WRECK OF LA BELLA

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1600, 13 November 1905, Page 2

WRECK OF LA BELLA

SEVEN LIVES LO3T.

FIVE SURVIVORS. By telegraph, Preaa Abb’o* Copyright - ' Melbourne, Nov. 11. Late last night the lightkeeper at Warrnarhbool reported that a vessel was on thß reef a quarter of a mile off the breakwater. Her identity has not definitely been ascertained. She is bolieved to be the barquentine La Bella, timber laden, from Kaipara. Seas ate breaking over her, aod she is rolling heavily. A boat sent to her assistance retarned early this morniDg, ana reported that though shouts were hoard from the wreck they were unable to get dose enough to distinctly hear or ecb if anyone was aboard. 1 However, they thought they saw six or seven men clinging to the rigging. When the vessel was first seen the masts were standing. The fore and mainmast have since carried away. The ship is on her beam ends. A lifeboat was despatched to the scene, and has not returnod yet. The La Bella carries a orew of ten.

Received 5.11 p.m., Nov. 11. Sydney, November 11. Warrnambool reports that the La Bella has broken up and is lying on her side, very little being visible. Five of the orew were saved, including the captain. Seven were drowned.

RESCUE OF SURVIVORS.

' ’ ,1 iH i-i I HEROIC. FISHERMAN.

ipUTS LIFEBOAT GREW TO SHAME

By telegraph, Preaa Ass’n, Copyright j Reoeived 7.80 p.m., Nov. 11. Melbourne, Nov. 11. Goalson and Jackman, residents of Auckland, and Johnson, a New Zealander, were drowned. The others drowned were mostly residents of Melbourne. The survivors are: Captain Myluss, the seoond mate Robinson, and seamen Bosenholme, Noako, and Payne. THE VESSEL STRIKES. The La Bella struck half a mile off the breakwator at 10 last night, and went to pieoes daring the morning. A lifeboat went off twice daring the early morning to resoue the men who were clinging to the rigging, but owing to the heavy sea was unable to reaoh the vessel. PERIL OF SURVIVORS.

Tho survivors were seen at daylight, clustering on the forecastle, over which heavy seas occasionally broke. The ship rolled tremendously, bumping heavily on the rooks. Subsequently the lifeboat again went out under command of Pilot Roe. FRANTIC SIGNALS. The men on the La Bella signalled frantically for help. I The vessel swerved round, with her bow seawards. The breakers then struck her broadside on. THE LIFEBOAT STOPS. The lifeboat stopped 200 yards from the La Bella, the pilot considering it impossible for the craft to live in the breakers. FERRIER THE HERO. William Ferrier, a fisherman, in a dinghy went right into the billows. Two of the orew sprang from the wreok. Ferrißr rescued one, who proved to be the captain. The lifeboat pieked up the seoond swimmer, aud then got nearer the vessel, on whioh two men were still seen. One sprang overboard, and after swimming 80 yards got aboard the lifeboat.

ANOTHER MAN SAVED. Ferrier, having landed the oaptain, retarned in his dinghy, and Beulled to the stern of the ill-fated vessel, whioh was almost down to the water’s edge, and brought off tho second man, who was almost exhausted. Reoeived 4.39 p.m., Nov. 12. The seaman of the La Bella drowned was Harry Willson, not Harry Watson. The name of the man given as Robert is Robert'Gont. Both belong to Melbourne.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. By ) telegraph, IJress Aea’n, Copyright Received 12.31 a.m., Nov. 13. Melbourne, Nov. 12. Details of the La Bella so far are meagre, and fail to show how the disaster actually occurred. A heavy sea was running, but the night is described as dear moonlight. After the lifeboat had made two futile attempts at reßoue, Pilot Roe took it out a third time at three o’clock, and stood by till daylight, returning to tho breakwater at 5 a.m. without having been able to render assistance. Two subseqoenl attempts to throw a line over the La Bella also failed, owing to tbe distance. Breaker after breaker submerged the ship, &ad but that tbe crow were lashed- they must ell have been swept off. As the vessel settled down she swerved to seaward and was thrown on her beam :ends, exposing those in the forecastle to the foil broadside of the sweep of the sea, and the lessened size of tbe group showed that some of tbe doomed orew had been washed off. Gradually the remainder of the men made their way to a higher point ,on the vessel. As the morning advanced a crowd gathered on the wharf bad to helplessly watebi the frantio signals of those on the wreck for help. The life-boat went out, but again, owing to the heavy sea, was unable to approach sufficiently to respond to the: piteous cries for sucoour. At this stage Ferrier made gallant efforts, which resulted in the rescue of five survivors. Only by splendid seamanship was he able to steer his frail diogy, propelled by a single oar astern, amid the angry rollers. After rescuing the oaptain he stripped off his guernsey and gave it to the oaptain, brought him ashore, and returned and brought off the last man. His repeated aofis of venturesome heroism were loudly cheered. Ferrier is a fisherman, 25 years of age, and married.