THE WRECK OF THE AEON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2315, 7 October 1908, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE AEON.

EXPERIENCES of THE CASTAWAYS.

THE CAPTAIN’S STORY. (Press Association.] AUCKLAND, October 6. ■ Mails from Fiji by the s-.s. Indravolli, which arrived this morning, contain full accounts of tlio experiences of the shipwrecked crow of tho Aeon, -aml Captain Downie, the master of tlio ill-fated .vessel, tolls tho following story:—“Up till July 16 we experienced very lino weather, and for tlio next two days had a strong south-east breeze. Tbe night of the 18th July was dark and cloudy. At 9.30 I had just left tlio bridgo and gained tho main deck when the telegraph rang ‘full speed astern,’ and the third mate, whoso watch it was, called out to me. I hurried back to tlio bridgo and saw a lino of breakers stretching right, ahead. The engines wore promptly reversed, but a strong current was bearing us inslioro, and at 9.34 wo ran on the coral rock, just as smooth and noiselessly as if we wore on a velvet cushion. In fact, no one who was below at tho time knew that wo had gono ashore, -and oven tli engineers never heard lior go on the rocks. I kept tlie engines running full speed astern for an hour and a-lutlf in the hope that -as tho tide rose wo might pull off. The wind, however, swung the vessel over broadsido on to tho reef, and as tho boilers were showing signs of lifting and tho stoim pipes were getting twisted, wo had at last to blow off steam pressure to avert an explosion. In tho meantime, we were busy getting the lee boats swung out and provisioned. and tho electric lights wore kopt going until 2 a.m., by which time our steam was exhausted. The conduct of the pissengors and crew was admirable. There was no fuss or excitement. Our women passengers kept quite cool. From tlio first I reckoned we had gono ashore on Christmas Island, and when day broke I soon satisfied myself that that was the place.

“The island is a. long, low coral rock, in the form of the letter H, the sides being about 40 miles long, bv 36 miles broad at the widest point. To be oxact, it is 45 miles from the eastern to the north-western point, and 35 miles from the south-eastern to the western point. The only vegetation is salt bush in clumps and tufts not more than 3ft high. A ridge of coarse white sand inarches with the shore a quarter of a mile inland. The place is utterly barren and desolate. It is a British possession, and I believe was discovered by Captain Cook on Christmas Day, 1.770. “Wo lay on the rocks about five miles up the bay, and within 200yds of the beach. I sent ashore the second mate and four or five men with a lino so that our boats might be pulled easily to and fro. As soon as this line had been made fast, we landed our women passengers, and then threw overboard a quantity of lumber. IVe got the two passengers who were handy at carpentering to fix up buildings for us, and the rest of us spent the day in getting our stores and other'necessaries, -as well as personal effects.. All hands worked willingly and with a cheerful spirit and great praise is due to the women for the fortitude they displayed. For the first couple of days all hands were engaged in taking our stores from the wreck and making things shipshape on shore with sail cloth and timber. Four little houses were put up, one building being set apart for a hospital, as Mrs. Patrick was approaching confinement. A platform with -a flagstaffiwvas also run up. The Chinese built a larger place for themselves away in a hollow a quarter of a mile distant from us, and subsequently added a little joss house, where, it is said, they held -a kind of service twice a day at meal times. IVe had a condenser on board, and. this was duly rigged up on shore the first day, along with our 200 gal sanitary tank, and from the condenser wo could rely upon getting 40gals of water a day, but we were saved evqn this trouble. Our old carnenter had a shrewd notion that fresh water might be found by digging down on the ridge of coarse, white sand, w-hicli lies about a quarter of a mile inland. Accordingly a well was sunk and, sure enough, at a depth of seven or eight feet a copious supply of good drinking water was found. This ridge of white sand was a natural fil-ter-bed, for while at low tide our well showed only a depth of say 18in, yet at high tido.it rose to quite 3 feet. The Chinese sank a well in their hollow, but as they only found brackish water they were, made welcome to -our supply. “After the first two days, we started to turn over the cargo in order to see what- provisions there were on hoard, and what else there might he that would he of practical use to us. “At this stage the Chinese sent their munbe-r 6 boatswain to inform me they were not prepared to work any longer—no work, no pay. It was idlo to remonstrate, for I knew some of them had bought revolvers in America., and so I made on reply. From that they kept to themselves, spending their days in fishing or lolling about, while the rest of us had so much to do that the hours sped quickly away, and although we usually had a game of cards at night 'and a little music, lights were nearly always out at 8 o’clock, and the next day always • began with breakfast at 7 o’clock.

“Twice -a week we had a gramophone concert. Mr. Hastie (fourth engineer), had a violin, and some of the -other officers sang, so that we did not altogether lack means of entertainment to divert our thoughts and keep up our spirits.” “As for food supplies, it was 'highly fortunate that we carried so much general merchandise. I reckon we had enough for 12 months, if used with judgment, but in order to run no risks, I started to distribute on the assumption that they would only last six months. The Chinese were put on 'half allowance, and came-along every morning for their proportion ; -while the rest of us -received our shares every Monday morning at 9.30. In addition, the sea teemed with fish and lobsters, which were easily caught among the rocks, -and the'seagulls were so tame that they came down and pecked at the women when they landed, and would not budge from' their nests until the eggs were being taken away from under them. You will see, therefore, that as fir -as our sustenance was concerned our minds were quickly relieved. In fact, we had plenty of dainties as well as plain food. There were tinned meats, cases of pigs’ feet in jelly, canned fish -and me it, and claret and other wines. The whisky was reserved for medical use.

.“The thing that caused me the greatest anxietv in these first days on our desert island was the means of getting safely away from it. True, we hid four boats and Fanning Island was only 196 miles distant, hut the rapid currents and the frequent rough weather rendered the experiment of working the passage by sail or oars a doubtful orie at best. There was, of course, a chance of a vessel coming along to rescue us. Although the island lay very low on the water, it was in the track of vessels running between ’Frisco and Samoa, and ive had the time-tables of steamers trading in these seas and adoiited. the plan of lighting bonfires at night whenever any of them happened to be about due, and on the flagstaff musignal of distress was constantly flying. It did not cheer us up much to know that, other shipwrecked people had been there before us, for their memorials avero their graves. About a dozen of them were found and the vestiges of at least four w recks at. as many different, point along the beach. The oldest was a New Bedford ship dating back to 1829. For the first fortnight, we were busily engaged from daylight till dark in fixing things and' repairing our boats, which consisted of two life-boats and two gigs. The two life-boats hid been stove in in several places at the time of the wreck. In looking over the ship’s manifest, I found, to our oreat delgiht, that we had a number of oil engines and electric batteries on board for motor launches. There wore about a dozen of them consigned to Auckland and several for Sydney ,lmt most of the cargo had; to be turned over before we came to the

Mat tories. At -last wo lighted, upon one of'4 h.-p., and sot about rigging it- up an one of our life-boats. In tlio fourth week from the shipwreck we woro ready to start ill our improvised launch and about 9 or 10 n.:m. on tho 17tli of August, which was the first fine day after completing our preparations, I sot off, along with tlio Second mate, tho chief engineer, and tho third engineer. Tho first anil third mates and tlio second and fourth ongineors wore left to look 'after our settlement, t lio first day out the engine broke down and the party had to return to Christmas Island. A few weeks later they set out again and tlvis time reached Fanning Island, whore the Manuka was mot with and, proceeding to Christmas Island, picked up tho castaways.” THE AEON’S MAILS. [Press Association.] AUCKLAND, October 0. The mails which tvoro'taken off the shipwrecked steamer Aeon arrived in Auckland this morning from Fiji, by tho s.s. Indravelli. It is found that a conaidor-ablo portion of tho iuulil matter has been damaged by water. This will necessitate delay in delivery for a d ly or two in order to overhaul and make some -attempt at drying the sodden letters and papers.