THE PATIKI DISASTER

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2050, 10 April 1907, Page 1

THE PATIKI DISASTER

Almost the first words spoken by Pilkingttm when lie got aboard the scow were, “Give me fresh water.’' Ha was, said Captain Burke, rj; it* conscious all the time, bat it was evident that he had suf-ied great ir.ei.tal distress. The canvi. l did i:..l ir n ediately give him load, r.-il li'a-l him taken into the cabin, rubbed down, and generally revived, and put into a bunk. “His hands,” said the captain, “were as white as a sheet, as also were bis feet, aud bis

I mouth was absolutely raw. He was in a bad state, but lie must 'have the constitution of a horse to have stood all he did.” After receiving hot cofi'oe, and changing his clothes, Mr. Pilkington pulled together very quickly. Ho would not eat much, but was craving for water. AVhen discovered the unfortunate man was wearing only a singlet, the remains of a pair of pants, and an oilskin coat, while around his head was a piece of jersey. AVhon asked if Pilkington spoke much on the scow, the captain said lie did not encourage him to do so, knowing himself too well what must have been the thoughts and desires of n man who had lost two sons. Howovor, said tho captain, at different, times during the day he would refer briofly to the affair. Ho once said, referring to the son who died in his arms, “I held on to the little fellow as long as 1 could, but tho waves wore washing' clean over me, and there were five or six sharks about; I had nothing to defend us from them ;then I had to throw the little chap overboard.” Pilkington also said that lie had washed his mouth out with salt water, and while doing so thought someone advised him not to drink it.

“It was a pitiful sight, and only those who have been in somewhat like circumstances can fully realise tho anguish through which the man fought,” said tho captain, “and I believe that had be been adrift anther four hours at the most lie would have been settled. There was a hot sun, and this would have had the most deadly effect upon him if nothing else had. -As it was he must have pased through sufficient to kill most men', but he has evidently a wonderful constitution. He was, when we picked him up. some seven miles outside of Tiri .and was drifting out to sea. Had it not been for the fact that the-pa tiki had no ballast in her, she would certainly have sunk long before.”