WRECK OF THE “LORD WORSLEY" ON THE WEST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 64, 18 September 1862, Page 1 (Supplement)

WRECK OF THE “LORD WORSLEY" ON THE WEST COAST.

(From the Daily Southern Cross, September 11.) We are indebted to the courtesy of Mr. I). Graham for the information of the total loss of the I.C.R.M.Co’s steamship Lord Worshy, which occurred on Monday, Sept. Ist, at half-past 1 a.m., about 45 miles south of Taranaki. The schooner Aheona brings the intelligence, with the mails. The Abeona arrived in the Manukau this (Wednesday) evening at 9 o'clock, with.the mails of the Lord Worsley. The Lord Worsley was wrecked about 45 miles south of Taranaki. All hands safe. The ill-fated steamer was wrecked at D3O a.m. on Monday last, Sept. 1. Sixty people were on hoard, principally passengers for Auckland and Sydney. Great difficulties were experienced by the shipwrecked people from the natives. Since the cessation of hostilities, the inhabitants of Taranaki have not been so excited and concerned as they were on Wednesday morning last, when it became generally known that Mr. Parris had received intelligence from the natives at the Poutuko pa that a three-masted steamer, with a large number ot passengers on board, was wrecked on the coast at the Namu, about 45 miles to the south of New Plymouth. This was all the information the letter contained ; and, as Mr. Parris had started early in the morning to endeavour to gather further tidings, the excitement and suspense was intense among the people, who were to be seen in knots in the streets, discussing what vessel it could be, and how it fared with the crew and passengers. The excitement was only increased when it was known that Mr. Parris had returned on finding that he would not he allowed to pass the gate at Pnketehe, the southern boundary of Tataraimaka. It soon got spread about that an expedition was preparing to proceed to the succour of the shipwrecked people: carts and bullooks were warned for immediate service, as in days of old, and ordered to be in readiness, Ac. ; when a horseman arrived in town to say that a boat was to be seen pulling up from the south. This proved to be the case ; and, shortly after, a boat was seen coining between the Sugar Loaves. When it drew near, a cargo boat was launched and pulled out to meet it and brought its crew to land, when it became known that the ill-fated * steamer was the Lord Worsley, wrecked on Monday last at 1.30 a.m. The boat (the ship’s dingy) brought Captain Bowden, his second mate, and three of the crew, who with much difficulty and some danger, had come round Cape Kginont in an open boat, in order to report the loss of the steamer. A light S.E. wind was fortunately blowing, and thus enabled the dingy to reach this place easily after doubling the Cape safely. Captain Bowden’s account of the wreck of the vessel will be found in our correspondence column. The information gleaned bv us is that the Lord Worsley lies in Namu Bay, in about two feet of water when rh tide is out, and that though lying with rocks through her bottom is not likely to break up. There were in all sixty people on board, principally passengers for Auckland and Sydney—two only for this port, Messrs. A. King and Gaylard. The Lord Worsley was on her way to Sydney via this port and Manukau with the homeward English mails from the South, all of which are in the wreck, together with the mails from hence on the 25th ultimo. Captain A'ine Hall is a passenger, and also two Auckland members of the General Assembly, who curiously enough were shipwrecked in the ll'hilc Siran in going down to the Assembly, and now again in the Lord Worsley in coming up from it. The Lord Worsley had but little cargo on board, principally chrome ore, but besides the mails she was taking specie and gold dust. The passengers, among whom are seven ladies and some children, arc safely housed by AVni.

King Matakatea and his hapu (who have lately come over to the government) in a small vallage near the wreck. The crew live on board. Among the circumstances connected with this unfortunate occurrence, several are singularly opportune and should be noted. Ist.: The steamer has gone ashore on almost the only part of the coast where she would not have been clashed to pieces, and every soul lost on the extensive reefs which surround the coast, and lies in a comparatively safe spot. 2nd.: She has hit upon the only spot on the coast between here and Wanganui inhabited by friendly natives, who, from all accounts, have behaved in a kind, hospitable manner to the shipwrecked people. 3rd ; The weather has been unusually fine. If it had not been so, Capt. Bowden could never have got up here, and we should have been without any reliable information to the present moment: and if it had not unfortunately happened that there was no vessel to send to their aid, the passengers and crew ere this would have been here or on their way to Manukau. The arrival of the captain was simultaneous with that of a letter from some ‘ King’ natives at Kapoaiaia, that the i/vi would assemble to bring people—that as they considered it was a male moana, a disaster on the sea, they would assist to the best of their power. The expedition under orders was, however, already countermanded, it was, not considered judicious to endeavour to to force a way to the scene of the wreck. On Thursday morning, Colonel Warre, his honor ihe Superintendent, Mr. Parris, Mr. Gledhill, acting Lloyd’s agent, and Capt. Bowden stalled overland hoping, no doubt, from the tenor of the letter from Kapoaiaia that no opposition would be offered to their journey down to our unfortunate countrymen, who must be in painful suspense and are looking anxiously no doubt for succour ; but they returned after a fruitless attempt to pass the gate. No inducement would make the gate-keepers allow the party to pass. They told Captain Bowden jOK-eturn to the wreck as he left it, viz., by seaV ami were very insolent because the partymVused to pay for going ui) fo the gate. A'large board is stuck up at this place with a scale of charges ranging from Is. to <£‘soo. The latter sum is to he paid by a European policeman should lie wish to pass by that way. .£2OO is the toll fixed to be pah Iby a Magistrate, and L 5 by a Maori policeman. There are several of these gates between this and the scene of the wreck, and it is estimated tlmr it would cost .£1,500 to reach it! The Lev. Mr AVhitely endeavored to pass this gate on Wednesday on his way to the Namu, but was sent back therefrom. Great anxiety is now felt for the shipwrecked people, who have been thus completely cut off from any communication with the town for live days, and who are entirely at the mercy of the natives, in a British colony fifty miles from a garrison town. A letter was received this morning by Mr. AV. Carrington from Bopata, who started for Namu on AVednesday, that he succeeded in passing the gates, and that the shipwrecked people are on their way to town, and would sleep last night at Kapoaiaia, 30 miles distant. AA'e may therefore expect to see them to-morrow or Monday. They arc coming up in twenty carts, with baggage, mails, &<•. The wreck is left in charge of the chiefs AVi King! Matakea, and Arama Karaka. The surf boats left this morning early for the Namu, as it lias been found impossible to communicate by land. AVe hear that the toll fixed by the natives at the gates to bo imposed upon the party is ss. a head for each person, and Is. each for the carts. AAA are very glad to hear that, through the exertions of one or two of the most kindly and energetic of our fellow-citizens, provision has been made for the accommodation of our shipwrecked countrymen. Our coast has the character of inhospitality, but wo think the same will not be said of our people. AA e hear that the following are some of the passengers—A French Sister of Charity Capt. and Mrs. Campbell and two children, I male and 1 female servant, Mrs. AAhlkin, and daughter. Miss Briggs, Airs. Trail, Airs. White, C. J. Taylor, I!. Graham, Capt Butler, Capt. Hall, Doyle, Blake, Ampthill, King, Gay lard. To the Editor of the Taranaki News. Sin, —Tt is my painful duly to inform you of the Wreck ot the s. s. Lord Worsley in Namu Bay II miles soulh of Capo Kgmont, on Monday, Ist September, at 1-150 un. The Lord Worsley left Nelson on Sunday, at 1 pan., nidi a fresh breeze from S.W., set all sail and shaped rounc N. by AV. for 70 miles, then N. a W„ which course should have taken the ship 10 miles clear of Cape Egniont, and 1 particularly cautioned both the helmsman and officer of the watch not to go to leeward of her course, and

when the third officer called me at midnight he told mo she had gone to windward of her course all the time ; 1 went on deck at midnight and was keeping a sharp look out and could see nothing of the land until half-past 1, when a smart shower was passing I suddenly saw the land ahead and close to, put the helm hard a starboard and reversed the engine to full speed astern, a heavy sea struck her on the port bow and she fell off, when she struck; kept the engine going full speed astern until the propeller broke, she then grounded fore and aft on a rocky bottom and immediately commenced to fill with water; prepared boats and constructed rafts ready to land passengers and crow at daylight, which T an happy to say was done without accident. I remain, &c., James "Bowden.