spoke to me, and he simply seemed to think it was one of the ordinary accidents that we had met with.

“ My plight after his death was a very trying one. I was much affected by it, and seemed quite muddled. I hove-to on the 4th, and remained until the sth. We had then gone about 800 miles. On the 6th I decided to make straight back for New Zealand. The wind was favorable, an unusual thiDg in that course. On Monday, the 7th, at 7.15 a.m., I buried Buckeridge’s body at sea. The body was too much for me to lift out —he was a man of 13st, and it was necessary to rig up tackle to hoist it out. I gave a short service ove’r it, and committed it to the deep, weighted with what pieces of chain and iron I could spare. “ It was also necessary to throw over a quantity of provisions, and all the fresh food had gone bad owing to the stuffy condition of the cabin.

“ I did not sight the Chathams on the return journey, and the Kai-Ora must have passed a good deal south of them. I had the idea of making my way north, and, if possible, to get into the truck of the boats. First, I endeavored to reach Lyttelton, but when 1 failed to do this I tried ,for Gisborne and Auckland. It is about 800 to 1000 miles from where the accident happened, but I travelled six times that distance in my efforts to get here, being blown first this way and that. Fortunately, tho prevailing winds were generally favorable, and I managed to at last strike the Mahia. During those 18 days I had very little sleep, itud have but a faint recollection of each day’s events. I was continually at the tiller or the lines, steering the yacht. Sometimes I would wake up with a start and find by the compass that I must have fallen off for a brief time. I was watching tho compass for the whole of the 18 days. Sometimes I was ready to give up hopes of ever reaching land, and even when I got to the coast the Kia-Ora was battling about for two days before I got into the bay. I was in that opeDiDg at the Mahia on Sunday, and was becalmed one day between Mahia and I Young Nick’B Head. Yesterday I tried to I enter the bay, but although it was westerly

‘n the bay it was north-easterly outside. I was under Young Nick’s Head yesterday, and wont out to the Ariel reef, and was off the bay last night. I thought of beaching the yacht in the hope of saving myself, but I wanted to save the boat as well, and I stuck to my intention to bring her in.. I managed to get into the bay this morning at three boiure the Union boat arrived. About 3.30 last evening I saw a scow (3}to Haere) puss in, and tried to attract her attention, but without success.”

Allll now that you arc back ? “ No more, sea for me,” replied Mr bowden. “ I never did like it very much. I engaged with Mr Buekcridge for the trip, but that is not to be. We were as happy as could be until the mishap, and the boat was doing a capital run.” (Questioned on the subject of provisions, Mr Sowden said that for the

last IS davs he had lived on granosc •biscuits obtained from Mr W. .1. Cox, and honey and liincjuicc. Nautical men marvel at tip yacht having been aide to return, and said that one might get there thousands of times and not get hack, the winds being nearly always westerly. Mr Sowden is 20 years of age, and Mr Buckeridge was 28. lie wctu to sea in 1890, coming out to New Zealand in the same year. He served his

time “ wind jamming ” in a coupie of sailing ships trading on the American coast. Then lie went ’to Thursday Island, and spent a couple of years in pearl fishery, and also travelled through New Guimia- On the outbreak of the Boer war, lie went to South Africa and joined .Tiiomeycrofrs Horse and the Imperial Mounted Infantry. Buckeridge went to the Antarctic with the Discovery, and after returning joined Captain Voss with tile Tilikum. As Voss decided not to go round Cape Horn, Buckeridge determined to attempt the experiment, and Tor this purpose had the Kia-Ora built at ■Auckland. During liis stay at Auckland, Buckeridge visited Rotorua,and put in a little spare time in navigating the Waimangu geyser with Warbrick. Shortly afterwards, the explosion occurred by which three lives ■were lost. He brought the Kia-Ora down to Gisborne, as lie. considered this port was the best, being"!- the most easterly, from which to start on his journey.: On first setting out ■with 1 lie vessel she was nearly wrecked. The cruise of the Kia-Ora ‘is a tribute to the capabilities o£ the builders, Bailey and Lowe. The yacht, though condemned by nautical men, proved herself a capital vessel, and looks as well to-day as when she left the builders’ hands in Auckland.