THE STRATHMORE.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 597, 18 May 1876, Page 3

THE STRATHMORE.

The following additional particulars with reference to the wreck of the Strathmore, are supplied by the Argus : The particulars of the wreck of the unfortunate Strathmore reached Melbourne by the previous mail, and the principal facts connected with the catastrophe, as well as the long sojourn on a barren island of the survivors until their rescue, are already well known to our readers. From the survivors who reached Melbourne on Saturday, however, we have been enabled to learn some additional details which will be of interest. Although several of the passengers had saved matches in their pockets there was at first great difficulty in obtaining a fire, as not the smallest piece of wood was to be seen. The only means of lighting a fire was by breaking up two'of the oars of the lifeboat, and these were accordingly sacri- i ficed. Some deck planks and other pieces of timber wore afterwards washed ashore, and they were similaily utilised. For food a number of albatrosses were easily killed and roasted. Like “ the beasts that roamed over the plain ” on the Selkirk’s Island, these birds were at first so “ unaccustomed to man” that they oifered an easy prey for some time, permitting themselves to be approached so close as to be knocked down with sticks. A fortnight’s acquaintance with humanity, however, rendered them more wary of its neighborhood, and after that time albatross became a rare dish. The shipwrecked thenceforth had to hunt for their breakfasts, and a rare job, one of them stated, ‘‘they had after the molly hawks and mutton birds.” These became also extremely shy of man’s approach, so that for nearly three days the forty-four unfortunate castaways—about three weeks after their wreck had to exist with scarcely any food. On a Sunday afternoon, however, some 200 or 300 strange birds were blown on to the island, and these wore soon killed or captured. So famished bad many of the men by this time become that some of them ate their captives raw, but most of them were roasted or else boiled in pots which were improvised from confectionary tins, which had been cast ashore. Fortunately, the sufferings of the shipwrecked people were not increased by a scarcity of water, as many pure springs were found on the island. Penguins were among the birds which afterwards formed the staple support of the people ; and penguin liefh, although somewhat of a fishy taste, did nob prove very unpalatable when xvoasted. Penguin eggs were also found in gr,aat numbers on the rocks early in the morning ; and this source of food was pretty constant, as frost, snow or rain notwithstanding, b.irds came and laid regularly on the rocks. Sometimes in wandering along the borders of the island, the men would disturb a flock of penguins, and on passing along where they had rested, a large number of freshly laid eggs would be found. The penguin®’ skins were also utilised, as when dried th’CJ made caps and shoes, which many of the men were much in want of. The fat w-as also boiled down to oil, with which a lamp was always kept burning when the -matches had been exhausted, the wick of the lamp being made fiotn. pieces of nutn’s shirts. The feathers and skins of birds' were also used for fires after their small supply of wood had been burnt. For the first few days the shipwrecked part y were absolutely without shelter from t he tempestuous weather, and this proved particularly trying to the only lady pa isenger saved, Mrs Wordsworth. A projecting rock of considerable length was at length discovered, however, not far from llho place of landing, and against this tu “loauto’s” were built with earth, stontes, Ac. Mrs Wordsworth and her son were) provided with a separate one, at some (listauce from the others, and it would appear that even when things were at their worst, the lady was, as might have ’oeen expected from a party of Englishmen, treated with special attention and well cared for. The conduct of the passengers is said to have been exceedingly good under the circumstances, considering that there was no attempt at order or arrangement. T'here was no recognised leader, and “every man for himself” was the only rule th roughout, but fortunately for a number ol the men who became ill through exposure, and wore therefore unable to hunt for thoi nselves, it was not strictly observed; as the strong were, in meet cases, found willing tt> share the proceeds of then hunting expedite jns with their weaker fclh.w castaways. The conduct of the crew, according to our in formant, was not so satisfactory. These ba ing in a small majority, and united together, s endered the passenger portion of the party somewhat afraid of them, and the latter hadf'to give wayon several occasions, in regard hi) parting with portions of their clothing, &G-, The crew were at first, in consequence *pf the supply of spirits, inclined to quarrel amongst themselves, and with the passenger* but no cases of actual violence occurred, .and the “ community of want” towards the s end of their island imprisonment, renderetf ihem more neighborly.

From the first, as might be expected, a very sharp watch was kept along the line of the horizon in hope of seeing a sail. A man was posted as a watch from morning till night on the summit of a high rock, the party taking this duty in turns. On the rock the mast of the lifeboat, with a blanket attached to it, was erected as a signal to any vessel which might come within sight of it. As day after day passed however, and no vessel approached—although several were seen on the horizon—the signal was felt to be insufficient to attract attention: The party then determined to build a tower sixteen feet wide and twenty five feet high, on which to plant the flag. They succeeded in getting the tower to a height of about eighteen feet, when the weather became so bad that they had to desist from this work. The mast and flag, however, were planted on this, and a man was detailed to watch there from daylight, until about ten or eleven o’clock in the morning, when another took his place till dark. During this time, one vessel came within three miles of the island, and the men believed she must have seen their signal*, but she steered off again, much to their disappointment. At length, on the 22nd January, the signal was espied by the look-out of the American whaler, Young PhcE'iix, and the vessel at once s'ood in for the island. By this time four men and a boy had died, and the survivors were in a very emaciated and pitiable condition. Although the Young Phoenix had nothing like a supply of provisions which would suffice for forty-four persons for any time, Oaptain Gifford determined to take all on board, in the expectation of meeting another vessel to which to tranship a number. Fortunately, five days afterwards, the Sierra Morena was met with, bound to Kurrachee, and to this vessel twenty were transhipped. The Sierra Morena having put into Galle for water, the rescued people landed, glad of being again on British soil. The inti Higence of their wreck, sufferings, and deliverance of course created a great sensation in the town, and sympathy of a practical sort was quickly manifested from all sides. The Resident Magistrate, Mr Mason, the Rev Mr Bentworth, the Church of England clergyman, and Messrs Dalmage, Reid, and Co, the agents of the Strathmore, took an active part in providing for their comfort and welfare. They were at once sent to a large boarding house, and a subscription opened for tin ir support, and a supply of clothing was quickly obtained. Of the survivors who lauded at Galle, twelve were passengers by the Strathmore, and eight men of the crew. The latter were sent back to England by the owners of the Strathmore. It was also proposed to send the passengers back, but the subscription raised was not sufficient for this purpose. The Rev Mr Bentworth then communicated with Sir Hercules Robinson, the Governor of New South Wales, and a promise was received from the Government of that colony to give employment to any of the shipwrecked passengers who were forwarded to Sydney, The eight ,steerage passengers took advantage of" this offer, and were taken on by the Bangalore, their passage being paid to Sydney by the Galle Government. Bach was presented with ten rupees on leaving Galle from the subscriptions which had been raised. The four others who had been cabin passengers, found means of returning to England. The twenty-four who had been left on board the Young Phoenix were shortly afterwards transferred by the whaler to a vessel named the Daytime, which took them to Rangoon. Three of these — two passengers and one of the crew afterwards reached Galle, and from them our informant received information that this detachment of survivors of the unfortunate Strathmore had been kindly treated on their arrival at Rangoon, and most of them sent back to England.