STORY OF A WRECK

Grey River Argus, 13 April 1911, Page 7

STORY OF A WRECK

DETAILS OF THE LOSS OF THE

JESSIE NICCOL

INVERCARGILiL, April 11

The auxiliary schooner, Huanui, which left the Bluff on March 14th for Macquarie Island, after news being- received of the wreck in December last of the schooner Jessie Niccol, returned to InvercargilL to-day, with Mr Joseph Hatch (lessee of the Island) on. board. . .

Mr Hatch stated that the Jessie Niccol survivors reported that after landing- the party at the Islahd in very rough weather, the Jessie Niccol slip ped her moorings and stood out to southward. The shore party saw her miss stays three times, and let go an anchor, but she was not far from the rocks. , ■ s '

The shore party could not launch a L'oat, but stationed themselves on the beach as near the vessel as possible. One man (Johnston) tried to swim out to a rock near the vessel, but got tangled in ikelp and the headsman (Bauer) had to go to his assistance and help him back.

The second mate and three of the crew were running out a kedge anchor, and refused to come ashore when advised by the men on shore, saying that they would wait for a change in the* weather, although all hands could have easily ,got ashore.

At 9.30 the' vessel bumped on the rocks and smashed her rudder to pieces The. shore party again shouted to the captain and crew to come ashore, as they could do no good aboard. Captain Holmes declined, but at 10 a.m the ship's boat left with the second mate (Mr Corp) and three A.B's," stating that the captain, mate and cook had declined to come. The cook . had told Mr Corp that he would swim ashore later. He made an attempt at about 10.45, but failed and had a hard struggle to regain the vessel

About 11 a.m a very heavy sea struck the vessel and she capsized on her port side, , the water tanks and spars all floating- about.

L-aptain Holmes was seen to .emerge from the cabin and (make tor the starboard side. He caught hold of the rail, but a water tank struck him and he was seen rip more.

The cook was standing- on the port water tank when the vessel listed, and the chief mate was climbing the rigging*. The cook was washed away in a heavy sea .but the mate withstood the sea for a quarter of an hour. Seas were breaking over him, and eventually he too, disappeared.

1 TKe captain's body, which was much bruised about the head and face was washed ashore shortly after noon, but there was no sign of the others. The next morningmost of the ship was washed up in pieces, and the beach was strewn with wreckage for about a mile The second mate and crew in landing on the previous day, had had a hard struggle in the surf, but they managed to readh shore safely after being washed out of their boat. THE- BURIAL. ' Captain Haimes was buried on the 21st and the. body of the chief mate Captain Holmes was buried on the 22nd in a mutilated state. The cook's remains did not come ashore tor over a month. On the 28th a vessel was sighted and she proved to be the Ida M Clarke, of Halifax, and. Captain Giloert, when interrogated, said he did not know where he was bound for, but he offered them provisions and promised to report the wreck. OFFICIAL. "ENQUIRY. This afternoon an official enquiry into the circumstances of the wreck was held before" Mr Cruickshank, S.IM., and Captains Barber and McLean. ■Formal evidence as; to seaworthiness and equipment of ship etc., was taken, and the Court found "that the Jessie Niccol . was properly found, manned and equipped, and that the casualty was due t« the dangerous ■ nature of the coast. ilf the Captain had hung on to his moorings, even if the anchor had dragged, . the vessel could have been beached' on a good shingly beach. Masters of vessels could ibe instructed to anchor at* night, a quarter of a mile outside Nugget (Rook. The | certificate of the s'econdl mate was returned... ''■■■*?

Ten . locomotives-: were- built at the Hillside workshops for the past year, which is said to be a record. They were all sent, to -the North Island for the Main . Trunk. .