Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1979, 15 January 1907, Page 4

WRECK OF THE ELVERLAND. SEVEN DAYS ON THE THREE KINGS. (N.Z. Herald.l Captain Savory and the crow of tlio bnrqnontino Elverland, wrecked at tlio Throo Kings on tlio 29th nit., arrived at Auckland from Honhora in the Apanui. Several of tlio men wore very poorly clothed and sliooless, and they appeared to lmvo had a very had time, especially those who wore left on the Throo Kings. Tlio story of tlio wreck has boon told already, and apart from tlio oificial report there is lint little more to bo said about it. Tlio experiences of tlio soainon is another story. RESCUE BY THE APANUI. Captain R. 11. Gibbons, of tlio Northern Company’s steamer Apanui, said: “We left Auckland on Thursday last at noon, and reached Honhora at 10 a.m. on Friday. Shortly after arrival news was received that a shipwrecked crow had landed on the outside of tlio bay, and some time afterwards Capt. Savory and his men came on board of the Apanui. We then went on in tlio steamer to Waiharara, where I received instructions to return to Houliora, and proceed to tlio, Three Kings. Taking on board Cap lain Savory and his men, wo loft past nine p.m. for the Three Kings, and reached the Great King at eight a.m. on Saturday. Captain Savory and two of the men then went on shore in tlio Apanui’s dingey, but found tlio camp, wlidro tlio other sailors had been, deserted. A notico was, however, found tacked on to an empty case, stating that the men had been taken off the island by Captain McKenzie, of the auxiliary schooner Huia, which was making a search for the gold lost in the wreck of the Elingamito, and that tlio Huia was bound for the West King. Wo then took the Apanui in that direction, and soon came in sight of the Huia, and communication being established botwoen the two vessels the crew of tlio Elverland were transferred to tlio Apanui, and a start made at half-past nine a.m. for Houliora, which place was called at on Sunday. After calling at Waiharara we camo on to Auckland.”

CAPTAIN SAVORY’S STORY. Captain Savory, who is naturally very much upset over the loss of his vessel, in which he had an interest, had very little more to say concerning the casualty other than what hail already appeared. “When the vessel was found in such close ’.proximity to tho Three Ivinas, and with no wind and a heavy swell sotting on to tho island, which was carrying the vessel on to tho land, tho boats were got out, and an attempt made to tow the vessel off. Working as hard as they could at the oars, the men could only keep tho barquentine along tho land, as the swell kept setting hor on all tlio time. Alter about tlirdfc hours’ work a light breeze sprang up, and ono boat's crew were put on board of tho Klverland, leaving the other boat’s crew still towing the vessel. Sail was sot, and tho Riverland gradually worked olf the land, and the others wore taken on board. Shortly afterwards it was found that the vossel was leaking badly, and an examination disclosed tho fact that tho rudder had been unshipped and the stern damaged. One of the pinnacle rocks, in the vicinity of tho island, had evidently been struck. Finding that there was very little possibility of saving the barquentine, they worked her in as close to the island as possible, so as to save the crow the labor of rowing. All landed safely on the Grout King on December 29th. “A main camp was formed, and after consultation it was decided that as tho weather was none too promising for a boat to make tho mainland, two parties should bo formed, ono to go to one end of the island and one to tho other end, and light large fires so as to attract tho attention of any passing vessel. On the 30th tho parties started, but the night was very stormy, with heavy rain, and a miserable night was spent tho men getting in a little shelter under the bush. “Returning to the camp that day, as the weather was finer, tho boat was launched, and the captain and five of the crew started for the mainland. It was u long journey, but the weather proved fine. They intended to land at Parengarenga, but found a heavy sea breaking on tho beach, and decided to go on to Houhora, where they landed on the outsido of tho bay. A Maori was despatched to the settlement with the news of the casualty, and they then went to Houhora, where they arrived fairly fagged out with their trying experiences. The settlers gave every assistance, and Captain Savory and the crew were extremely thankful for the kindness shown them.”

A SEA BIRD DIET. Those loft behind on the Great King wore: James Chambers, mate; W. Blandford, A.B. ; S. Breeze and S. Douglas, O.S. ; IV. Farrell, boy; and IV. H. Blackburne, cook and steward. The story as told by the latter follows:—“When we found that it was time to leave her, we put all the stores wc could get together into two boats. The captain then told us that wo would have to make for the islands. We had a hard job to land as the seas wero breaking badly round the rocks. The boats got very much knocked about. Our boat was stove in, as you can see. We .brought her down with up. The other boat was left behind at Jlouhora. She was too badly knocked about to bring on. Well, when we got on shore we had the provisions shared out —one biscuit per day per man—and some of the biscuits were not fit to cat, as they got wet. They wore small cabin biscuits. Wo had a little jam and a littlo tea and sugar. We found a good spring of water on the island ; but wo were all on very short commons. However, nobody complained. It rained a good deal, pretty well all the time, but we were able to get a fire, but after very groat difficulty. Wc luckily saved an iron bucket. That’s what wo made the tea in. A young chap named Blandford, who comes from Dunedin, went up the hill and got some sea birds and some eggs. These we enjoyed very much. Fishy? Well, ours weren’t. Wc roasted ’em; but those who boiled ’em said they wore rather strong. Anyhow, the birds and the eggs wore a godsend.” “Did you save anything?” the steward was asked. “Not a thing. I’m wearing a borrowed coat, and, as you see, I’ve got no boots.” “What did you think when the captain’s boat put off to seek assistance?”

“Well, wo thought we’d get off somehow. It was very bad in the rain. We got very cold indeed, and the want of proper food made us feel the cold the more. Some of the hoys stopped down on the rocks in a kind of cave, hut it did not go in far enough to keep the rain off us. Some others went up on to the hill. Wo wore all together on the rocks for live days, aiid then the captain left ns as much to oaf as he could, and a boat. We saw the schooner Huia on Friday, and went oif to her in our boat. One of the chaps shouted out, ‘Here’s a ship come to take us off/ but this was not so, for the Huia was there in connection with the wreck of the Elingamito. They treated us very well on hoard, and wa stayed there until next day, Saturday, when the Apanui came to take us off. They gave us plenty of food on the Huia, but they had no clothes to give us.” A LONG ROW. P. Muleahy, one of the seamen who went in the open boat to seek assistance at Houliora, said: “We had an anxious time in the boat, because wo did not know where we were going to pick up 1 he land. We hoped we would he picked up by some vessel, hut we saw nothing. When we got to Houliora the people wore very kind to us all. Everybody on board the'Apanui was kind, too.” “Yes, that’s quite right,” chimed in some others of the seamen.

“As for the ship,” continued Mulcnhy, “she just went down like a stone. We could- tell by the rate of the water she was making that there was not much chance of her keeping afloat, but wo only got away in-time, and we could not save any of our belongings.” WHAT THE COOK DID. S. Douglas, who was among the seamen left on the island, said, “The cook and steward made us very comfortable so far as the tucker went. He knows how to cook sea birds. We did not iind ours tough or strong. It was a Dunedin chap who thought of the birds arid the eggs. We were very glad to see the Huia, and they did all they could for us. They say there’s wild celery on the island. We saw nothing in the shape of vegetables to eat. The worst of it was the rain that put the fire out some times, and we could not keep warm or dry. Wo just aired ourselves at the fire as well ns wo. could,”