A BARQUE ASHORE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2133, 16 July 1907, Page 3

A BARQUE ASHORE.

ONE MAN DROWNED. Press Association. WELLIN GTON, V eatorday. Nows has been received that the barque Woollhara, 942 tons, which left Wellington yesterday bound lor Kaipara anil Sydney, is ashore m the vicinity of Capo Teruwhiti. The Woollhara struck the rocks about 300 hundred yards off tho shore at midnight, (luring a heavy rain storm. f'lie lilobout was swung out, but was smashed by a falling mast. On the advice of Captain Anderson, the ollicors and crow stuck to the ship for somo time. At the end oi four hours nil on board, with the exception of tho captain and tivo able seamen, named McN aught on and King left the shit) in a dinghy, which junto to gi'iol on a rock about- 100 yards off tho beach. Some of tho men swam from there to tho shore, taking •.vith thorn n rope, by means of which the others were hauled ashore ; Subsequently King and McNaughton jumped overboard and started to swim to the beach. King landed safely but McNaughton stopped on a rock half-way and has not been scon since.

'file captain declined to leave the vessel, but it is not yet known whether ho is still alive.

The Marino Department sent tho steam tug Duco to tho scene of the wreck at noon with food and clothing for the shipwrecked men. A supply of provisions has also been sent by i pack-horse in case the Duco cannot effect a landing.

SAILOR’S GRAPHIC STORY. HARD EXPERIENCES. WELLINGTON, last night. Tho two men who had walked to Island Bay from the sceno of the wreck were Parsonson and McPhee, who were amongst tho first to get ashore. Parsonson told the story of tho night’s experiences in an exceptionally concise way, whilst McPhee dropped in an occasional word. H© said the weather was fine from the run out from Wellington yesterday morning, along the coast during the afternoon and evening, with a fresh breeze blowing. Late at night the wind freshened still more. A heavy sea was running and towards midnight a rainstorm came along. “We (McPhee and I) were having a wash below at the time and don’t know just how it came about, but at midnight we heard die cry ‘Breakers ahead!’ and then the ship struck. She had struck seve nil times when wo reached the deck \\ o swung the lifeboat out ready for lowering so that we could leave the ship at short notice, but the captain (Anderson) advised not to leave the ship but to stand by until daylight if we could hang out that long. We decided to do so.” Continuing lrs story Parsonson said: “The mizzenmast- was carried away at about 1.3 C o’clock. This misfortune resulted in the smashing of the lifeboat. The

"row got the dingy over the side ready for escape. Then all hands, excepting VlcNalighten, who was forward, wenf into the aft cabin of the ship. At l his time she was laboring heavily and tho sea was breaking aft. The baraue had apparently- struck upon a ragged outer reef.” The next incident that impressed itself upon the mind of the narrator was the carrying away of tho foremast, which occurred about 4 o’clock. The mast snapped off just above the deck. The barque had been making a list to starboard all the time and as this became more and more accentuated it was decided to take the boat and get ashore. It was about 5 o’clock that the dinghy was lowered and launched. The only other boat left was deemed too heavy to swing off and handle under the circumstances. Just before the men

took to the boat the -spanker gaff was carried away. "When the boat was successfully lowered everybody on board got into her excepting the captain and two A.B.’s (McNaughten and King), who stayed on board with the captain. The latter was urged by the men to abandon the wreck but he could ‘not be persuaded to do so. He declared that he would stick to the barque to the last. Following were the men who got into the dinghy so far as Parsonson and McPhee could remember the names:—Foote (chief officer), Goff (second mate), Jorgensen, Mylius, Dickson, Moor, Parsonson, McPhee and another A. 8., the cook, two boys (Joynt and Felton) and the cabin boy. The dinghy, after getting over about 200 yards of water struck on an inner reef. The men who could -swim landed on the beach, which was about 100 yards away, and those who could not clambered on to the rocks. A line was passed from the scene of the dinghy’s wreck to the shore and all hands then got to the beach. About this time the vessel began to break up badly,. so the two A.B.’s who had stayed on the barque with the captain decided to Hike for the shore and undertook the difficult task. King reached the beach in pretty good condition, but McNaughten stopped half-way. King’s last sight of his shipmate being when McNanghten climbed on an intercepting reef. This left the captain the only man on the ship, and he, with McNaughten, was the only person missing. The chief officer having called a muster on shore the crew then (just after 5 o’clock) spread along the beach and called in stentorian tones for McNaughten, but there was no response. The barque had her back broken, the jib-boom had carried away and she was all but gone when Parsonson and McPhee started on their long and rough walk to town. Concluding his statement Parsonson said:—“We exhibited lights and flares and fired rockets during the night from the ship. We also soaked a straw mattress with kerosene and set fire to it as a signal, but we saw no ship. There was no help from ashore. When we got on the beach some of the men scattered over the country to look for a house hut none of us succeeded in finding one. McPhee and I left the party just before daylight and the crew were then in good health. Ido not think any rescue party can get round with help by way of the beach for during our walk wo had on one occasion to wade up to our breasts through water. These two sailors were looking none the worse for their rough night’s ex oeriences and were making for' the Duco to go out with the rescue party The Woollhara was an iron barque

of 974 tons, built at Sunderland ir--1875 by Messrs. Osbourn, Graham and Co. She was owned by Tne Woollhara Shipping Co. of Sydney and her principal dimensions were: Length 202 ft 4ins, beam 33ft, 6 ills, depth 20ft 4ins. The wrecked barque was a well-known Strahan trader and had just completed discharge of a cargo of Newcastle coal for S. Brown, Ltd She was on her way to Australia via Kaipara to load another cargo of coal for Wellington. The tug Dnco was despatched for tlio scene of the wreck soon after midday. and in addition the Marine Department have sent pack-horses alone the coast from Island Bay laden with refreshments for the shipwrecked crew. During the time the Wooll liar:i was on her last voyage from Newcastle to Wellington a report war circulated that she had been wrecked near Kaipara. This report proved to be incorrect, but the fate of the vessel has apparently been scaled this time.

THE MATE’S STORY.

WELLINGTON, last night. The mate and the second mate of tlio Woolhara state that the captain wanted to stick to the ship until daylight, and when the crew left lie was in a cabin with tliroo feet oi water around him. He seemed heartbroken. As the men unhooked the davit-falls of the gig and shoved off the'ship was breaking to pieces. The- could hear the plates cracking. A. seamau named McN a lighten kept in tlio fore part of tlio ship, but when the crow were leaving one ot his shipmates dragged him out of the rorecastle. They reached the bulwarks just as the gig broke loose and jumped for it. McNaughton was never seen again. As soon as a landing was effected tlio mate mustered the men and found the captain and McNaughten missing. Some of them went inland a little and discovered the McMenamin homestead, where they wero treated with great hospitality. Being refreshed they commenced to walk around the beach to Island Bay and the city. Whon they left the ship lay pounding on the rocks. The port side was buckled up liko a carrot, says the mate. She looked as if sho had been sawn in two. Captain Andresen was 46 years ot age. He leaves a widow and four sons. Ho was 14 years master of the barque Elizabeth Graham, and had been on tlio Woollhara 18 months. Following are the names of the survivors: Foote (first mate), Gough (second mate), McFie, Parsonson, Jorgensen, Moore, Dixon, Kruseh, Mylius, King, Jovnt, -Felton (seamen’' Pabst (cook), and a cabin boy. The tug Duco steamed around to Terawhiti this afternoon. On the beach in a little inlet four miles south-east of the cape stood the shell of tlio barque’s stern, almost high and dry. A little distance away was a piece of the stem with tlio stump of the jibboom pointing southward. This jetsam was all.that remained of tlio. "Woollhara. The wreckage was being pounded by heavy combersi

The beach was strewn with wreokago. Thoro was hardly anything more than three foot in length ovoiythiiig had been smashed to matchwood. THE INSURANCES. United Press Association—Copyright Received July 10, 0.38 a.m. SYDNEY, July 15. The Woollhara is partly insured in local offices.