THE BARQUE MESSENGER.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1747, 25 September 1879, Page 3

THE BARQUE MESSENGER.

[By. Tblbobaph.] KELSON, September 24. The Bteamer-liady Barkley arrived at midnight with the Messenger's crew, who had been at the Lighthouse since Friday night. It appeared the vessel missed stays and went ashore, and, owing to the heavy sea, the crew had to leave. Captain Wills reports:—The Messenger was a barque of 825 tons, owned by O. W. Turner, Chrietchurch, and insured in the New Zealand office for £3OOO. She left Lyttelton for Newcastle- in ballast on the 11th instant, and was knocking about the straits, with northerly winds until Thursday last, when she stood down towards the Spit. At 6 p.m. tacked and stood to northward : at ten tacked and stood to westward, the light then bearing S. W.„twel ve miles distant, and wind northerly j at B.a!m. the lighthouse was S. by E.; stood on a short tack, heading west, wind N.N.W. 5 called all hands about ship at 9 a.m., but she missed stays, and made a long sternboard towards the Spit j then tried to wear her, but 1 when she got her head towards the Spit, she i hung and would go no further round ; let go an anchor, and signalled to a passing steamer for assistance, but was not noticed. She thon swung round and dragged and stuck on the beach, and continne to drag and bump heavily. Being afraid the masts would go by tha- side I slipped the chain and let her go bread-side on. The sea was breaking heavily over the vessel, so I ordered the boats to be lowered to leeward, and all hands got into them,, and we pulled round to the lighthou»e, faom which she was distant six miles. The. next morning, at daylight, started to walk down to the ship, and found her broken across, the deck, and at the main hatch, and half- of the keel lying on the beach a quarter of a. mile distant, and the spars over the side, the vessel being embedded nine or ten feet in the sand.